This southern, soul food-style creamy butter beans recipe features large lima beans simmered in a flavorful, seasoned broth with smoked turkey and the “holy trinity”, bell pepper, celery, and onion.
Butter beans have always been a favorite of Marrekus, taking him right back to his roots in Memphis and those summers spent in Mississippi with his grandad. Back then, butter beans were a staple side dish that you could always count on; a great recipe and perfect side dish to go alongside collard greens with ham hocks or smoked turkey, candied yams, and a good plate of chicken or pork chops. There’s just something about those tender, creamy beans that makes him feel at home!
We cook these beans until they’re nice and creamy, letting them simmer in a flavorful broth with bell pepper, celery, and onion—just like how you’d make a pot of Louisiana red beans and rice or pinto beans. The key ingredients are simple, but they come together to create the perfect dish that’s both hearty and soulful.
Now, I know everyone’s got their own way of cooking butter beans, but for this recipe, I do recommend soaking the beans overnight. It helps them cook up soft and creamy, soaking up all that delicious flavor from the broth. Plus, it cuts down on cooking time, so you can get to enjoying your meal a little sooner.
So whether you’re cooking for the family or just looking for a taste of Southern comfort, this butter beans recipe is sure to hit the spot.
For more dinner recipes, check out our Soul Food Sunday Dinner Ideas roundup.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
What are Butter Beans?
Butter beans are a type of large, flat, and creamy legume that belongs to the lima bean family. These large lima beans are known for their rich, buttery texture and mild flavor, which is why they’re often called “butter beans.” In Southern and soul food cooking, they’re popular as a side dish, simmered in a flavorful broth with smoked ham hocks, smoked turkey, and seasonings. At the grocery store, they might be labeled “Butter Beans” with “Large Limas” in parentheses.
Butter Bean Recipe Ingredients
- Water: It’s essential to have enough water to soak the beans overnight and fully submerge the beans throughout the cooking process.
- Smoked Turkey Wings (or alternatives like smoked ham hocks, pork neck bones, or smoked turkey leg): The smoked meat adds a rich, smoky flavor to the beans. The meat also releases its juices into the cooking liquid, enhancing the broth’s flavor. You can also shred some of the meat and serve it with your beans.
- The “Holy Trinity” of Cajun and Creole cooking: A classic combination of diced green bell peppers, celery, and onion. These three vegetables form the foundation for this dish and build a savory, aromatic base that complements the smoked meat and butter beans.
- Garlic Cloves: Adds flavor and enhances the overall flavor profile.
- Chicken Base (or bouillon cubes/powder): We use the Better Than Bouillon brand. It makes the broth richer and more flavorful.
- Dried Large Lima Beans: Dried butter beans become tender and creamy as they cook, soaking up the flavors from the smoky chicken broth.
- Creole Seasoning: Adds a bit of heat. Sub with a seasoning mixture of paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, and herbs.
Special Equipment and Tools
- Large Stockpot: For cooking the beans. The size of the pot should be sufficient to hold the water, beans, meat, and other ingredients comfortably.
- Colander: For rinsing and sorting the dried lima beans before cooking.
How to Soak Butter Beans
To soak butter beans (large limas) overnight, follow these steps:
- Place dried beans in a colander and rinse them thoroughly under cold water to remove any dirt or debris.
- Transfer butter beans to a large bowl or pot. Ensure the container is spacious enough for them to expand as they soak.
- Cover with cold water. The beans will absorb a lot of water, so make sure they’re fully submerged with extra water on top.
- Let them soak at room temperature for 8-12 hours or overnight. You can leave the container covered or uncovered, whichever you prefer.
- After soaking, drain the water and give the beans another quick rinse with cold water. They’re now ready to be cooked.
This soaking process reduces the cooking time and ensures a creamy texture when cooked. Also, soaking helps to remove some of the compounds that can contribute to bitter flavor.
Southern Butter Beans Recipe
- Soak the lima beans in water overnight, then drain and rinse them the next day.
- Sauté diced bell pepper, celery, and onion in a large pot until softened, then add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Pour in water, toss in the smoked turkey wings, a bay leaf, and some chicken base. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for about an hour.
