I was recently craving vegetables AND comfort food at the same time and couldn’t figure out what in the world I wanted… until I thought of these Southern Butter Beans.
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Seasoned with bacon, brown sugar, and a little chicken broth, butter beans (baby limas) are the ultimate comfort food veggie! My grandma grew her own and I have fond memories of helping her shell them in her kitchen. Many summer nights at Grandma’s our dinner consisted of fresh vegetables from her garden like sliced tomatoes, squash, marinated cucumbers and butter beans. I can still remember the smells of her kitchen!
I literally had a big bowl of these butter beans as my dinner… they were so comforting, especially with it being cold and rainy outside! What is your favorite comfort food veggie? 🙂
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Southern Butter Beans
- Total Time: 40 mins
Ingredients
- 5 slices lean bacon, chopped
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 (16-ounce package) frozen butter beans (baby lima beans)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (more or less, to taste)
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon and onion until bacon is cooked and onions are tender (about 5-7 minutes).
- Add brown sugar and chicken broth. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Add frozen butter beans and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until tender. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.
Notes
Adapted from Southern Living
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
These were delicious and your comment about your grandmother triggered a beautiful memory for me. Thank you❤️
Tooo Sweet! Think it would have been good if I had known to back off on the sugar.
★★★
How many servings would this be with the 16-ounce bag? It looks absolutely wonderful and I want to feed 4 people, two of them men who eat a lot. Should I make it with 2 bags if we want leftovers the next day?
Hi Cat, this is approximately 4-6 servings. Just to be safe I’d double the recipe if you want leftovers (especially with 2 hungry men!). Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Excellent, thank you for your help.
Hi,
This looks amazing!! Can this be cooked in a crock pot and if so how would you recommend cooking it? Would the recipe change any?
Thanks so much 🙂
Hi Becky, thanks so much! I’ve never tested this recipe in a slow cooker so I can’t say with complete certainty. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help. Let us know how it turns out if you try it! 🙂
Hi Amy, I will try it and let you know how it goes!
Thank You
Thank you, Becky!
What is the purpose of the brown sugar in the recipe? How much water do you add—just enough to cover the beans? My boyfriend ins a lover of these and I want to prepare them for him as he is from the deep South so I want them to be just right. Thanks!
Hey, Doris! The brown sugar adds a hint of sweetness… it’s really good! Yes, just enough water to cover the beans. I hope he enjoys them. Have a great weekend! 🙂
Can you use fresh limas and how much longer would it take to cook. Thankyou
Hi Roxanne, I’ve only used this recipe using frozen so I can’t say for sure. I’d keep an eye on them and cook them until they’re to the tenderness and texture you like. Hope you enjoy!
Making this recipe to take to a family reunion at my husbands’ parents house! Last time I made it for Thanksgiving it was a HUGE hit! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks so much, Susan. Hope everyone enjoyed it at the reunion!
This is without a doubt my favorite vegetable. I particularly like the speckled butter beans. I have never added onions when cooking mine but it looks delicious.
Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Thank you… Was planning on baby limas tomorrow night and this will be perfect. Have not used brown sugar before but will tomorrow…
★★★★★
I usually change recipes to suit myself. I made this exactly as published and it is easily the best lima bean recipe I have ever made. Two helpings later, I am aground… Thanks for the suggestion. I love it and will easily give it 5 stars.
★★★★★
Thank you so very much, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Butter beans are my kryptonite haha This looks delicious!!
Amanda
http://anchoredtosunshine.com/
Thanks so much, Amanda!