There’s nothing quite like a big pot of Southern lima beans and ham simmering away on the stove. Tender butter beans soak up that smoky flavor while onions, celery, and garlic add depth.
Pull up a chair and grab a skillet of cornbread, because this recipe is simple, hearty, and feeds a crowd. Whether you call them lima beans or butter beans, one thing is certain: a cozy bowl will warm you on a chilly day.
Table of Contents
Before You Get Started
If you grew up on bowls of slow-simmered beans with cornbread, this dried lima beans recipe will taste like home. The simple ingredients, rich flavor, and creamy texture make it a favorite Southern comfort food. Here’s what you need to know before you start cookin’:
- Pick your beans carefully. Use large dried lima beans. They’re often referred to as “butter beans” in the South, since the cream-colored beans’ rich consistency resembles that of butter. Fresh dried beans cook more evenly. Older beans sometimes stay tough no matter how long they simmer.
- Soak or not. Soaking can cut cooking time and help with digestion, but you can skip it if you’re short on time. Just know your un-soaked beans will need the full two hours.
- Choose your meat. Instead of a smoked ham hock, try a smoked ham bone, smoked sausage, chopped bacon slices, smoked turkey wings, or smoked pork neck bones.
- Mind your salt. Ham hocks can be salty, so wait until the end to add more seasoning.
- Texture Tips: Lima beans should be tender (not hard or crunchy) when they’re done. If you like your lima beans more “sturdy,” you might want to remove them from the heat after about 1 hour. I typically cook our beans for about 1 ½ hours, but you may want to extend it to a full 2 hours if you like your beans super-soft and broken down. You get to choose the final texture!
** Tip: Always cook lima beans thoroughly. They contain a natural compound that can make you sick if undercooked, so give them a good simmer until tender.
Step-by-Step: How to Cook Lima Beans and Ham
Step 1: Rinse and Prep the Beans
Start by sorting through your dried lima beans to remove any shriveled or broken beans, stones, or debris.
Step 2: Sauté the Aromatics
Cook the onion and celery in olive oil until soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for one more minute until it smells fragrant.
Step 3: Build the Pot
Add the rinsed beans, ham hock, bay leaf, water, salt, and pepper. With this preparation method you do not need to soak the beans (which is nice for those of us who often forget to prep the beans the night before or just don’t have the time). While pre-soaking the beans will cut down on the cooking time, it’s definitely not necessary.
Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat so it’s just at a gentle simmer.
** Tip: Keep an eye on the water level. Add more if the beans start peeking above the liquid (they should stay covered as they cook).
Step 4: Simmer Low and Slow
Cover the pot and let the beans cook until tender. This usually takes about 1 ½ to 2 hours. If you like your beans firm, check at the one-hour mark. For softer beans that start to break down and create a creamy broth, let them go the full two hours.
** Texture Tip: For an even creamier texture, mash a few beans against the side of the pot as they simmer.
Step 5: Finish and Serve
When the beans are done, discard the bay leaf and remove the ham hock. Shred any meat from the bone and stir it back into the pot. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper if needed. Serve the beans warm with cornbread and your favorite garnishes.
** Tip: A dash of vinegar, squeeze of lemon juice, or splash of hot sauce brightens the pot at serving time.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re offering the lima beans as a main course, pair them with Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn or buttermilk biscuits; Southern collard greens, fried cabbage, this stewed tomatoes recipe, or marinated cucumbers.
If you’re serving lima beans and ham as a side dish, it goes well with a variety of hearty Southern and comfort food entrées. For instance, try fried chicken, smothered pork chops, this Southern meatloaf recipe, or oven bbq chicken thighs.
Variations and Customizations
- Baby lima beans and green baby limas are milder and less starchy than large lima beans. You can use the baby lima beans in this recipe, but you’ll likely need to reduce the cooking time.
- Make it vegetarian by swapping the ham hock for vegetable broth and a little smoked paprika or liquid smoke.
- Use a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for about 4 to 5 hours until the beans are creamy.
- Add chopped collard greens, spinach, or tomatoes near the end of cooking for color and extra nutrients.
- Try the Instant Pot. Pressure cook for about 25 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally before stirring the meat back in.
- For spicy kick, season the beans with Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning, some hot sauce, red pepper flakes, or a dash of cayenne.
- Give the dish even more flavor by cooking the lima beans in chicken broth instead of water. Just be sure to use a low-sodium broth, since the smoked meat often adds plenty of salty flavor to the pot. Add some fresh (or dried) herbs to the pot of beans, such as thyme, oregano, basil, or rosemary.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: This dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors come together.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen if needed. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why are my beans still hard after simmering? Older beans can stay stubbornly tough. Always try to use fresher dried beans for the best results.
