Butter Beans Alla Vodka

Penne might be the classic accompaniment for vodka sauce, but in my bean-obsessed kitchen, butter beans are the carb of choice. Soft and creamy, these underrated canned staples are ready to step into the spotlight—tossed in a skillet of rich tomato sauce spiked with vodka and showered with extra Parm. Here are some tips on how to make this.

The beans:
Butter beans are (surprise!) actually just a larger version of lima beans. Stay with me here: I promise they’re not at all like those mealy greenish things you picked out of the lunchtime veggie medley. These beans are large and creamy, with a mild flavor that makes them a perfect match for the decadent vodka sauce. If you’ve never tried them before, I promise this is a great entry point.

The sauce:
Many vodka sauce recipes cook chopped tomatoes with onion and garlic, puree everything in a blender until silky-smooth, then whisk in the vodka and heavy cream to finish. This recipe, on the other hand, uses a hefty dose of tomato paste to double down on the flavor while avoiding the blender. You’ll still have tiny pieces of onion and garlic in the sauce, but a bit more texture is actually a bonus in this case: It plays off the smoothness of the beans and gives the rest of the sauce a little something extra.

Storage:
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Since this is a cream-based sauce, it will tighten as it cools, and may break upon reheating. To avoid this, I recommend reheating in a pan over low with a splash of water, and microwaving only as a last resort.

Did you try making this? Let us know how it went in the comments!