Southern Lima Butter Beans – Ultimate Southern Comfort Food

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Southern Lima Butter Beans look simple, but the whole dish comes down to one thing: learning how to cook dried beans so they turn out creamy, not chalky or broken. Once you understand how gentle heat, enough liquid, and the right seasoning work together, you can turn a pound of budget-friendly dried lima beans into a full, satisfying meal for a crowd.

I like this recipe because it teaches you how to manage the simmer: keeping the beans moving just enough, watching the liquid level, and knowing when they’ve gone from firm to tender and buttery. From there, you can scale it up for entertaining, stretch it with extra broth, or bulk it out with rice or cornbread on the side. If you’ve ever been unsure about cooking dried beans from scratch, this is a straightforward way to master the technique and get consistent results every time.

How to Make The Perfect Southern Lima Butter Beans

What Goes In

• 1 pound large dried lima beans, soaked overnight then rinsed and drained (optional but helpful for digestion and faster cooking)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups diced smoked ham
• 1 smoked ham hock, or 2 meaty smoked neck bones
• 8 cups chicken broth (homemade or store-bought)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

How It’s Done

1. Start with flavor. In a Dutch oven or large heavy pot, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. If it starts to brown too quickly, lower the heat slightly.
2. Load everything into the pot. Add the soaked (or unsoaked, rinsed) lima beans, diced smoked ham, ham hock or neck bones, chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, pepper, and salt. Give everything a good stir so the seasonings are evenly distributed.
3. Bring to a boil, then gently simmer. Turn the heat to high and bring the pot just to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to low so the beans cook at a gentle simmer. You want small, steady bubbles, not a rolling boil to keep the beans intact and creamy.
4. Cook low and slow. Simmer uncovered for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring every 20–30 minutes to prevent sticking. Add a splash of extra broth or water if the liquid drops below the beans. They’re done when the beans are very tender and the broth has thickened into a silky, almost stew-like consistency.
5. Finish the meat. Use tongs to remove the ham hock or neck bones to a plate and discard the bay leaves. When the meat is cool enough to handle, pull it from the bone and shred it into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded meat to the pot.
6. Enrich and adjust. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until melted. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. The beans should taste well seasoned and buttery, with a gentle smokiness.
7. Serve. For entertaining or family dinners, serve the Southern Lima Butter Beans in a wide, shallow bowl or Dutch oven at the center of the table. Offer rice, cornbread, biscuits, or a simple green salad alongside so everyone can build a hearty plate.

Soaking and Softening Beans

Soaking dried lima beans isn’t strictly required, but it does give you more control. An overnight soak (8–12 hours) in plenty of cold water helps them cook more evenly, shortens the simmer time, and can make them easier to digest. If you’re in a rush, you can do a quick soak: cover the beans with water, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour, then drain and rinse. Whichever method you choose, always discard the soaking water and use fresh liquid for cooking to keep the flavor clean. For entertaining days, soak the night before so you only have to simmer and serve. If your beans seem tough after a long cook, just keep the heat low and give them more time; older beans can take longer to soften.

Getting Maximum Smoky Flavor

The smoky flavor in Southern Lima Butter Beans comes mostly from the ham hock or neck bones, with the diced ham backing it up. If you’re cooking on a budget, focus on finding a single good smoked ham hock and use whatever leftover ham you have for the diced portion. Make sure the ham hock is fully submerged or at least mostly covered in liquid so its flavor infuses the broth as it simmers. You can also add a small splash of liquid smoke near the end of cooking if your ham isn’t very smoky—start with 1/4 teaspoon, taste, and adjust. For guests who don’t eat pork, use smoked turkey wings or legs instead; you’ll still get that rich, savory base without changing the method.

Stovetop vs Slow Cooker vs Instant Pot

Each method works well; it’s more about how you like to schedule your cooking. On the stovetop, you get the most control: you can adjust the heat, liquid level, and texture as you go. It’s ideal when you’re home and can stir occasionally. The slow cooker is the best option when you want to “set it and forget it” for a party. After sautéing the onions and garlic, transfer everything to the slow cooker and let it go on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours. Don’t be tempted to lift the lid too often, or you’ll lengthen the cook time. The Instant Pot is fastest: pressure on HIGH for about 20 minutes with a natural release gives tender beans with minimal monitoring. If the liquid looks thin after pressure cooking, use Sauté mode for a few minutes to thicken it up.

Easy Swap-Ins and Add-Ons

It’s easy to adapt Southern Lima Butter Beans to what you have in the pantry and fridge. If you’re out of lima beans, this same method works with great northern beans or navy beans; just adjust the cook time slightly if needed. No ham hock? Use smoked sausage slices or extra diced ham, and add a bit more broth if the pot looks crowded. To stretch the dish for guests, serve the beans over rice or grits, or stir in cooked greens like collards or spinach toward the end. For a lighter version, reduce the butter to 2 tablespoons and use lean smoked turkey in place of ham. Leftovers keep well for up to 4 days in the fridge and thicken as they sit; thin with a little broth or water when reheating and serve as a bean soup or spooned over toast for an easy next-day lunch.

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Southern Lima Butter Beans

Classic Southern-style lima beans simmered with smoky ham and finished with butter for a rich, comforting side or main. Easy to make on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or in an Instant Pot.

Pin for Later Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Equipment

• Dutch oven
• Slow cooker
• Instant Pot / pressure cooker

Ingredients

  

• 1 pound large dried lima beans soaked overnight, then rinsed and drained (optional but helps digestion)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 cups diced smoked ham
• 1 piece smoked ham hock or 2 meaty smoked neck bones
• 8 cups quality chicken broth I use and love Aneto Broth
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

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Instructions

 

Stovetop

• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the soaked and drained lima beans, diced smoked ham, smoked ham hock, chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, and kosher salt to the pot. Bring the mixture up to a gentle boil.
• Lower the heat to maintain a simmer and cook uncovered for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding more broth or water if the liquid becomes too low, until the beans are tender and the cooking liquid has thickened.
• Remove and discard the bay leaves. Transfer the ham hock to a plate, pull the meat off the bone, shred it, and return the meat to the beans.
• Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until melted and incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed before serving.

Slow Cooker

• Sauté the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon butter until softened, then transfer them to the slow cooker along with the soaked beans, diced ham, ham hock, broth, and spices.
• Cover and cook on HIGH for 4–5 hours or on LOW for 7–8 hours, until the beans are tender. If the mixture looks dry, add a splash of broth or water during cooking.
• Remove the ham hock, shred the meat, return it to the pot, stir in the remaining butter, and season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker

• Use the sauté function to cook the onion and garlic in 1 tablespoon butter until softened. Add the beans, diced ham, ham hock, broth, and seasonings to the pot.
• Seal and set the cooker to high pressure for 20 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release, then open the lid and check that the beans are tender.
• Remove the ham hock, shred and return the meat to the beans. Stir in the remaining butter and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.