This creamy butter bean mash is SO easy to make, packed with protein, healthy and delicious. A nutritious alternative to mashed potato.
🍴 Why you will love this recipe
This deliciously rich and creamy mash is a nutritious alternative to mashed potato. Packed with protein and fibre, it is very quick and easy to make in just 7 minutes!
Perfect with vegan sausages and gravy, grilled flat mushrooms, stir-fried vegetables, or a rich and creamy topping for a Vegan Cottage Pie. This makes a great side dish to serve with a Mushroom Bourguignon or Vegan Sausage Casserole.
Butter beans are nutritional powerhouses, and this creamy mash is such a great way to serve them, even if you don't usually like beans! Perfect comfort food that's good for you too.
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📝 What you need
Ingredients
There are just four basic ingredients in this easy recipe:
Tinned butter beans are cheap and very widely available - most supermarkets, even small ones will stock them. However you can use any type of white bean - cannellini or haricot would work well too.
Vegetable stock gives a flavour base to the mash - do check it is vegan as some vegetable stock cubes/powders contain milk. I prefer lower-salt varieties so you can adjust the seasoning to your own taste.
Lemon juice really lifts the flavour and removes any 'beany' taste from this creamy mash.
Vegan butter I like to use a good-quality block margarine rather than a tub of spread, as the water content is much lower. Flora Plant Butter or Naturli Vegan Block are ideal.
Equipment
A stick blender is the easiest way to blitz your butter bean mash to a smooth and silky purée. No pouring into a blender, just stick it in the pan and blitz. Mine is by Dualit and has served me well for many years, but any good quality stick blender will do the job well.
I really recommend using a blender of some sort rather than a standard potato masher. You do need to totally break down the skins of the beans otherwise you will never achieve the smooth and creamy texture that makes this mash so special.
👩🏽🍳 How to make your mash
For a full, printable recipe with ingredients and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this page👇🏼.
Melt the vegan butter in a saucepan, add the beans and vegetable stock. Season well, cover with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the lemon juice then blitz to a very smooth purée with a stick blender. You may need to add a little more water to get the desired consistency. You can add a splash of vegan cream or yoghurt at this point for an extra-creamy mash. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
🥄 Variations
This creamy mash is a blank canvas to add all sorts of flavours to match your main dish. How about some of these stirred through the mash just before serving?
- Wholegrain mustard 1-2 teaspoons to your taste
- Fresh herbs, finely chopped (how about flat-leaf parsley, coriander or basil?)
- Vegan cheese I find Violife or Applewood Smoked or Koko cheddar are the best at melting.
- Sun-dried tomato paste
- Curry paste (or curry powder added with the vegetable stock)
- Garlic either garlic paste or a roasted garlic clove with skin removed
🔪 Top Tips & FAQs
Keep blitzing for at least 2-3 minutes until the mash is totally smooth! You really need to break down the skins of the butter beans for a very smooth and potato-like mash, so don't stop until it is very smooth, and don't use a potato masher.
Adjust the consistency with water Every time I make this I need a slightly different amount of water to get it to the right consistency. So blitz it as it is, then add a splash of water at a time until it is a soft, mashed-potato-like consistency. If you add too much and it becomes too soft, just bubble it in the saucepan for a minute or two and it will thicken up.
Absolutely! This freezes really well - I often make double or triple portions whilst I'm at it and freeze them. The consistency and seasoning can both change with freezing, so when you defrost you may need to add a little more water and taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
No - any white bean will work well, cannellini beans in particular are similarly creamy.
🍽 If you liked that...
.... you might also enjoy these vegan recipes from The Veg Space:
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📖 Recipe
Butter Bean Mash
Ingredients
- 15 g dairy-free 'butter' block margarine - I like Flora Plant Butter or Naturli Block
- 800 g tinned butterbeans 2 x 400g tins
- 150 ml vegetable stock (150ml boiling water + 1 teaspoon stock powder)
- salt and black pepper
- 1 lemon juice only
- 1-2 tablespoon vegan cream or plain yoghurt (optional)
Instructions
- Melt the vegan butter in a large saucepan.
- Drain and rinse the butterbeans and add to the saucepan, followed by the vegetable stock and a generous seasoning of salt and black pepper.
- Cover with a lid and simmer over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and vegan cream (if using) then blitz to a very smooth purée. You can add a splash of vegan cream or yoghurt at this point for an extra-creamy mash.
- If the mash is too thick, add a splash of water. If the mash is too thin, return to the pan and bubble for a minute or two until it is thick enough. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Phil Vaughan says
I made this a few minutes ago during the lunch break of the County Cricket Championship's radio coverage, wanting something quick and easy. I had just 1 tin (400g) of beans so adjusted the recipe and the only 'cream' I had was coconut. Whilst it was simmering, I chopped some cucumber, tomatoes and avocado with a splash of cider vinegar for a salad. Kate's right: we mustn't stint on the blending. Such a simple recipe but absolutely spiffing! I can see this as an accompaniment to to all sorts of things, especially a nut roast.
Michael says
First time I've ever made Butterbean mash, had it with your celeriac steaks recipe (which I had made before) and both were fantastic!
Jane says
Absolutely sensational
Thank you x
Kate Ford says
That's great to hear, thanks Jane!
Kay Stone says
1.1 cup is not 150ml? 1 cup is 250ml, ish? For the veg stock?
Kay says
I found this recipe using the link from your chestnut mushroom bourguignon. I'm giving this 5 stars, though I've not tried it yet! It looks amazing, and a great alternative to rice, pasta or potatoes. I often make polenta, when I'm 'potatoed out'! Either as a loose 'cake' as mash, or as fries, using the ready made stuff.
My question is, could you use the drained water from the can, in your stock, or as extra water? Google seems to be divided on the use of the (any canned) bean water.
Karen S says
Yum I had a 1/2 can of butter beans leftover and made the mash to have with my dinner tonight.. wow so delicious
Cath says
I made this with the whole grain mustard stirred in, delicious! How long can I keep the leftovers in the fridge please?
Claire says
I’m a vegetarian and now pre diabetic looking for a lower GI replacement mashed potato. WOW. No going back! Only had 1 tin of butter beans but bulked out with celeriac, added some soy milk and stirred in some Dijon mustard and spring onion to top a veggie shepherds pie. Love this recipe! Thank you! .
Kate Ford says
Great to hear! Thanks Claire x
Damo says
Made the recipe, but not vegan. Butter, home made chicken stock. I didn't feel the need for cream or yoghurt and it was so delicious. Such a great side for BBQ lamb, BBQ spiced chicken. I imagine would be great also for a dressing for BBQ or roasted veges such as cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts (with a bit more stock to thin it).
Kate Ford says
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks.
Caroline says
Just made this and it’s amazing! I didn’t have veg stock so I subbed saikyo miso. Not a traditional mash taste but still delish.
Kate Ford says
That's great to hear, thanks Caroline!
Gina says
What a delicious and simple side dish! I added garlic and some herbs from the garden - perfect!
Dannii says
We love using beans as a mash. Super creamy and protein packed too.
Beth says
This looks so incredibly delicious! My family is going to love this, Such a nice alternative to pasta or potatoes.
Shashi says
I love butter beans but never thought to make them into a mash - this is brilliant! Thanks for the recipe inspiration!
Debby says
Ultimate comfort food! Even better with wholegrain mustard stirred through....
veenaazmanov says
This is such a lovely option to potatoes. Healthy and definitely a super food. I have to check this out.