Description
A hearty and comforting Southern recipe featuring creamy butter beans cooked with smoky bacon and herbs, perfect for a cozy meal any day of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound dried butter beans (lima beans), soaked overnight (or 2 cans butter beans, rinsed)
- 6–8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or a few sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, to taste
- 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Rinse dried butter beans and soak in plenty of cold water overnight (8-12 hours).
- Chop bacon into bite-sized pieces. Cook in a skillet over medium heat slowly until crispy and fat is rendered, about 8-10 minutes. Remove bacon pieces and set aside, leaving bacon fat in skillet.
- Add diced onion to bacon fat and cook over medium heat until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Drain soaked beans and add to a large Dutch oven along with sautéed onion and garlic mixture. Pour in chicken broth. Add smoked paprika, thyme, black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender but not mushy, about 45-60 minutes. Add water or broth if needed to keep beans covered.
- Stir in butter until melted and creamy. Add crispy bacon pieces back into the pot. Taste and adjust salt carefully.
- Remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar.
- Let beans rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves if desired.
Notes
Cook bacon slowly over medium heat to render fat and get crispy pieces. Use dried beans soaked overnight for creamier texture. Add apple cider vinegar at the end to brighten flavors. Adjust salt at the end due to bacon saltiness. For dairy-free, substitute butter with olive oil. Vegetarian version replaces bacon with smoked paprika and liquid smoke.
- Prep Time: 12 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1 cup per serv
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 7
- Protein: 14
Keywords: butter beans, lima beans, bacon, Southern recipe, comfort food, easy side dish, smoky beans, slow cooked beans