The BEST Butter Beans Recipe With Ham (Prepped In 10 Minutes)

These butter beans are not only super delicious, but they're also super easy to make. Lima beans and butter combine with chopped ham and the perfect balance of spices to make a savory side dish that the whole family is guaranteed to love. Oh, and best of all, only 10 minutes of prep work is all that's needed to make 'em! 

My Take On Butter Beans

Growing up butter beans were a staple at our dinner table. My mom always made the best ones, and we'd have them with everything from chicken to pork to beef - you name it. So, the recipe I'm sharing with you today is hers from all those years ago. 

Now, if you think you've never heard of butter beans before, I'm willing to bet you've just heard them called by a different name - lima beans! Yep, there are two names for the same bean.

Lima beans have a naturally creamy texture and make for a simple yet delicious side dish or main course. Also, since they have a mild taste, they really absorb whatever flavors they're cooked with.

For instance, this butter bean recipe calls for dried butter beans to be boiled along with an assortment of spices and chopped ham, so the resulting cooked beans will have a subtle smoky salty flavor from the ham. It's so, so good!

By the way, if you're looking for some tasty main courses to serve these beans next to, this Southern meatloaf, this cube steak, and this chuck roast recipe are a few of our family's favorites.

Why I Love This Recipe

Easy to prep. You only need 10 minutes to put this recipe together, then you just have to let the beans cook.

The texture. These creamy butter beans have the perfect texture that is like nothing you can get in any other bean recipe

Authentic. This is a Southern butter beans recipe that has the most delicious flavors.

Ingredients You'll Need

One of the things I love most about this recipe is that it requires just a few super simple ingredients to make. In fact, I'm pretty sure you'll already have most - if not all - of them at your house already.

Anyway, here's exactly what you'll need to make the recipe:

• ½ lb. lima beans
• ¼ cup onion, chopped
• 2 small bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ cup chopped ham

Pretty simple stuff, right?

By the way, you can actually use a lot of these same ingredients to make this ham and beans recipe and this Great Northern beans recipe as well. They're two more recipes that combine ham and beans to make one delicious dish.

How To Make Butter Beans

1. Cook the beans: Place the beans in a saucepot and add water until they're covered by 1-inch of water. Bring the beans to a boil. Then, remove the beans from the heat and cover them with a lid. Set the beans aside for 1 hour. 

2. Drain the beans: After an hour, drain the beans. Rinse them, then place them back in the pot and cover them with 2 inches of water.

3. Boil the beans: Bring the beans to a boil, and add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, except the ham. Cook the beans for 2 hours.

4. Finish up: In the last 30 minutes, add ham and cook it with the beans. Also, add water if needed and adjust the seasonings as desired.  Finally, serve the beans warm and enjoy!

My Pro Tips To Make The Best Recipe

• Use canned butter beans or frozen butter beans if that's all you have.
• Swap chopped ham for ham hocks, salt pork, or bacon.
• Try using vegetable broth instead of water for more flavor.
• Add some more seasonings after tasting the beans to maximize the flavors.

How I Recommend Storing and Reheating The Beans

In the fridge: Store the cooked butter beans in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

In the freezer: Transfer the beans to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and store them in the freezer. Stored this way they'll stay good for 6 months.

Reheating: Microwave the cooked beans in 20-second increments or heat in a small pot over medium-low, stirring frequently. For the frozen beans, let them thaw in the fridge first or add some more reheating time.

FAQS About This Butter Beans Recipe

More Of My Favorite Side Dish Recipes

If you enjoyed this easy side dish recipe, we have a ton of other tasty ones for you to try next.

Here are some of my favorites:

• Baked beans casserole
• Iowa ham balls
• Bisquick sausage balls
• Chicken gizzards
• Grandma brown beans
  
• Mexican pinto beans

Also, for even more deliciousness, don't forget to follow us on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. We post new ones on them every single day.