For many people, just hearing the words "lima beans" sends them into a spiral of disgust. It doesn't matter what the rest of the dish is, the cloud has descended and nothing else is getting through.
Change "lima" to the word "butter," however, and what happens? Suddenly, they're still paying attention. Maybe they'll even try it.
But is that all there is to it? Or are butter beans a completely different ingredient?
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. In the American South and the United Kingdom, they're butter beans. For the rest of the United States, they're typically called lima, after the bean's origin city of Lima, Peru, where they've grown for over 9,000 years.
These slightly curved legumes are buttery in flavor and have a creamy texture when cooked, which may account for the "butter" nickname (that, and the beige color they take on when mature). And if you come across butter peas, Madagascar beans, or gigante beans, you're also getting lima beans. The smaller variety, baby lima beans, are also referred to as sieva beans.
Butter/lima beans offer a very bean-like mild flavor and almost velvety texture experience, if you can place your childhood aversions aside. If it's the slightly starchy nature that deters you, try cooking them from the dried stage rather than from fresh. Americans tend to eat the beans when they're young, meaning fresh and green, as opposed to when the beans are considered "mature," meaning beige (or sometimes dried). On fresh, young beans, commonly called baby limas, I remove the outer skin from the pale green insides before offering them to my young daughter, as these skins are an off-putting texture to her baby palate. This skin becomes so tender on dried or canned beans when cooked, it's unnecessary to remove it.
Since butter and lima beans are the same, they can be used interchangeably in any recipe. In general, they can be used as you would use any other heirloom bean variety. Comfort dishes — like soups, stews, baked beans, and casseroles — as well as traditional dishes like succotash, Gigantes, and salt pork are probably the most common uses. But lighter dishes like bean salads or accouterments like dips or spreads are also great uses for these beans.
Adding butter or lima beans to anything with broth is always a good idea, as the beans plump up and become quite creamy and thick, taking on all the flavors in the liquid. It's for this reason I prefer to simmer my dried beans in whatever I'm cooking for longer, rather than soaking them overnight in water. Their unassuming presence is equally wonderful in dishes with bright citrus or bold sauces.
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. In the American South and the United Kingdom, they're butter beans.
Lima Beans vs. Butter Beans. 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.
Canned or frozen butter beans don't require any soaking or initial preparation beyond a quick rinse or thaw, but dried beans require a few extra steps. Soak the beans overnight (optional): If you choose to soak your beans to save cooking time, thoroughly wash, drain, and pick over beans for any debris.
Let's start by setting the record straight: Lima beans and butter beans are the same thing. Native to Central and South America, the flat, kidney-shaped legumes get one name from the capital of Peru and the other from colloquial use.
Cannellini beans are a great substitute for butter beans due to their similar size and texture. They have a mild, nutty flavor that can complement a wide range of dishes, making them a versatile option for soups, stews, and salads.
Butter beans are rich in vitamins and minerals, which are important for overall health. A source of potassium, magnesium, folate, iron, and zinc, they also contain calcium and protein. Both plant-based foodies and meat-lovers can really benefit from adding butter beans to their diet.
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).
Canned beans are packed in a solution of water, salt, and starch. That solution can leave a glossy film on the beans, interfering with not only mouthfeel (slimy beans are a little off-putting), but also the ability of the beans to cling to other ingredients in the dish and absorb those flavors.
How to cook butter beans? Napolina Butter Beans are easy to use in your cooking and are extremely convenient as they have already been soaked and fully cooked, unlike dried pulses. Simply drain and add to the pan when cooking your favourite recipes.
Unless the recipe tells you to keep the canned beans in their liquid, you should drain your can and give the beans a good rinse before using. This will improve the flavor and texture of your finished dish.
When we tested this, the beans cooked in the soaking liquid were much more flavorful, had a prettier, darker color, and had a more pleasant texture. Takeaway: You don't have to soak your beans; but if you do, cook the beans in their soaking liquid. Myth 3: If you don't soak overnight, you should at least quick-soak.
Beans contain oligosaccharides, a type of complex carbohydrate that humans can't digest on their own. When these carbohydrates reach the large intestine, the bacteria in the gut break them down and produce gas as a byproduct. This is why eating beans can cause flatulence.
Expert Response. You should not eat limas if they are bitter because they are probably high in cyanogenic glucosides. Normally this is only a problem in wild limas, but can occur in cultivated varieties even though lima bean breeders do have to measure cyanide content before they release a new variety.
Here's the important part: In culinary use, the Sieva type (butter beans) and Lima type (lima beans) are distinctly different. Butter beans are milder in flavor and considerably lower in starch than the larger, starchy, more earthy flavored limas.
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. In the American South and the United Kingdom, they're butter beans.
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.
The butter bean is a moon-shaped, beige-colored bean that is often lumped in with other white beans of similar shape and size. It specifically comes from a plant called Phaseolus lunatus which, for all those non-Latin speakers out there, means “moon-shaped bean.”
Butter beans (baby lima beans) and Cannellini Beans are two more common types of white beans. If your recipe calls for white beans, you can often use Cannellini Bean as an excellent substitute for Navy or Great beans. They are slightly larger, have a meaty texture, and have thicker skin.
Great Northern beans are not the same as butter beans, but they can be used as an alternative to butter beans. Compared to butter beans, Great Northern beans are a bit more grainy and not as buttery.
Substitutions- How to choose the best substitute for lima beans and edamame in a recipe- a good choice depends on which bean and what cooking method. Swap pinto beans, great northern beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, or kidney beans for lima beans in soup and casseroles.
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Introduction: My name is Madonna Wisozk, I am a attractive, healthy, thoughtful, faithful, open, vivacious, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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