Easy Butter Bean Mash

Name: Easy Butter Bean Mash
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2-15.5 Oz Cans Butter Beans, Drained and Rinsed (See Note 1 for replacements); 4-6 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (See Note 2 for lower/no oil options); 0.5 Cup Nutritional Yeast; 4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice; 1 Teaspoon Salt, or to Taste; 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder; 2 Teaspoons Onion Powder; 0.5 Teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper; 2 Teaspoons Dried Dill; Crushed Red Pepper, to Taste, Optional

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for details.

Butter Bean Mash is a super easy recipe for a side or dip (or use as part of a main)! Ready in just 5 to 10 minutes, just put all the ingredients in a blender, make them smooth, and then heat it in a microwave or on the stove. Vegan and gluten-free, use this white bean mash as a high-protein replacement for mashed potatoes or treat it like a hummus and dip chips and bread in it.

Hey Internet, we've got another recipe that uses butter beans for you. These creamy white beans are so good! Not only do they make for some tender morsels on their own, they are great for giving recipes a creamy texture. Truly, they are a very versatile bean.

Among our growing number of butter bean recipes, we have these Crispy Butter Beans that make for a great high protein snack. We also have Vegan Tuscan Butter Bean Ragout that's a cozy dinner you can enjoy with some bread. And our most recent addition, our Butter Bean Stew, so flavorful and cozy, you'll want to dive into your bowl!

If you need even more butter bean recipes, check out our health-focused site, FitLizKitchen for a butter bean scramble and butter bean hummus!

For today's recipe, however, we have the perfect side dish made from this lovely bean. With a little oil, spices, and a high speed blender, you get a creamy butter bean mash that's high in protein and fiber. It's a great choice for a dinner night or for holidays like Thanksgiving.

Why You'll Love This Butter Bean Mash Recipe

Super Easy: Other recipes have you mashing your beans by hand. With a high-speed bender (a food processor can also be used), you'll get a creamy consistency to your mash with no effort!
Fast Recipe: Ready in just 5 to 10 minutes, it just depends on if you want to serve it straight out of the blender or if you want it warmed up a bit!
Amazing Savory Flavor: With salt, a splash of olive oil, nutritional yeast, and spices, you'll have a delicious side dish in no time!

Ingredients

Pick up these simple ingredients the next time you're at a grocery store. See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredients, instructions, and accurate nutrition information (to the best of my ability; please consult your physician or healthcare professional if you have specific dietary needs or need to meet a certain daily value of any nutrient). I give substitutions for the ingredients in the section below this one, so most people can still make this recipe!

2-15.5 Oz Cans Butter Beans, Drained and Rinsed
4-6 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
0.5 Cup Nutritional Yeast
4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Salt, or to Taste
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Onion Powder
0.5 Teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
2 Teaspoons Dried Dill
Crushed Red Pepper, to Taste, Optional

Substitutions

Butter Beans: While it wouldn't be a butter bean mash, you can still make an amazing creamy mash with other white beans. Great Northern or Cannellini Beans are ideal. But if you have them available, butter beans are the perfect choice for a mash because of their wonderful texture.
Olive Oil: Grapeseed oil or avocado oil are great alternatives to the olive oil. You could also try adding some tahini for a more unique flavor or some of our sunflower seed cream. If you're trying to keep things low fat, utilize the starchy bean liquid in the can and maybe a small amount of vegetable stock instead of the oil.
Lemon Juice: White wine vinegar can work in a pinch to add some acid if you don' t have lemons or lemon juice.
Spices: If you want to go the extra mile, you can use fresh herbs instead. 3 Garlic cloves minced would be a great replacement for the garlic powder. Fresh dill to replace the dried dill. You could also consider adding some fresh rosemary, fresh basil, or fresh parsley to this dish!

How to Make Mashed Butter Beans

Blend: To a high speed blender, add all the ingredients except the dill. Blend together until smooth. If your blender came with a tamper, use it to start the mixing process. Make X motions while using the tamper to mix the contents of the blender. If your blender does not have one (or you're using a food processor), you may need to stop every so often and scrape down the sides of the container. Once smooth, pulse the dill in.
Heat, If Desired: Using a microwave, heat the butter bean mash for about 2 minutes or until mash is hot enough. Give mash a stir to make sure it's evenly heated. If using a stove, add mash to a small pot and heat on a medium-high heat until warm.
Serve: Add mash to a dish and top with red pepper flakes if desired. Eat like mashed potatoes with a fork or use as dip like hummus.

Storage Instructions

Let butter bean mash cool if heated. Add to airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Reheat leftover butter bean mash in the microwave (or in a small pot over low heat on the stove) and add a few tablespoons of olive oil if needed, or at least serve with a fresh drizzle of olive oil (or lemon juice or vinegar). Consume within 3 to 5 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a difference between Lima Beans and Butter Beans?

Technically, no, they are the same bean. However, depending on your region or what brands you can access, lima beans and butter beans might be picked at different maturity levels. You want your beans to be big, white, and tender. Younger lima beans/butter beans are smaller, starchier, and greener. They have a texture similar to fava beans, which we are trying to avoid for this recipe.

What is Nutritional Yeast?

Nutritional Yeast is a flaky sustenance that has a nutty and cheesy taste to it. It is made from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or more commonly known as Baker's Yeast. The difference between Nutritional Yeast and Baker's Yeast is Nutritional Yeast is deactivated during the manufacturing process. This means it can't be used to bake bread. You can learn more about nutritional yeast here.

What if I don't have a high speed blender?

If you have a food processor, you could use that instead. Alternatively, you can smash your beans with a fork or potato masher in bowl.

I would like there to be bit less oil. Any suggestions?

A splash of water can help blend everything together. What would be even better is reserving some of the bean water from the can to use as the oil replacement. Liz has a recipe that uses this over on their new blog, FitLizKitchen.

Any suggestions for pairings?

We had our mash with some asparagus (roasted Brussels sprouts or broccoli would also be lovely!) with a light olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. We roasted them in the oven for 8 to 9 minutes at 425 F and then drizzled on a little lemon juice. It was really good! It'd also be great with cooked Portobellos (try our Portobello steaks recipe!). Don't forget some crusty bread to dunk in your butter bean mash, or try it with our vegan garlic bread.

Other Topping Ideas?

You could also add some sauteed mushrooms or even sundried tomatoes to the top of your mash. A little lemon zest, green onion (spring onion), or a little drizzle of a good quality balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar and an additional tablespoon oil.

More Great Bean Recipes