These Creamy Southern Lima Beans Are a Standout Side Dish (2024)

These creamy Southern lima beans are delicious and very flavorful! This is an easy recipe to make with simple ingredients: dried lima beans, onion, smoked turkey wings, and spices. Creamy lima beans are a great comfort food side dish for holidays, potlucks, and dinners during the cool seasons.

Lima Beans Vs. Butter Beans

Are butter beans and lima beans the same thing? Some may say there is a difference in flavor, but butter beans and lima beans are considered the same type of legume. The only difference is their size! Butter beans are larger in size.

I prefer dry legumes instead of purchasing canned or frozen products. If you choose a frozen option, they may take less time to cook because they are precooked. This may affect flavor as well when seasoning the dish to your liking. These are some of my favorite to purchase.

To Soak or Not To Soak

Soaking the lima beans before cooking can help by decreasing the cooking time and making them easier to digest. Some beans can also have a better texture and tend to not burst during the cooking process if you soak. With lima beans, I have noticed they still cook tender if you skip soaking. Soaking limas can sometimes break down the beans, resulting in lots of small broken pieces.

If you prefer to soak your lima beans, place them in a large bowl of water for at least 4 to 8 hours. When ready to cook, drain off the water and follow the cooking directions below, shortening the simmering time as needed.

The No-Cream Secret to Creamy Lima Beans

The art of creamy lima beans involves stirring. Yep, that’s it! Just stir them a bit more while they cook. This helps some of the beans to break and release starches, which then make the liquid thicker and creamier.

If you want to make sure they are still intact, you can add cornstarch to the broth instead. In a small bowl mix together about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until well blended. Then, add this mixture to the pot right at the end of cooking as the pot simmers and stir until the bean liquid thickens.

Add Smoked Meat for Flavor

I use smoked turkey wings in this recipe because it’s a healthier option without lacking taste. If you like to eat pork, bacon, and smoked ham hocks or neck bones are good alternatives. Or try smoked turkey necks.

For a meatier dish, add smoked sausage! Before cooking the beans, dice the sausage (and bacon, if using). Brown in the pot using medium heat. Then, just follow the rest of the steps as directed in the recipe.

Vegetarian Options

If you don’t eat meat, try using 2 to 3 tablespoons of liquid aminos as a replacement for the smokiness. The umami-rich liquid aminos will give the lima beans a meaty deep flavor. And don’t forget to use a vegetable broth or stock base instead of the poultry flavored ones!

Tips

• Adjust and increase the garlic and onion powder to your liking for a more garlicky and onion flavor.
• You want to avoid making this too salty. Don’t add additional salt until the beanshave finished cooking because the smoke meat and stock will add their own saltiness.
• If you don’t have broth or stock on hand, you can use water. You may have to add more salt if you use water.

How To Serve

Make this a complete holiday meal with some of these delicious sides!

• Green beans with tomatoes and bacon is another country side dish.
• Try making a sweet potato casserole with gooey marshmallows. This is a tasty holiday classic dish that’s a sweet treat as well!
• A bowl of beans always goes great with cornbread! Here is a southern cornbread recipe that is made with buttermilk and baked in a cast iron skillet.

How To Transport and Reheat

Refrigerate the cooled lima beans in a tightly covered Tupperware container or glass storage bowl with a lid. Glass is good because you can reheat the beans in a microwave when ready to serve.

If you have a slow cooker, you can reheat the lima beans in the slow cooker and keep the temperature on warm.

More Southern Sides

• Instant Pot Collard Greens
• Hoppin’ John
• Stewed Okra and Tomatoes Creole Style
• Fried Green Tomatoes
• Cheesy Grits Soufflé Bake