Ah, Southern-style lima beans 🌿—creamy, savory, and full of that comforting Southern flavor. Here’s a classic way to cook them:
Southern-Style Lima Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried lima beans (or 4 cups frozen)
- 1 smoked ham hock, bacon, or smoked turkey leg
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (or enough to cover beans)
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar (optional, balances flavor)
- Optional: pinch of crushed red pepper for a little heat
Instructions
1. Prep the beans
- Dried beans: Rinse and soak overnight (or quick soak: boil 2 min, let sit 1 hr, drain).
- Frozen beans: No soaking needed.
2. Cook
- In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic in a little oil until translucent.
- Add lima beans, smoked meat, broth, salt, pepper, and sugar.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
3. Simmer
- Cover and cook 1–1½ hours for dried beans (or 20–30 min for frozen) until beans are tender.
- Stir occasionally, adding more broth or water if needed.
4. Finish
- Remove the ham hock/turkey leg, shred meat, and stir back into the beans.
- Adjust seasoning to taste.
Tips
- Low and slow makes lima beans creamy without falling apart.
- Adding a splash of vinegar or hot sauce at the end brightens flavor.
- Serve as a side with cornbread, fried chicken, or roast pork.
I can also give a crockpot/slow cooker Southern lima beans recipe that’s “set it and forget it” if you want that version.
Do you want the slow cooker version?
