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Creamy Southern Lima Beans with Bacon and Sweet Onions

Creamy Southern lima beans simmer with crisp bacon, sweet onions, and a bay leaf until very tender. Mashing some of the beans thickens the pot into a creamy side dish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Soaking and resting 10 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 12 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb lima beans dried, large
  • 7 cup water for soaking and more as needed
  • 6 bacon slices, thick-cut, chopped
  • 1 sweet onion large, chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 5-quart Dutch oven

Method
 

  1. Pick over and rinse the lima beans.
  2. Put the beans in a large bowl and cover them with cold water by 2 inches.
  3. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
  4. Drain and rinse the beans.
  5. Cook the chopped bacon in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp.
  6. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
  7. Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened.
  8. Add the drained beans, 7 cups water, bacon, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
  9. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  10. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender; add more water as needed to keep them covered.
  11. Remove the bay leaf and mash about 1 cup of beans against the side of the pot, then stir them in.
  12. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, until creamy.
  13. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, mash about 1 cup of beans thoroughly against the pot before stirring them back in. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days or freeze them; for a pork-free option, use turkey bacon.