Butter Beans

This easy Butter Beans recipe is made with turkey bacon, leeks, garlic, tomatoes, olive oil and sage. It’s a quick and easy recipe to make and it tastes like pure southern comfort food!  We’ll also give a short explanation about the differences between butter beans vs lima beans.

My mom used to make this recipe for my dad often. My dad loved butter beans with a wedge of cornbread! If we had leftover ham after a holiday, she’d toss in some ham, and once in awhile she’d toss in some bacon. I’ve used turkey bacon here to keep things on the leaner side. It adds a nice smokey flavor to the beans.

Easy Butter Beans Recipe Ingredients

This recipe for butter beans with leeks is an easy one to pull together. I like to add grated Parmesan cheese at the end of cooking the beans, but this is optional. 

• Butter Beans. We use 2 16-ounce cans of butter beans (not drained or rinsed)
• Turkey Bacon.  A little turkey bacon adds a nice smokey flavor to these canned beans.
• Leeks.  Leeks add a sweet oniony flavor to the mix.
• Garlic. My family loves garlic, so we use 2 – 3 cloves minced or grated. (I forgot to add them to the photo by mistake).
• Tomatoes. We add chopped tomatoes to this dish.
• Butter and Olive Oil. We use both butter and extra-virgin olive oil for this recipe.
• Seasoning. We use fresh sage, red pepper flakes and salt to season these beans with. 
• Cheese. Stir in finely grated Parmesan cheese which makes the sauce taste amazing.

Find printable recipe with the measurements below.

How To Make Canned Butter Beans

1. Cook Turkey and Sage. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped turkey bacon and sage and cook for about 3-5 minutes. 
2. Add Leeks. Add the leeks to the skillet and cook on low heat for 7 minutes, then add the garlic and cook another 3 minutes or until the leeks are soft and tender.
3. Add Beans. Stir in the beans (and the liquid from the can) and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for about 5 – 7 minutes. If you lose too much liquid, then add about 1/4 cup of either chicken broth or water.
4. Add Tomatoes. Add the chopped tomatoes to the skillet and the crushed red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Add Cheese. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 3-4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (if adding). 

What Are Butter Beans?

Butter beans are a type of lima bean. These beans are picked when they are a more mature bean and they are pale cream in color. They look similar to lima beans, but lima beans are a younger green colored bean.

Butter Beans vs Lima Beans (Are Lima Beans and Butter Beans the Same?)

Butter beans are a variety of lima beans. They are picked when they are a larger, more mature cream colored bean, while lima beans refer to a category of beans that are a younger green colored bean. In the Southern regions in the United States, and in the United Kingdom  they’re typically referred to as “butter beans”, but in other regions of the world, they’re referred to as “lima beans”.

Substitute for Butter Beans 

Butter beans have a unique creamy texture and buttery flavor. You can use Great Northern beans or cannellini beans in a pinch as a substitute, but the flavor and texture won’t quite be the same for your dish.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with salad and homemade cornbread, garlic bread or a warm crusty baguette with a big leafy green salad like our Romaine Salad. Garden Salad, Lemon Arugula Salad, and Spring Mix Salad.

Looking For More Legume Recipes?

• Mediterranean Bean Salad
• Italian White Bean Salad
• Cuban Black Beans
• Creamy Cauliflower White Bean Soup
• Chipotle Black Bean Dip

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Yield: 4 Servings

Butter Beans

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

This easy Butter Beans recipe is made with turkey bacon, leeks, garlic, tomatoes, olive oil and sage. It's a quick and easy recipe to make and it tastes like pure southern comfort food!  We'll also give a short explanation about the differences between butter beans vs lima beans.

Ingredients

• 2 16-ounce cans butter beans, undrained
• 4 pieces turkey bacon, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups leeks, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only - you'll need 3-4 small leeks)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 4 fresh sage leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped turkey bacon and sage and cook for about 3-5 minutes until the turkey is cooked and slightly crisp.
2. Add the leeks to the skillet and cook on low heat for 7 minutes, then add the garlic and cook another 3 minutes or until the leeks are soft and tender.
3. Stir in the canned butter beans (and the liquid from the cans) and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. If you lose too much liquid, then add about 1/4 cup of either chicken broth or water.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes to the skillet and the crushed red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter (so it melts) and 3-4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (if adding). 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 480Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 444mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 17gSugar: 10gProtein: 22g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations. See full disclaimer on About page.