- Can I use canned lima beans instead? Yes, but add them toward the end of cooking since they’re already soft. They won’t soak up as much flavor as dried beans, but they’ll do in a pinch. You will need less water, too.
- What if I don’t have a ham hock? Smoked turkey wings, bacon, or even a bit of smoked sausage will give you similar flavor.
- How can I make the beans thicker? Mash some beans against the side of the pot or let the liquid simmer uncovered for a bit to reduce.
- Do I have to soak the beans? No, soaking is optional. It can help reduce cooking time and make beans easier to digest, but these will turn out just fine unsoaked.
Made these last night to go with a ham my husband smoked. Very yummy and we loved the texture!
– Norma
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Lima Beans and Ham
Ingredients
- 1 lb. large dried lima beans (butter beans)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium onions, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
- 1 smoked ham hock, meat scored (about 12 ounces)
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 8 cups water
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Garnish: hot sauce; chopped fresh herbs; vinegar; lemon juice
- Optional, for serving: cornbread
Instructions
- Rinse and sort the dried beans. Set aside.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery; cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly. Add the rinsed beans, ham hock, bay leaf, water, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a boil; reduce the heat slightly just so that it’s at a low boil, and cook for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat again just so that the liquid is simmering. Cover and cook for about 1 ½ hours, or until the beans are tender. Check the beans after 1 hour, because they may be soft enough at that point if you like your beans a bit more firm. If you prefer the beans really soft and broken down, you may prefer to extend the cooking time to 2 hours. While the beans are cooking, check to occasionally make sure that the beans are covered with water (adding more water, if necessary).
- Discard the bay leaf, remove the ham hock from the pot, and shred or chop the meat (there likely won’t be too much meat, but just use any that’s there). Return the chopped meat to the pot with the beans. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
- Garnish individual servings with hot sauce and herbs; serve with cornbread.
Notes
- Stir the pot occasionally while the lima beans are cooking. This will help to break down the beans, distribute the starches, and make the broth nice and creamy.
- Smoked ham hocks can be quite salty, so if you prefer a less-salty pot of beans, I recommend omitting the salt. You can always add more at the end, if necessary, but you might find that the ham hock adds enough salty flavor on its own.
Nutrition
Really delicious; super simple. Perfect for a Sunday dinner to fortify for the coming week!!
– Molly
More Bean Recipes to Try
Homemade Baked Beans from Scratch
16 hours hrs
The Best Bean Soup Recipe
10 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Ranch Style Beans
8 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Originally published in January, 2021, this post was updated in September, 2025.
Made these last night to go with a ham my husband smoked. Very yummy and we loved the texture! Followed your instructions exactly, including seasoning at the end since ham hocks tend to be salty. The beans were done a little before the ham (as I planned) so I kept them covered and warm for about an hour after completion. When first finished it is almost like a soup, but they thickened upon standing. The beans look so simple and rather plain, but they are so flavorful! Will definitely be making this again! Thanks, Blair!
Awesome! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed them, Norma. Thank you for taking the time to come back here and let me know! ๐
I’m gonna try it first time lima bean person. But i got a large ham hock. 1 lb + yikes. we’ll see defiantly no salt adding. I add more beans.
Hope you enjoy, Tom! ๐
Turned out good, but overcooked lima beans, My fault. was good thanks,
Okay, well that’s not bad for a first time! Next time you can adjust a bit. ๐
Really delicious super simple. Perfect for a Sunday dinner to fortify for the coming week!! We prefer dinner ham over ham hock cooked the same way and cubed so we needed a smidgen more salt. Wondering if anyone has frozen this? Itโs too good to risk the waste of leftovers.
Thank you, Molly! You can freeze the cooked beans for up to 3 months.
I add Tabasco sauce (or salsa) for a little zing and after Christmas dinner, I added the leftover ham gravy to the baby Lima pot. I made a double batch to freeze up for quick healthy side dishes in the future. Yum.
Sounds great! We hope you enjoy it.
Can you use canned beans for this? Would you add them when you shred the ham and put it back in? How many cans would you use?
Hi, Mary! I think it would probably work with canned beans, but the flavor and texture will definitely be different. The beans thicken the water as they cook, creating a rich broth. You wouldn’t get that same result with canned beans since the canned beans are already cooked and soft. I would try eliminating the water and replacing it with a small amount of broth. Add the canned beans at the same time that you add the ham hock, and simmer gently for just 20 minutes (or until the beans are warm). Let me know if you give that a try!
Thanks for the quick reply! I was scared it would turn out too mushy, so I ended up buying a bag of dry beans anyway!
Recipe came out great! Was super easy, and my dad said it tasted just like his mom used to make!
Thanks again!
Mary
That’s wonderful, Mary! Thanks for letting me know!
