Butter Beans vs. Lima Beans: Common Uses and Preparations

Butter beans are a type of white bean from the Phaseolus lunatus plant, with a buttery, creamy texture. The beans are especially popular in the American South. They appear in many iconic regional dishes, from succotash—a dish with roots in early Native American cuisine—to skillet beans with salt pork. Butter beans are also widely known as lima beans, named for the capital city of their country of origin, Peru. Lima beans are a common side dish in the cuisine of South America, often served with ceviche.

“Butter bean” is far from the only moniker for lima beans. Depending on where you find the beans, they may also go by one of the following names: butter peas, gigante beans, Madagascar beans, and chad beans. One variety opts for a combination: the Dixie speckled butter pea lima bean. Baby lima beans, or sieva beans, are a common smaller variant.

Use butter beans as you would any other heirloom bean:

1. 1. Bean soups, salads, and stews: Like Navy beans or white kidney beans, butter beans turn creamy and thick when cooked low and slow in a stew. Alternatively, add cooked beans to a brothy soup for a textural boost, or combine them with other beans, vegetables, and herbs in a bean salad.
2. 2. With salt pork: Simmer butter beans with salt pork and butter on the stove for a savory, salty side dish. Add dark leafy greens like collard greens, chard, or kale for additional flavor, color, and texture.
3. 3. In casseroles: Use butter beans in sweet, saucy Vermont-style baked beans, or add them to a pasta-and-cheese casserole with a crunchy breadcrumb topping.
4. 4. Succotash: Succotash is a traditional dish from the Narragansett Indian Tribe of Rhode Island that combines butter beans with various vegetables, like sweet corn, peppers, and okra. Learn how to make succotash.

There is no difference between lima beans and butter beans, though you can find them for sale at different stages of maturity. The younger green-hued beans, usually identified as baby lima beans, have a starchy texture similar to raw fava beans (which some describe as mealy). You can consume them fresh or cooked.

Despite all the many varieties of lima bean, they all stem from the same plant. Any perceived differences are solely the result of geography and personal preference.

Like many other legumes, like lentils or chickpeas, the style of butter beans you use—fresh, dried, or otherwise—determines their preparation.

• Choose the beans: You can cook with fresh, canned, or dried butter beans. Canned or frozen butter beans don’t require any soaking or initial preparation beyond a quick rinse or thaw, but dried beans require a few extra steps.
• Soak the beans overnight (optional): If you choose to soak your beans to save cooking time, thoroughly wash, drain, and pick over beans for any debris. Submerge the beans in cold water, and soak them for twenty-four hours. The next day, drain the soaked beans before cooking.
• Boil the beans: Add the beans to a medium pot of water or stock and bring it to a boil before reducing the flame to a simmer. Cook the beans until al dente, about one hour, or until they reach your desired consistency. Add more water or stock throughout the cooking process as desired.
• Cook the beans: Finally, sauté or stew the beans in olive oil or butter, or add a handful to a salad. If you decide to boil or stew your beans further, monitor them once they’ve started to cook: The more you stir them, the more likely they are to fall apart.

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