Southern Butter Beans
Southern butter beans are made with dried baby lima beans simmered on the stovetop with ham hock, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and broth until the beans are tender and creamy. Some of the beans naturally break down as they cook, helping thicken the pot while plenty stay whole and plump.
I grew up eating butter beans as part of a full Southern dinner, usually alongside another vegetable and a meat like pork chops, fried chicken, baked chicken, or roast. For this stovetop version, I don’t soak the beans first. I let the ham hock season the cooking liquid before adding the beans, then simmer them uncovered until most of the liquid cooks away before finishing everything with butter.
Ingredient Tips
How To Cook Southern Butter Beans on the Stove
- Brown the onion and garlic. Heat the cooking oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and cook until fragrant and beginning to brown.
- Deglaze the pot. Pour in about 2 cups of the chicken broth or water, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits left from the onion and garlic.
- Season the cooking liquid. Add the remaining broth or water, ham hock, bay leaves, and garlic powder. Bring everything to a boil and let the ham begin seasoning the liquid. Once the ham aroma becomes noticeably strong and fragrant, add the beans.
- Add the lima beans and simmer. Stir in the rinsed baby lima beans, then lower the heat until the pot maintains a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring every 20–30 minutes so the beans cook evenly.
- Reduce the liquid. During the final 30 minutes, pay closer attention to the pot and let the remaining liquid cook down. If the beans need more liquid before they are tender, add water about 1 cup at a time. The goal is creamy beans, not a soupy pot.
- Remove the ham hock and bay leaves. Once the beans are soft and plump and very little free liquid remains, remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaves and ham hock bone. Chop or shred the ham and stir it back into the beans if desired.
- Finish with butter. Stir in the cold butter, then let the beans cool slightly. Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed before serving.
Tips for the Best Southern Butter Beans
Do You Have To Soak Butter Beans?
No, I don’t soak the dried baby lima beans for this stovetop recipe. After rinsing them, they go directly into the pot and become tender during the roughly 2-hour simmer.
I’m more likely to soak beans when using a slow cooker because of the gentler heat and longer cooking time. On the stovetop, the steady simmer has always cooked the beans perfectly for me without the extra soaking step.
How Long To Cook Butter Beans
For this stovetop recipe, the dried baby lima beans take about 2 hours at a steady simmer. Start checking them more closely during the final 30 minutes, when the beans should be tender and the remaining liquid begins cooking away.
The beans are ready when they’re soft and plump, some have naturally broken down, and very little free liquid remains in the pot. When you stir and notice the beans beginning to catch slightly on the bottom, that’s a good sign they’ve reduced enough and are ready to come off the heat.
How To Season Butter Beans
These butter beans get most of their flavor from the salted ham hock, onion, garlic, bay leaves, garlic powder, and chicken broth. I let the ham hock season the cooking liquid before adding the lima beans so that flavor has already started developing before the beans begin simmering.
I also wait until the end to add extra salt. Between the salted ham, broth, and butter, the beans may already have enough, so taste them after cooking before adding more.
What To Serve With Southern Butter Beans
Southern butter beans are usually one part of a full plate rather than the entire meal. Growing up, I’d normally have them with another vegetable—something like collard greens, cabbage, or green beans—plus a main dish.
They pair especially well with Southern comfort-food meats such as fried chicken, baked chicken, pork chops, or a slow-cooked roast. Cornbread also makes a natural side for soaking up the creamy beans left on the plate.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are butter beans and lima beans the same thing?
Yes. For this recipe, butter beans are lima beans. I use dried baby lima beans, but large lima beans work the same way at the same weight. I prefer the smaller beans because they don’t become quite as large once cooked.
What meat is best for Southern butter beans?
A salted, bone-in ham hock is my first choice because it seasons the beans as they simmer and gives the pot a richer flavor. Salt pork, bacon, smoked turkey, or neck bones can also work, but each one will give the beans a slightly different flavor.
Can I use large lima beans instead of baby lima beans?
Yes. Large lima beans can be cooked the same way using the same weight. The difference is mostly personal preference. I grew up eating baby lima beans and prefer their smaller size and texture.
Why are my butter beans not creamy?
There may still be too much liquid in the pot. During the final 30 minutes, let the beans continue simmering uncovered so the excess liquid can cook away. Some of the softened beans will naturally break down as you stir, which helps create the creamy texture.
Can I use canned butter beans for this recipe?
This recipe is written for dried lima beans, so I wouldn’t substitute canned butter beans using the same method. Canned beans are already cooked and would need much less liquid and cooking time. If you’re looking for a recipe made specifically with canned butter beans, try my Marry Me Butter Beans instead.
More Southern Side Dishes
- Southern Smothered Cabbage – Tender cabbage cooked down with plenty of Southern-style flavor.
- Honey Cornbread – Soft homemade cornbread that pairs naturally with a pot of creamy butter beans.
- Smothered Potatoes – Southern-style potatoes cooked until tender and comforting.
- Crockpot Candied Yams – Sweet, buttery yams for a fuller Southern dinner spread.
Southern Butter Beans
Equipment
- large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 16 ounce baby lima beans dried & rinsed
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 4 clove garlic minced
- 10 cup chicken broth or water or a combination of both
- 12-16 ounce salted bone-in ham hock
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoon butter cold
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the cooking oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until fragrant and beginning to brown.
- Pour in about 2 cups of the chicken broth or water and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the browned bits.
- Add the remaining broth or water, ham hock, garlic powder, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and allow the ham to begin flavoring the liquid.
- Add the rinsed lima beans, reduce the heat to a steady simmer, and cook uncovered for about 2 hours. Stir every 20–30 minutes.
- During the final 30 minutes, allow the remaining liquid to reduce. If the beans need additional liquid before becoming tender, add water 1 cup at a time.
- Once the beans are soft and plump, some have begun to break down, and very little free liquid remains, remove the pot from the heat.
- Remove the ham hock bone and the bay leaves. Chop or shred the meat and stir it back into the beans if desired.
- Stir in the cold butter and allow the beans to cool slightly. Taste before adding salt, then season with salt and black pepper as needed.