The Difference Between Lima Beans and Butter Beans (2024)

FAQs

The Difference Between Lima Beans and Butter Beans? ›

Well, rest assured; the two are actually one in the same. There's no difference between lima beans and butter beans, though sometimes they're sold at different stages of maturity. As a matter of fact, our Large Lima Beans packaging actually states Butter Beans in parentheses, just to clarify.

There is no difference between lima beans and butter beans, though you can find them for sale at different stages of maturity. The younger green-hued beans, usually identified as baby lima beans, have a starchy texture similar to raw fava beans (which some describe as mealy). You can consume them fresh or cooked.

A lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), also commonly known as butter bean, sieva bean, double bean or Madagascar bean, is a legume grown for its edible seeds or beans.

Swap pinto beans, great northern beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, or kidney beans for lima beans in soup and casseroles. In salads and stir-fries use green peas, string beans, or fresh fava beans.

Butter Beans are a fantastically healthy ingredient – they're high in protein and fibre, and they're an excellent source of carbohydrates. Low in fat and calories but high in folate, starch and iron, they're one of the best store cupboard ingredients there is.

To make roasted butter beans using the dried variety, you need to soak and boil them first. Soak your butter beans overnight in cold water, before draining and rinsing them. Tip them into a large heavy pan, then add enough water to cover them and then some.

What is the healthiest bean you can eat? Lima beans are a great choice. They're rich in fiber and packed with essential vitamins and minerals. But don't forget other beans like black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas are good too.

The only noticeable difference is that butter beans contain a small amount of fat while cannellini beans have none. Now that you know the main differences between these two popular beans, how do choose the right variety for your next main course?

Legumes such as lima beans are a low-glycemic food, making them a great choice for people with diabetes. Beans are rich in soluble fiber, which helps your body absorb carbohydrates more slowly and regulates your blood sugar levels.

The larger, moon-shaped limas (also called butter beans) are used in a variety of dishes. In America, they are featured in succotash and sugar bean recipes, as well as Kentucky burgoo, a savory stew commonly served at Derby Day parties.

What are lima beans called in the South? ›

Two types of lima beans, called butter beans in the South, are grown in home gardens. Most of the more northerly parts of the United States, including the northern New England States and the northern parts of other States along the Canadian border, are not adapted to the culture of lima beans.

Butter Beans: the dish works best with these beans as they are thick and flat. However, you can substitute for lima beans, chickpeas, or cannellini beans. Just make sure to use canned beans as you need the bean liquid to make this dish extra creamy!

Another course extended down through Central America into Peru, where the large-seeded, large-podded types were developed in the warm coastal areas. The name "lima bean" obviously came from Lima, Peru, one point at which the species was found by early European explorers.

Among these, black soybeans and green beans have the lowest carbs, potentially making them better for a keto diet. On the other hand, chickpeas, pinto beans, and navy beans have high carbs.

However, they may contain harmful compounds like anti-nutrients and linamarin, which may cause digestive issues if eaten in high amounts. Always soak raw or dried lima beans before you cook them. Like other legumes, lima beans can enjoyed in moderation as part of a healthy, well-rounded diet.

The butter bean is a moon-shaped, beige-colored bean that is often lumped in with other white beans of similar shape and size. It specifically comes from a plant called Phaseolus lunatus which, for all those non-Latin speakers out there, means “moon-shaped bean.”

Great Northern beans are not the same as butter beans, but they can be used as an alternative to butter beans. Compared to butter beans, Great Northern beans are a bit more grainy and not as buttery.

Baby Lima Beans

Baby lima beans are even smaller than Navy beans and just as white. They're more likely to be referred to by name, however, or called butter beans. They're creamy and buttery when they're cooked, hence their nickname.

In some countries the term 'butter bean' is used for a large, flat and yellow white variety of lima bean which is often dried or canned. Beans should be harvested when the fruit is bright green, the pod is fleshy, and seeds are small and green.