Butter Beans / Lima Beans

What it is

Flat, kidney-shaped beans in a pale cream-to-pale-green color. "Lima bean" and "butter bean" largely refer to the same species (Phaseolus lunatus); in much usage, large pale ones are "butter beans," smaller green ones are "baby limas." Named for Lima, Peru.

How it's made

Dried (soaked and simmered) or fresh/frozen. Note: some wild and certain lima varieties contain cyanogenic compounds and must be cooked (commercial limas are bred low and are safe when cooked) — cook, don't eat raw.

Flavor profile

Mild, buttery, creamy, with a soft, smooth texture — the name "butter bean" describes both the color and the rich mouthfeel.

Culinary uses

In the American South, lima beans are a classic side and the bean in succotash (limas with corn). Larger butter beans are stewed, baked, or simmered with ham, and feature in Greek and Mediterranean dishes (overlapping with gigantes). Their creaminess makes them excellent in brothy, buttery braises and purées.

Regional variations

American South: succotash and stewed butter beans. Greece/Mediterranean: large butter beans baked in tomato (close cousins to gigantes). UK: tinned butter beans in stews and salads.

Cultural & historical context

Domesticated in the Andes (hence "Lima") and Mesoamerica, lima beans spread worldwide. Succotash descends from an Indigenous North American dish (the name is from a Narragansett word), one of the oldest continuously eaten dishes of the Americas.

Reference notes

• Tags: legume, lima/butter bean, Dried, Fresh, Whole, Vegetarian, Vegan
• Related ingredients: corn (succotash), ham, butter, tomatoes, dill
• Related cuisines: American South, Greek, British
• Suggested links: Cuisinopedia → Succotash (dish), Gigante Beans, Christmas Lima Beans

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