These turned out great. I followed the recipe as written and they were pretty good (I ate a BIG bowl) I made corn bread and some tried green tomatoes on the side. A very enjoyable dinner. I will definitely make these again.
That’s great to hear, Robert. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back here and let us know! ๐
Loved all the details and guidance to make the best dish. Can’t wait, using g it tomorrow.
Thanks, Alice. I hope you enjoy!
How would you change the process if youโve already soaked the dry beans?
Hi, Campbell! If you’re starting with pre-soaked beans, you don’t need to change too much about the cooking process — the beans will just be done quicker. Drain the soaked beans, add the ham hock, bay leaf, and other ingredients, including enough fresh water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently until the beans are tender to your liking (probably about 45 minutes – 1 hour). Hope that helps!
Thank you!
Can I just use ham and not ham hocks?
Yes! Just make sure that it’s smoked ham so that you get that great flavor. ๐
Or you can add a touch of liquid smoke to it!
How would I adjust if i wanted to cook in crockpot pot ? Would i need to still sautรฉ veggies ? Or just throw everything in the pot and cook ? Thank you
Hi, Mari! You could do it either way. Saute the veggies to develop the flavor, and then transfer them to the Crock Pot OR just dump everything straight into the Crock Pot. It’s really just a matter of how much time/energy you want to put into it. The beans will be good either way. ๐ You’ll probably need about 6-7 hours on LOW or 3-4 hours on HIGH for tender beans if you don’t soak them overnight first.
I could only find baby Lima beans
Is this okay
Yes, but you’ll likely need to reduce the cooking time as they tend to cook faster.
at 85, not from the south. but from kansas many years removed to calif..i so identify with your cooking!!every part of your recipes are reminders of the greatest eating …i will have a great time with other recipes, but this time just was to review the butter beans and ham …fantastic..hope new cooks will find you and live by your cooking..they can’t go wrong
Thank you so much, Carolyn! I really appreciate your kind words!
I love lima beans! For another recipe, I soaked the dry beans overnight, only to find that they had a leathery skin that I had to remove from the soak water and had to soak again to get all the skins off. Anyone know what is going on? The beans were very nice after “skinning”!
Hi Tim,
This is a fairly common occurrence and is caused by rehydration inside the bean which causes them to split. This article explains it a little more and provides some tips!
I haven’t done this yet but I was wondering how to make adjustments when I have purchased the raw (non-smoked) ham hocks?
Hi Shirley,
To use raw ham hocks, we recommend smoking them yourself before making the beans. Otherwise, they won’t have the same depth of flavor. Or, you could use a different smoked meat like smoked sausage, smoked turkey wings, or smoked pork neck bones.
This is a very flavorful recipe. The only thing I changed was I used a ham bone instead of ham hock and boiled it for about an hour then cooled and removed excess ham for the recipe. I used the ham liquid plus chicken broth (powdered) using 1 tsp per cup of ham liquid. The flavor was amazing. I thought 2 onions was too much at first but it was perfect. Amazing Recipe.
Thank you so much, Jeri! We’re happy to hear you enjoyed it.
This is one of my favorite recipes now, thank you! I omit the celery, up the garlic, use unsalted beef bone broth for added collagen, and add 1/2 T of hot sauce and 1/2 T Cajun seasoning. Served with sweet cornbread, it is the ultimate in comfort and flavor! I’ve even made it in a large batch and pressure canned some for quick meals. I imagine this would also go well with greens added in.
Amazing tips, Kayla. Thank you. I’m so glad that you enjoy this dish! I agree — it’s perfect with cornbread, and greens would also be a nice addition!
Omg this is so good! I added some hot sauce and chili flakes. We let the beans cook long enough so the sauce is thickened. Oh, and added veggie Better Than Broth. Delish! Thank you!!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you, Laura!
I was really excited about this recipe but it turned out bland for me. Unfortunately my grocery store only sold pork knuckle that is unsmoked and this is a big regret. Even though I added seasonings, salt, pepper and smoked paprika it didn’t make a difference. I also simmered the pot for a full 2 hours and found the beans too mushy by that point. I do think this recipe is probably great just make sure to use smoked pork knuckle as it is essential to success here and simmering for less time as Blair suggested is definitely a better length of time.
Will try again though! ๐
We’re sorry it didn’t turn out well for you, Jess. Smoked pork knuckle is definitely key for flavor! Please let us know how it goes if you give it another try.
Great recipe, nutritional and delicious.
Thanks, Donna. I’m so glad that you like it!
For whatever reason this soup tasted bitter. Followed the direction exactly, ended up trashing it.
We’re sorry to hear this, Retha! The most common reason for lima beans to turn bitter is overcooking. We’re happy to help troubleshoot if you ever want to try it out again!
So easy and tasty. Perfect for this overcast day.
Thanks, Janice! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the meal!