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Lima Beans

Also indexed as: Butter Beans

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Preparation, uses, and tips

Soak dried limas for six hours and cook on the stove uncovered for about one hour, or until tender. 1 cup of dried limas makes approximately 2 1/2 cups of cooked beans. Succotash, corn mixed with lima beans, is a traditional dish in the southern United States. Try puréeing lima beans as a substitute for milk in creamy soups.

Buying and storing tips

Avoid wrinkled or lackluster beans. Store dried lima beans in an airtight jar. Fresh, limas shelled from the pod are best cooked right away but will keep for a week or so in the refrigerator.

Varieties

Limas are members of the kidney bean family and are predominantly available as two main types: large, “potato” limas and small, baby lima beans, which are half the size of the large variety. Another, less common, variety is the large, speckled Christmas lima. The colours of lima bean varieties range from off-white and pale green to red, purple, brown, and almost black.

Nutrition Highlights

Lima beans (large, boiled), 1 cup (188g)
Calories: 216
Protein: 14.6g
Carbohydrate: 39.2g
Total Fat: 0.71g
Fiber: 13.2g
*Excellent source of: Iron (4.5mg), Potassium (955mg), and Folate (156 mcg)

*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value, based upon United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the USDA Recommended Daily Value. Nutritional information and daily nutritional guidelines may vary in different countries. Please consult the appropriate organization in your country for specific nutritional values and the recommended daily guidelines.