Name: Creamy Mediterranean Beans with Sweet Potato
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 540 ml/19 oz white kidney beans or butter beans, drained and rinsed; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 small yellow onion, diced; 3 large cloves garlic, minced; 1 Roma tomato, diced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 cup vegetable broth; ¼ cup Kalamata olives, chopped; ½ tsp dried oregano; ½ tsp smoked paprika; ¼ tsp red chili flakes, or to taste; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; zest of ½ a lemon; 1-2 tbsp lemon juice; ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped; 1-2 tsp maple syrup, optional, if your tomato paste/tomatoes are especially acidic; ½ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 15-20 minutes and drained; ½ cup water; pinch of salt

Got a few sad-looking vegetables hanging around your fridge? Turn them into these saucy, comforting and ridiculously delicious Creamy Mediterranean Beans in just 30 minutes.

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There’s a special kind of dinner that happens when you open the fridge and think, “Oh look, three random vegetables I need to use before they die.” Enter these Creamy Mediterranean Beans. Made with sweet potato, onion, tomato and a handful of pantry staples, this cozy little skillet comes together in just 30 minutes and is creamy, comforting and 100% nourishing. The beans make it hearty, the sweet potato adds a touch of natural sweetness, and lemon, garlic, oregano and Kalamata olives give it a Mediterranean-inspired kick. Basically, your sad fridge vegetables just got a glow-up.

Watch how to make Creamy Mediterranean Beans over on my YouTube channel! And don’t forget to subscribe while you’re at it 😉

Inspiration & Ingredients

This recipe was born from one of my favourite types of cooking: looking at what needs to be used up and figuring out how to make it delicious.

The foundation is incredibly simple: white kidney beans or butter beans, sweet potato, onion, garlic and a Roma tomato. Then we build a rich, creamy sauce with tomato paste, vegetable broth and cashew cream. The Mediterranean-ish flavour comes from oregano, Kalamata olives, lemon and fresh parsley. A little smoked paprika and red pepper flakes add extra depth and just enough heat.

And don’t let the cashew cream fool you into thinking this is going to be fussy or too fancy for you to whip up on a weeknight! It’s just soaked cashews blended with water until smooth and creamy. That’s it, baby!

Here’s what you need:

Ingredients

1 can (540 mL / 19 oz) white kidney beans or butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into small ½-inch cubes
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Roma tomato, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup cashew cream*
¾ cup vegetable broth
¼ cup Kalamata olives, sliced

½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp black pepper
Zest of ½ lemon
1–2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp olive oil, optional
1–2 tsp maple syrup, optional, if your tomato paste/tomatoes are especially acidic

Cashew Cream

½ cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 15–20 minutes and drained
½ cup water
Pinch of salt

Why You’ll love Creamy Mediterranean Beans

It’s a 30-minute dinner— No simmering for hours and no complicated prep. The sweet potato is cut into small cubes so it cooks quickly, while the beans are already cooked and ready to go.
It’s creamy without feeling heavy — The cashew cream makes the sauce incredibly luscious, but you’re still getting plenty of fibre, plant-based protein, vegetables and whole-food goodness from the beans and sweet potato.
It’s perfect for those last few veggies shrivelling on your counter — While the recipe is written with specific vegetables, there’s plenty of wiggle room. Toss in other vegetables that need rescuing from the back of your fridge, like more tomato, spinach, kale, zucchini or bell pepper would all be welcome here.
Pantry staples do most of the heavy lifting — Beans, tomato paste, spices, broth and cashews are all things you can keep on hand, meaning this is an excellent “I have nothing to make for dinner” dinner.
It’s thick, scoopable and ridiculously satisfying — The finished beans are intentionally thick and scoopable, rather than swimming in a thin sauce. Think somewhere between a creamy bean skillet and a very thick stew.

How to Make Creamy Mediterranean Beans

Instructions

Cook the sweet potato: Heat a little olive oil (or a splash of water if oil-free) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sweet potato and onion with a pinch of salt. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and the sweet potato starts to brown.
Add the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Letting the tomato paste fry for a minute makes it dramatically more delicious.
Stir in the diced Roma tomato, beans and vegetable broth. Cover and simmer for about 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is fork-tender and the liquid has reduced.
Make it creamy: Blend the soaked cashews, water and salt until completely smooth and creamy. You want it fairly pourable—more like heavy cream than cashew cheese. Stir in the cashew cream and Kalamata olives. Simmer uncovered for another 2–3 minutes. The sauce should be thick, creamy and cling lovingly to the beans and sweet potatoes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley. Taste and adjust the salt, pepper and lemon. If the tomatoes are particularly acidic, a tiny drizzle of maple syrup or agave can round everything out.

tips for the Best Creamy Beans

Use butter beans for maximum creaminess. White kidney beans work beautifully, but butter beans have that huge, tender, almost creamy texture that makes this dish extra luxurious.
Don ‘t skip the tomato paste. It might seem like a small ingredient, but cooking it briefly with the garlic and spices gives the sauce a much deeper tomato flavour.
Keep your sweet potato cubes small. About ½-inch cubes are ideal. They’ll cook quickly and become tender without turning the entire dish into mashed sweet potato.
Adjust the consistency to your liking. This recipe makes a thick, scoopable sauce. If you want something more saucy, add another splash of vegetable broth at the end.
Make it your own fridge-cleanout dinner. Have some spinach that needs using? Throw it in. A lonely bell pepper? Add it with the onion. Zucchini looking questionable? Chop it up and toss it in. This recipe is forgiving.

Nutrition

Per serving (serves 2 to 4):
4 = 255 calories • 11g protein • 36g carbs • 8g fat • 8g fibre

2 = 510 calories • 22g protein • 72g carbs • 16g fat • 16g fibre

Nutrition information is approximate and will vary depending on the ingredients used.

Get Ready To Bean Obsessed

These Creamy Mediterranean Beans are proof that a handful of random vegetables and a can of beans can turn into something seriously delicious. They’re creamy, hearty, comforting and packed with nourishing plant-based ingredients—and they only take 30 minutes to make.

So the next time you open your fridge and discover a collection of vegetables entering their final days, don’t panic. Get saucy. Get creamy. Save the vegetables.

Your fridge will thank you. Your taste buds will thank you. And your compost bin can wait another day. 😉

Love this recipe? I’d really appreciate if you gave me a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below!

Lastly, if you made any of these recipes and decide to share them on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @SteamyVegan and use hashtag #SteamyVegan! I seriously love seeing what you’re cooking up! Plus make sure to check me out on YouTube — I have HUNDREDS of recipe videos to give you limitless plant-based inspiration!

Janelle Carss