What's a good explanation for the Difference between Lima Beans and Butter beans?

a Whole Foods Market Customer
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11 Comments

Angel G. July 18, 2017
In the southern United States, butter beans are white beans, and similar to white beans or navy beans, NOT lima "lie-muh" beans. Lima, "lee-muh" are big, green, and from Lima, Peru.
 
Angel G. July 19, 2017
"No ... duh. Baby limas kinda look like navy beans, momma, but they taste different," said one of my wise younguns. I cooked 'em back-to-back and agreed with him. The texture ain't like navy beans. And I don't use butter either, I add sautéed onion (in bacon grease) and chicken bullion to my water instead.
 
Angel G. July 19, 2017
Well, sh*t. I did a double double reply. I really am ignert today. Sigh.
 
Angel G. July 18, 2017
In the southern United States, butter beans are white white, and similar to white beans or navy beans, NOT lima beans. Lima, "lie-muh " are big, green, and from Lima, Peru.
 
Angel G. July 19, 2017
Ignore this reply and read the next one - except add the comment my wise youngun said, "No ... Duh." He pointed out that the navy bean texture is different than lie-muh beans. I cooked 'em back-to-back and discovered him to be right and my statements above and below ain't right. BABY (dried) lie-muh beans = butterbeans. (BTW, I don't use butter, I sub both sautéed onions in bacon grease and chicken bouillon.)
 
boulangere July 5, 2012
The butter bean is a cruel, though theoretically more acceptable, attempt to lure you into eating (broad) lima beans which are an abomination.
 
pierino July 6, 2012
Actually they are not all the same. There are at least a dozen cultivars for broad beans, including gigante beans and favas. I have also seen lovely mottled red and white ones (the name escapes me right now). There is also form of poisoning called favism which fortunately only a tiny percentage of the population is susceptable to.
 
jbban July 6, 2012
I believe broad beans are fava beans, not lima beans. Broad/fava beans are delicious.
 
Sam1148 July 5, 2012
They are the same bean. But I've found the 'butter beans' labeled as such are typically the larger beans with a some what more mealy texture. Same bean just labels. IMHO my preferred choice are the ones labeled as baby limas.
 
pierino July 5, 2012
Both fall into the general category of broad beans, of which there are different strains. But certainly interchangeable.
 
Nozlee S. July 5, 2012
They're two names for the same kind of bean! They can be used interchangeably whether frozen, dried, or canned.
 
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