Katy Beskow’s butter beans in tomato, olive, and caper sauce from Vegan Pantry is a great midweek meal that comes together quickly. The butter beans in this dish provide a solid source of plant-based protein, making it both filling and nutritious. These beans are also rich in fiber, helping to keep you full longer.

Inspired by Italian puttanesca sauce, this recipe swaps anchovies for capers, creating a vegan-friendly twist. Garlic, olives, capers, and passata blend together to make a tangy and flavorful base for the butter beans. A pinch of chili flakes adds a little kick, while dried oregano rounds out the flavors.

This dish is perfect when you need something easy and fast. You only need pantry staples, and the recipe takes about 20 minutes to make. The butter beans soak up the savory sauce, making each bite delicious.

Serve these beans with toasted sourdough, pasta, or mashed potatoes. You can even eat them on their own for a lighter option. This recipe is flexible, quick, and packed with plant-based protein, making it an ideal choice for anyone looking for a simple, wholesome dinner.

Butter beans in tomato olive and caper sauce

These butter beans in tomato, olive and caper sauce are perfect for a weeknight meal.

a bowl of butterbeans in tomato olive caper sauce with chili

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Servings

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil plus extra for drizzling
2 garlic cloves crushed
Pinch of chili red pepper flakes
Pinch of dried oregano
100 g pitted black olives roughly sliced
2 tbsp jarred capers plus 1 tbsp of the brine
400 g good-quality passata sieved tomatoes
Pinch of granulated sugar
2×400 g cans of butter beans/lima beans or use jarred if you can find them
Generous pinch of flaky sea salt and black pepper
Handful of flat-leaf parsley chopped, to serve

Instructions

Add the oil, garlic, chilli and oregano to a pan and cook for 2 minutes over a medium heat until fragrant.
Stir in the olives and capers, with the tablespoon of brine from the jar. Pour in the passata and sugar.
Stir in the butter beans, then simmer over a medium-high heat for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Scatter over the parsley just before serving and drizzle with a little extra olive oil.

This recipe was republished with permission from Vegan Pantry by Katy Beskow (Quadrille, £22), Photography © Luke Albert

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