In this thread it was suggested by one poster that “I think the number of people who actually like plain lima beans is pretty small.”
In my experience lima beans are a pretty popular vegetable. So here is the poll to see what the Straight Dope is, at least among our little community here.
Note, we’re talking about lima beans pretty much on their own. A little butter, a little salt, but no sauces or flavorings added.
Note that it wouldn’t surprise me to find that it’s popular elsewhere in the country. When I said real life, I was also factoring in the fact that I have very little desire to travel about in the urban world.
Love lima beans. I find them tasty. I like all kinds of veggies that others don’t- I wonder if genetic or something. I have always loved veggies, since I was very small.
Opal- you’re on kinda a tear with threads here- this is like your 20th thread you started in about a week. Making up for lost time?
My favorite vegetable. Always have been. I can’t understand the antipathy to them.
But give me a nice piece of beef liver with lima beans and I’m in heaven.
I used to detest them. All my life. Then, I became vegetarian and thus ate a lot of beans: red beans, blackeye peas, etc. Then one day I was confronted by lima beans, ate some and voila! they were delicious. No idea why I hated them before, but I’m assuming my increased familiarity with beans made me like the taste.
Now, even though I’ve left my vegetarian days behind me, I still like lima beans and eat them fairly regularly.
I love them when they’re overcooked to a mush with bacon or country ham. We call those “butterbeans.” When they’re intact and firm, I can handle them with other veggies in that rice you get at Mexican restaurants. Otherwise, not so much.
I go though phases. Sometimes things come into my head and I need to discuss them, and I don’t know a lot of people around where I live, so most of my “discussing” happens online.
So many people don’t like? I’m surprised. They really aren’t that different from other beans, they’re just bigger than most and have an awesome flavor.
I voted “no,” since you’ve said “we’re talking about lima beans pretty much on their own. A little butter, a little salt, but no sauces or flavorings added.”
That sounds like a side of sadness to me. That said, I love me some lima beans. One of my favourite side dishes. But yeah, I’m going to throw some garlic and basil in there with them at a minimum. Maybe some some lemon, mint, and feta. Sometimes I’ll do 'em up with wee tomatoes, garlic, oregano and balsamic vinegar. Sometimes I’ll do 'em up with minced onion, tomato juice, and indian seasonings, if that matches the meal better.
I think I start about a dozen new threads a day in my mind and never pull the trigger! 
Oh god you don’t want to know how many threads I don’t start.
I’m sure mashed they could be used in place of modeling clay.
This thread is calling out for favorite lima bean recipes.
Hi, Opal. (I’ve just been wanting to say that since I joined!)
No, I don’t care much for Lima beans, for a reason that (much to my surprise) nobody has mentioned yet: Their texture! I find they have a rather dry and “chalky” texture to them, that I don’t care for.
As for the actual flavor, I can take or leave that. I do like them cooked up in split-pea soup with all the usual split-pea soup seasonings.
ETA: Okay, I see that even as I typed the above, picunurse (two posts above) made a comment roughly along the same lines. 
Succotash! Yum!
I hated them as a kid, but I think it was due to my sisters aversion to them. I like them now, but seldom have them.
I think Mom used to cook them with a pressure cooker.
I don’t like the pastiness of most beans, but Granny taught me to put a pinch of baking soda in with lima/butterbeans. Totally changes the texture.
Here are my recipes:
Granny’s Butterbeans
Half package of frozen baby limas
A few whole uncooked bacon slices
Several whole fresh or frozen okra pods
pinch of baking soda
garlic
Cover with water and bring to a boil, then simmer a couple of hours until very tender.
Remove okra (and eat it! yum boiled okra!) and salt to taste. (I learned not to salt beans til after cooking or they’ll be tough.)
Dad’s Butterbeans
Half bag of dried, large white limas
Smoked pork knuckle or ham hock
Soak in 3qt crockpot overnight with enough water to fill pot, and crockpot on “warm.”
In morning, turn to “low” and cook til suppertime. Serve with cornbread.
I’m not fond of them, but I don’t find them disgusting or anything. When I was a kid, and they were the dinner vegetable du jour, I ate them without complaint. Now, as an adult, if they are an ingredient in vegetable soup or something, I do likewise. But I have never once purchased them for myself.
I love lima beans. Actually, I love almost all veggies.
I thought butterbeans (which I also like) were a completely different bean. Ignorance fought! 