- Add the rinsed lima beans and Creole seasoning, then simmer on low for 2 to 3 hours until the beans are tender and the broth thickens.
- Optional: For the final step, let cooked beans rest for an hour to thicken more, then serve with shredded turkey meat.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Soak Beans Overnight: This helps to soften them and reduce the cooking time. It also ensures that the beans cook evenly and become nice and creamy. If you forget to soak them, you can do a quick soak by boiling the beans for 2-3 minutes, then removing them from the heat and letting them sit, covered, for 1 hour before cooking.
- Adjust Seasoning: As the beans cook, they absorb a lot of flavor from the broth, but you may want to adjust the seasoning toward the end. For best results, taste the broth after the turkey wings have simmered for an hour and again after the beans have been cooking for a while. You can always add more Creole seasoning, chicken base, or a pinch of salt if needed.
- Skim the Fat: If you’re using a smoked meat that releases a lot of fat, like ham hocks or neck bones, you may want to skim some of the fat from the surface of the broth as it cooks. This will keep the dish from becoming too greasy.
What to Serve with Butter Beans
Butter beans are versatile and can pair well with a variety of soul food dishes. Here are some classic options for a main course:
- Fried Chicken: Crispy, golden, and full of flavor. No buttermilk required.
- Smothered Pork Chops: These are juicy, pan fried, and smothered in a rich onion gravy.
- Deep Fried Pork Chops: Another favorite, these chops are crispy and delicious.
- Double Smoked Ham: Delicious recipe with flavorful brown sugar bourbon glaze.
- Fried Catfish: The perfect crispy golden brown cornmeal crust from our fish fry seasoning.
- Smothered Oxtails: Smothered oxtails with brown gravy (one of our most popular recipes).
- Smoked Turkey Breast: A simple, well-seasoned smoked turkey breast makes a great pairing with our butter beans recipe.
Here are some Southern soul food side dishes that go perfectly with butter beans:
- Macaroni and Cheese: Either our Southern mac and cheese recipe with eggs and no roux, or our Gouda mac and cheese that’s made with a creamy milk and flour roux.
- Green Beans: Southern style, with potatoes and smoked turkey.
- Cornbread: We have Southern cornbread and sweet potato cornbread, both taste amazing and would go great with butter beans.
- Collard Greens: Soul food collard greens with ham hocks or collard greens with smoked turkey.
- Cabbage: One of my favorite side dishes, from fried cabbage to boiled cabbage. We also make a collard greens and cabbage mixed greens.
- Candied Yams: A family favorite side dish with brown sugar and spices.
- Rice: However you like your buttered rice.
How to Store Leftovers
To store leftover butter beans, let them cool to room temperature first. Then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate. They’ll stay fresh for up to 3 days. Just make sure the container is tightly sealed to keep the beans from getting soggy.
More Bean Recipes
Summary
This butter beans recipe is one of our favorite Southern recipes. It’s simmered in a flavorful broth with smoked turkey and seasoned with Creole spices. The beans turn out tender and creamy, making it a hearty and delicious dish that’s perfect for any meal.
Creamy Butter Beans Recipe (Southern Soul Food)
Ingredients
- 10 – 12 cups water
- 2 smoked turkey wings alternatively, you can use 1 pack of smoked ham hocks, smoked pork neck bones, 1 smoked turkey leg, etc.
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1/2 medium-to-large white onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon chicken base alternatively, you can use 2 bouillon cubes or 2 tablespoons bouillon powder, or more as needed
- 1 pound dried large lima beans rinsed and sorted
- 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, heat a small amount of oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, celery, and onion, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in the water, and add the smoked turkey wings, bay leaf, and chicken base. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Cover, reduce the heat to a gentle boil, and cook for about 1 hour, allowing the turkey wings to flavor the broth.
- After 1 hour, taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed. Add the lima beans and Creole seasoning, stirring to incorporate.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender and the broth has thickened, about 2 to 3 hours.
- Remove from heat and let the mixture settle for about 1 hour, allowing the beans to thicken further.
- To serve, spoon the beans and broth into individual bowls, adding some shredded meat from the turkey wings into each bowl.
LOVED these butter beans and they came out nice and creamy. I used ham hock because that’s what I had and we have very little leftovers. Thank you!