By Lisa Esile, MS,
If you’re not familiar with butter beans, meet your new kitchen hero! Creamy, subtly sweet, and incredibly versatile, butter beans (aka lima beans) work beautifully in soups, stews, salads, and even blended into silky sauces and dips. They’re also packed with fiber and protein to add staying power, making them a must-have ingredient for the health-minded vegan cook. This collection of our favorite butter bean recipes showcases just how much the mild-tasting legume can do.
Fresh, canned, frozen, or dried? Canned butter beans are fully cooked and ready to go. Frozen butter beans are another convenient option and need minimal cooking or heating through. Fresh butter beans require cooking, and dried beans need to be soaked and cooked. For a deep dive, check out our guide: Everything You Need to Know About Lima Beans (aka Butter Beans).
Lima Bean Pesto Hummus
Up your hummus game with this luscious bean spread made with frozen butter beans. One reader describes it as “better than regular hummus!” A small amount of tahini adds richness, and fresh basil leaves yield fresh herbal flavor.
“This was very good and easy. I took it to a party, and everyone loved it.” —Gwen
“This was very good and easy. I took it to a party, and everyone loved it.” —Gwen
Vegan Nachos Verdes
This impressive Mexican nacho casserole comes together quickly and features homemade corn tortilla chips layered with corn and butter beans. An easy spinach-tofu sauce coats every forkful with creamy flavor. Don’t forget to pick up some salsa verde at the store; it adds a tangy, brightness that perfectly balances the earthier flavors.
“A delicious dish. the tofu sour cream is very tasty, and all the toppings make it a crunchy, fresh, yum spin on the classic nachos.” —Lucy
“A delicious dish. the tofu sour cream is very tasty, and all the toppings make it a crunchy, fresh, yum spin on the classic nachos.” —Lucy
Asparagus, Potato, and Butter Bean Soup
This buttery leek and potato soup is a hit with readers and features canned butter beans for extra heft and creaminess. The sweet, grassy taste of fresh asparagus lingers on your palate, while mustard seeds and fresh dill add body to the soup.
“This soup is soooooo good!! I am still eating it three days later!! My picky husband loves it too!” —Kristi
“This soup is soooooo good!! I am still eating it three days later!! My picky husband loves it too!” —Kristi
Instant Pot Mushroom-Barley Stew
This fan-favorite "dump-and-go" Instant Pot recipe is packed with whole-food ingredients, such as hulled pearl barley, sweet potato, pearl onions, and frozen (or fresh) lima beans. Chopped roasted walnuts give the mix a satisfying richness, while tangy tomatoes and earthy smoked paprika tie it together.
“This was really tasty and perfect for the cold and dreary weather. I’ve never eaten toasted walnuts in soup but I loved the toasted taste and texture it gave the soup.” —Tamieka
“This was really tasty and perfect for the cold and dreary weather. I’ve never eaten toasted walnuts in soup but I loved the toasted taste and texture it gave the soup.” —Tamieka
Sautéed Leek and Butter Bean Toasts
These tasty 20-minute whole grain toasts are smeared with cooked garlic and creamy avocado then topped with a lemon-infused leek and butter bean mash. Aleppo pepper adds heat and complex flavor; feel free to dial it up or down, depending on your taste preferences. Serve these luscious toasts as an appetizer at your next shindig or for a satisfying lunch.
Calabrian Chile Beans and Polenta
Sautéed zucchini and canned butter beans add bulk to this Italian-style polenta dish. The standout player is the lively sauce featuring lemon zest, red wine vinegar, and spicy Calabrian chiles—named after the region in Italy where they’re from. (You can find dried Calabrian chiles online, or substitute dried chipotle peppers.) To serve, spoon the saucy bean mix over baked polenta, garnish with fresh basil, and dig in!
Sarah Cobacho’s Creamy Dill Potato Salad
This delicious potato salad from Sarah Cobacho of Plantbaes fame relies on simple flavor combinations that work. The mild taste of butter beans sits easily alongside potato and asparagus. Olives and tomatoes add tangy pops of flavor, and a creamy, cashew-based dill sauce ties it all together. Enjoy as a meal or a side dish.
Autumn Lima Bean Stew
With rave reviews, this nourishing cool-weather stew is a must-try and can be made with dried or canned butter/lima beans, depending on what you have available and how much time you have. Warming spices, such as star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, yield a comforting fall flavor, while simple ingredients such as potatoes, mushrooms, and a can of tomatoes mean you don't have to make a special trip to the store to hunt down new ingredients.
“I made this for friends on a movie night. It was a hit.” —Jan
“I made this for friends on a movie night. It was a hit.” —Jan
Gigantes Plaki: Greek Lima Beans with Stewed Tomatoes
A classic Greek dish that happens to be vegan, gigantes plaki bakes large lima beans with aromatic stewed tomatoes, making for an intensely flavored baked casserole. With only five ingredients (plus salt and pepper), this simple recipe is all about letting the flavors meld. If you don’t have time to soak and cook the dried butter/lima beans, you can use canned and skip right to Step 3. Serve with crusty whole wheat bread or a leafy green salad for an unforgettable meal.
Summer Squash Succotash with Noodles
In this nourishing fusion dish, whole grain fettuccine (or linguine) noodles are topped with succotash, a classic American side dish with Native American roots. Succotash traditionally features lima beans, corn, and tomato. Ground cumin and smoked paprika add an earthy flavor. We love tender pattypan squash, but if you can’t get a hold of any, feel free to use yellow squash or zucchini. This recipe takes 30 minutes and is delicious served warm or chilled.
Butternut Bisque with Parsley Pistou
Canned butter beans give this blended butternut squash soup a velvety texture, while dried thyme adds aromatic depth. This recipe includes instructions for a parsley pistou topping. Feel free to leave this off if you don’t have the ingredients, but it’s worth making if you do! This toothsome soup is on the table in 35 minutes.
Pickled Cauliflower and Farro Salad
Try this pickled cauliflower and farro salad for a hearty meal with plenty of punch. To pickle the cauliflower, use a seasoned mix of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar; it takes about 24 hours, so get that done the night before or over the weekend. With the pickled cauliflower prepared and cooked farro (or brown rice) on hand, this tasty salad takes just 20 minutes to get on the table.
Vegetarian Antipasto Salad
This magnificent Mediterranean-style platter bursts with flavor. Earthy roasted artichoke hearts, radish, and kohlrabi pair beautifully with chewy farro and creamy butter beans. Finish with pepperoncini peppers, chopped fresh basil, and basil balsamic vinaigrette, and serve with whole grain bread smeared with buttery roasted garlic. This is worth sharing!
Vegan Gyros with Zucchini and Tzatziki Sauce
Enjoy a healthy and delicious vegan take on gyros: Simply grill or roast zucchini, then load up whole-grain pita with oil-free hummus, zucchini, fresh veggies, and hearty butter beans. The finishing touch is a quick and easy tzatziki sauce, made with silken tofu and dill. These vegan gyros are a satisfying meal that's surprisingly simple to make.
About the Author
About the Author
Lisa Esile, MS
As an author, Do Nothing meditation instructor, and wellness coach, Lisa Esile combines her love for food and nutrition with her mental health background and delights in helping people find a stress-free way to make lasting lifestyle changes. Esile has a master’s degree in human nutrition and is the co-author/illustrator of Whose Mind Is It Anyway? Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life. Learn more at lisaesile.com.
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