Southern Butter Beans Recipe
Hello fellow foodies! Are you craving something warm and delicious? Our EASY Creamy Butter Beans Recipe with Bacon and Garlic, is the best comfort food. Imagine creamy beans, crispy bacon, and garlic sizzling in your skillet, filling your kitchen with the aromas of the South. This side dish is perfect for cozy weeknight dinners, so grab your apron and get cooking!
Servings: 4
Calories: 332kcal
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1 lb butter beans (baby lima beans) frozen
- 4 slices of bacon chopped
- ½ onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½-1 cup water
- 2 tablspoons flour
- 1 teaspoon Better than Chicken Bouillon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Once cooked, remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside, removing only half of the bacon grease in the pot.
- To the pot with the bacon grease, add the diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add minced garlic and sauté for one more minute.
- Add the frozen butter beans to the pot with the onions and garlic. Pour in ½ to 1 cup of water to cover the beans. Add Better than Chicken Bouillon and stir well.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Sprinkle the flour evenly over the top of the beans in the pot. Mix the flour into the beans until well combined. Add pepper and unsalted butter to the pot and stir until the butter is melted and the beans are evenly coated.
- Once the beans are cooked and the sauce has thickened, return the cooked bacon to the pot. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve these delicious butter beans as a side dish, or a main dish with a side of cornbread.
Notes
Storage Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Freeze This dish is freezer-friendly.
Reheat Reheat creamy butter beans with bacon and garlic in a microwave-safe dish for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Alternatively, reheat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Substitutions
- Bacon: Opt for turkey bacon to reduce fat. You can also use smoked ham hocks or leftover ham in place of bacon when slow cooking.
- Better than Chicken Bouillon: Substitute chicken broth in place of the water. Vegetable broth works well for a plant-based dish.
- Butter Beans: Cannellini, lima, or navy beans are good substitutes. A can of butter beans or dried beans can also be used if you adjust the cooking times accordingly.
- Garlic: Garlic powder can be used in place of fresh garlic.
Nutrition
Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 650mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 358IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 3mg
