If you're craving something rich, satisfying and creamy, this is one way to fulfil that craving. These butter beans alla vodka are pure comfort in a bowl and made completely dairy-free too, minus the parmesan on top (which is optional). If you love pasta alla vodka, this is a great alternative to pasta. The butter beans are hearty, tender (but still firm) and a fibre rich alternative to pasta. I love serving these creamy tomato-y beans with some bread on the side. It's just like beans on toast, but elevated. Perfect as a quick weeknight dinner, serve it with a simple side salad for a more complete meal.

This recipe is inspired by the super talented Carolina Gelen. I've adapted her recipe to be dairy-free, with cashew cream and changed the sauce to suit my taste preference. Check out her version here!

Ingredients

These beans with vodka sauce are simple to make with only a handful of ingredients and it comes together in about 30 minutes. Be sure to see substitutions near the end of this post if you need.

• raw cashews
• extra virgin olive oil
• shallot
• garlic
• tomato paste
• peperoncini
• vodka
• butter beans

How to Make Beans Alla Vodka

You're going to love how quick and simple this beans alla vodka recipe is to make.

The only thing I recommend prepping ahead is the cashew cream to make things super easy. All you need to do is soak your cashews in just boiled water for about 20-30 minutes.

Once they're softened, drain and add to a high powered blender, like a Vitamix with the 3/4 cup water. Blend on high until smooth and creamy and set aside.

Heat a dutch oven over medium heat and pour in the oil. Once hot, add the shallot and sauté for two minutes, and then add the garlic and cook for one to two minutes more, until softened and fragrant and just starting to brown around the edges.

Add half of the tube of tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook for about one minute and then add the peperoncini and stir, cook for two minutes. Season with a good pinch of salt. Deglaze with the vodka and cook for one minute.

Pour in the beans and stir to combine. Then pour in the cashew cream and continue stirring until everything is incorporated.

Pour in water to thin as needed, starting with 1/4 cup. Cook for about five minutes, reducing the heat to medium-low, just to let everything blend together, adding more water if needed.

Ladle the beans into bowls and season with salt and pepper. Serve with parmesan and parsley on top and bread on the side. Enjoy!

Suggestions & Tips

• Do thin with water: the cashew cream will make things creamy and thick. I recommend thinning this out with water until your desired consistency is reached. I used about 1/3 cup or so of water in mine. Start with a smaller amount and add more as needed.
• Use a high powered blender: if using the quick soak method for soaking raw cashews, this works best if blended in a high powered blender, like a Vitamix. I love mine and have been using it for almost ten years!
• Add a knob of butter: near the end of cooking, add a knob of butter to add some richness to the dish if you wish. Use a vegan butter if needed.
• Freshly grated parmesan: I love adding freshly grated parmesan to this dish, but if you need it to be dairy-free (vegan), use your favourite vegan parmesan replacement instead.
• Use tomato paste in a tube: if you can find it, it's often easier to use tomato paste from a tube. This means you can easily store leftovers in the fridge if you're not using the whole tube at a time, like with this recipe.
• Season to taste: always season your dish as it's cooking with kosher salt. When you're ready to serve, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Substitutions

• No vodka: you can skip the vodka entirely and just use water instead.
• Cashew cream: you can use heavy cream or full fat coconut milk instead. Coconut milk will have a pronounced coconut flavour. I've also seen oat milk cream in stores which could be used as a substitute as well.
• Peperoncini: these provide a lot of spice and heat, so use a smaller amount to start unless you like things pretty spicy. You can also substitute with chili flakes, be sure to reduce the amount to suit your taste. This is the brand of peperoncini I buy and love it!
• Butter beans: if you can't find butter beans, feel free to use cannellini beans instead.

More Dinner Recipes:

• Honey Lime Chicken Thighs
• Vegan Pasta Alla Vodka (one pot)
• Bright Green Vegan Falafel
• Thai Turkey Meatballs
• Salmon Tacos with Thai Curry Sauce
• Miso Carbonara
• Gochujang Korean Chicken Bowls with Rice
• Chili Crisp Pasta
• Al Pastor Salmon Tacos
• Kimchi Burgers
• Air Fryer General Tso Chicken

Are you ready to make this? Let's get to it!

As always, if you make these butter beans alla vodka please share with me, by tagging me on Instagram or leave a comment and/or review below. I truly love seeing and hearing form you!‍

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