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Butter Beans

  • 1 pound dry lima beans
  • 2 quarts tap water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup of margarine (1/2 a stick)

Soak the beans overnight in the tap water, or bring them to a boil, cover them and let them soak for an hour in the boiling water. After soaking, simmer the beans for about an hour, or until they are almost tender. Add the salt, pepper and margarine. Simmer the beans for another half hour or so, cooking until they are tender, but not mushy, and the broth is somewhat thickened. This may be served as a main dish with Hoe Cakes. It can also be served as a side dish with a roasted chicken. This recipe serves 6 as a main dish, or 12 as a side dish. It may be doubled to serve large crowds. This is a traditional southern dish, it is cheap and quite delicious.

These butter beans make a great side dish. If you’re looking for a one pot meal, take a look at this sausage bean skillet recipe or browse through some of the other bean recipes.

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Comments

  1. shay says:
    July 18, 2010 at 9:09 pm

    Butter beans, hoe cakes and a big spoon of homemade kraut. One of my favorite meals…not as a side dish either. My Mom in central Kentucky used a recipe similar to yours, so very good.

    Reply
  2. Susan says:
    October 28, 2011 at 6:18 pm

    I did not know lima beans were called butter beans. Is that correct.

    Reply
    • roy says:
      November 4, 2011 at 7:32 pm

      no butter beans are bigger and taste different.

      Reply
    • Carol York says:
      November 16, 2011 at 10:44 am

      Yes, cooked dried lima beans are called butter beans.

      Reply
      • melissa says:
        December 14, 2011 at 9:40 pm

        yes but they also come in different sizes

        Reply
        • doug says:
          April 23, 2012 at 8:27 pm

          in my culture, only large dried lima beans are called butter beans. the medium and small lima beans are called just that. they are used mainly for succotash or a side dish. hey hillbilly – have you ever cooked large fresh lima beans? i haven’t. i’ll bet that they don’t break down in to that buttery goodness like the dried ones.
          thanks

          Reply
  3. Lael says:
    April 26, 2012 at 5:37 pm

    I use a similar recipe to make butter beans. I serve the beans over rice with Tabasco and pepper vinegar. I love to put thinly sliced mortgage-lifter tomatoes (or other large slicing variety) on top! I wish I had some right now…

    Reply

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