These Southern lima beans are hearty, comforting, and full of flavor. Simmered low and slow on the stovetop with smoked turkey wings, they’re the kind of dish that tastes like it came straight from Grandma’s kitchen. Serve with cornbread or rice for a cozy, down-home meal.
Before You Cook, Read This!
💬 The Vibe: Cozy, humble, and slow-simmered, like your grandma’s Sunday pot on the back burner.
🔑 What You Gotta Know: Soaking the beans overnight gives them a creamier texture and helps them cook evenly.
🍴 Best Bite Alert: The beans are buttery soft, the broth is rich, and the smoked turkey just falls apart, best served with cornbread to soak it all up.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Made with simple pantry staples and affordable ingredients.
- Packed with smoky, savory flavor from turkey wings.
- A true one-pot Southern comfort food recipe.
- Perfect for make-ahead meals and freezer-friendly.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Dried Large Lima Beans – You'll need 1 pound. These beans soak up all the smoky flavor and cook into a creamy, hearty texture. Be sure to soak them overnight or for at least 8 hours before cooking.
- Smoked Turkey Wings (or Leg) – The key to infusing deep, smoky flavor into the beans. You’ll need 2 wings or 1 large leg. Once tender, shred the meat and stir it back into the pot.
- Onion – A small yellow or white onion, diced, adds aromatic depth and rounds out the savory flavor of the beans.
- Garlic – Use two cloves, minced. Fresh garlic adds a layer of bold flavor that complements the smokiness of the turkey.
- Salt & Ground Black Pepper – Basic pantry staples that season the beans and turkey as they cook. Add more or less to taste.
- Onion Powder & Garlic Powder – These amplify the flavor of the sautéed aromatics and help season the broth from the start.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (optional) – Just a pinch adds a gentle heat to balance out the richness. Totally optional based on your spice preference.
- Water – You’ll need about 6–7 cups to simmer the beans and turkey. This becomes your flavorful broth base.
- Olive Oil or Butter (optional) – Add a tablespoon at the end if you’d like a little added richness. It gives the beans a silky finish.
👉🏾 See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.
How to Make Southern Lima Beans
Soak the Beans – Rinse 1 pound of dried lima beans and place them in a large bowl. Cover with water and soak overnight. Drain and set aside.
Build the Base – In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Sauté 1 diced onion for 3–5 minutes until softened. Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Simmer the Meat – Add smoked turkey wings, 6 cups of water (or broth), onion powder, garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30–45 minutes until the meat starts to fall off the bone.
Add the Beans – Stir in the soaked and drained lima beans. Simmer uncovered for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and creamy. Add more water as needed to keep beans covered.
Season to Taste – Once the beans are tender and the broth has thickened, pull the meat from the turkey wings and stir it back into the pot. Taste and add a splash of olive oil or butter for richness, if desired. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Serve – Spoon into bowls and enjoy with warm cornbread or over white rice. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Variations
- No time to soak? Use the quick-soak method: cover beans with water, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let them soak for 1 hour.
- Prefer a thicker broth? Smash a few beans against the side of the pot toward the end of cooking.
- Make it vegetarian by skipping the smoked meat and adding smoked paprika or liquid smoke.
- Spice it up with a pinch of cayenne pepper or a chopped jalapeño.
- Swap the meat – Smoked ham hocks, neck bones, or andouille sausage also work great.
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Storage Tips
- Refrigerate: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze in portioned containers for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Warm on the stovetop with a splash of broth or water, or microwave in 1-minute intervals.
More Southern Recipes You'll Love
- Southern Black-Eyed Peas
- Southern Cornbread
- Collard Greens with Ham Hocks
- Corn Pudding
- Fried Catfish
- Fried Chicken
Have any comments, questions, or family memories tied to lima beans? Drop them below, I’d love to hear!
📖 Recipe
Southern Lima Beans
Equipment
- 1 large stockpot or dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried large lima beans
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter, divided
- 1 small onion, diced (about ½ cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 smoked turkey wings (or 1 large smoked turkey leg)
- 6-7 cups water (or broth), plus more for soaking
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse 1 pound of dried lima beans and place them in a large bowl. Cover with water and soak overnight. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Sauté 1 diced onion for 3–5 minutes until softened. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add 2 smoked turkey wings, 6 cups of water (or broth), ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30–45 minutes until the meat starts to fall off the bone.
- Stir in the soaked and drained lima beans. Simmer uncovered for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and creamy. Add more water as needed to keep beans covered.
- Once the beans are tender and the broth has thickened, pull the meat from the turkey wings and stir it back into the pot. Taste and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil or butter for richness, if desired. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Spoon into bowls and enjoy with warm cornbread or over white rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- No time to soak? Use the quick-soak method: cover beans with water, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let them soak for 1 hour.
- Prefer a thicker broth? Smash a few beans against the side of the pot toward the end of cooking.
- Make it vegetarian by skipping the smoked meat and adding smoked paprika or liquid smoke.
- Spice it up with a pinch of cayenne pepper or a chopped jalapeño.
- Swap the meat – Smoked ham hocks, neck bones, or andouille sausage also work great.
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