Butter Bean Mash - My Gorgeous Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are butter beans called in the USA? ›

Lima Beans. While they're all the same bean botanically, butter beans have different names depending on the region. In the South and in the United Kingdom, they're typically referred to as butter beans. Elsewhere in the U.S., they're known as lima beans (named for Lima, Peru, the bean's point of origin).

The only noticeable difference is that butter beans contain a small amount of fat while cannellini beans have none. Now that you know the main differences between these two popular beans, how do choose the right variety for your next main course?

Is There a Difference Between Butter Beans and Lima Beans? Other than what they're called and sometimes their color, butter beans and lima beans are exactly the same. Their species is called Phaseolus lunatus and the difference in their name is only a matter of geography.

For starters, butter beans grow from the Phaseolus lunatus plant while cannellini beans, like navy, and great northern beans grow from the Phaseolus vulgaris plant.

Navy beans also make a pretty good alternative to butter beans. Despite their name, the legumes are white. Though they're a little smaller than butter beans, the two share a similar buttery, creamy taste and texture. They have a slight earthiness to them and make a great swap for butter beans in stews and soups.

Butter Beans are a fantastically healthy ingredient – they're high in protein and fibre, and they're an excellent source of carbohydrates. Low in fat and calories but high in folate, starch and iron, they're one of the best store cupboard ingredients there is.

All beans are rich in fiber, but the top-ranking variety is the navy bean, allegedly named for its popularity in the U.S. Navy in the early 20th century. These pea-sized, cream-colored beans provide 10 grams of fiber per half-cup serving.

From the tin – not a cooking method, but butter beans and be enjoyed straight from the can.

A lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), also commonly known as butter bean, sieva bean, double bean or Madagascar bean, is a legume grown for its edible seeds or beans.

Giant, fat, white runner beans that are creamier and more luxurious than Greek and Spanish gigandes and a little denser than traditional Italian coronas. Royal Corona beans can replace any white bean, but be prepared to be astounded by how big they are when cooked.

Are Corona beans butter beans? ›

I am referring to these meaty beans as simply giant white beans, as they fall under many different names. The Italians call them corona beans; the Greeks call them gigante beans. You'll also sometimes find them labeled as butter beans. They all, in fact, stem from the good ol' lima bean.

Navy (Pea) Beans

Because they get creamy when cooked, they're perfect for mashing against the side of the pot, pureeing in dips, and thickening soups, stews, ragouts, and more.

In the Southern U.S. and in the U.K., these cream-colored beans are named after the dairy product with a similarly rich consistency: butter. Meanwhile, the rest of the bean-eating world labels them limas. They're flat and chewy, with a mild flavor and a coloring that ranges from pea-green to off-white.

Well, rest assured; the two are actually one in the same. There's no difference between lima beans and butter beans, though sometimes they're sold at different stages of maturity. As a matter of fact, our Large Lima Beans packaging actually states Butter Beans in parentheses, just to clarify.

You'll see them labeled in different ways in the store, after all: frozen lima beans, canned butter beans, dried large limas—or is it dried large butter beans? Turns out, lima beans and butter beans are the same thing. Both terms refer to the same species, Phaseolus lunatus.

Lima beans, also known as Butter Beans. Great northern, also called "large white" beans, are larger than navy beans as well, but smaller than cannellini beans. They have a flattened shape similar to lima beans and a delicate flavor.

No, butter beans are not cannellini beans. However, you can substitute butter beans with cannellini beans in many recipes! They have a mild flavor, and depending on the preparation, they have the same creamy texture as butter beans.

Butter, Broad, Lima or White Kidney Beans – one and the same in taste, looks, flavour and nutritional value. They have a delicate creamy texture and taste – while being fat, cholesterol and gluten free + it has the added bonus of being a major source of protein, fibre, and iron and B vitamins.