Burst cherry tomato butter beans with basil
After a long day in the field, we want something fast, filling, and worthy of peak summer produce.
This 30-minute burst cherry tomato butter bean skillet checks every box. It uses a full pint of tomatoes at once, cooks in one pan, and feels satisfying without being heavy.
In Iowa, cherry tomatoes are typically in season from mid-July through the end of September, depending on when the first frost comes.
This recipe is built specifically for that window — when you’ve already snacked your way through your first pint of the year (almost a requirement), and you’re craving that fresh-cooked tomato flavor but full-sized slicing tomatoes aren’t quite ready yet.
While Sungolds are delicious, this dish has the best color and balance when you use red cherry or grape tomatoes. Their juices combine with the beans and cream cheese to create a rich, rosy sauce that tastes far more complex than the ingredient list suggests.
You’ll start by cooking the tomatoes until they burst, releasing their juices and creating a savory, almost wine-like depth. Then you’ll add a whole can of butter beans (liquid included!) and let everything simmer and reduce before stirring in cream cheese and fresh basil at the end.
Serve with toasted bread.
Start off this recipe by cooking red cherry or grape tomatoes for about 7 minutes, until they burst.
After cooking tomatoes, shallots, and garlic, add a whole can of butter beans and cook down for about 5 minutes before adding cream cheese to finish off this creamy, satisfying sauce.
Burst cherry tomato butter beans with basil
Adapted from Short Girl, Tall Order
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 pint red cherry or grape tomatoes
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 medium shallot or small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can butter beans (16 oz), with liquid
2 Tbsp cream cheese, room temp
½ cup basil, chopped
Optional: Toasted bread
Directions:
Add olive oil to a large pan over medium heat.
Add cherry tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to burst. Around the 5-minute mark, gently press on any tomatoes that haven’t yet burst with a wooden spoon to help release their juices.
Add the diced shallot (or onion) and garlic. Cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the entire can of butter beans, including the liquid. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cook about 5 minutes, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly.
Stir in cream cheese until fully incorporated and creamy.
Turn off heat and stir in chopped basil. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
Serve immediately with toasted bread, if desired.
