# Do you like lima beans? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 13, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834 "2011-11-13T21:32:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/41 "2011-11-14T06:18:42Z")
I haven’t had lima beans in a very long time. I vaguely remember having them a few times as a child, but I think my parents didn’t care for them and thus stopped serving them. I never got into the habit of having them. Thinking back, though, I would say that I would probably like them now; certainly more than I did as a wee one. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/42 "2011-11-14T06:21:00Z")
Not even a little. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/43 "2011-11-14T13:54:02Z")
I find myself craving them, and if we have some leftovers in the fridge, I’ll heat them up and eat them as a snack. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/44 "2011-11-14T14:38:54Z")
I don’t really like plain beans of any kind. I like butter and salt, but lima beans aren’t my preferred butter-and-salt delivery vector. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/45 "2011-11-14T16:55:02Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Aren’t Lima Beans the smaller, immature, green Butterbeans? Between the two, I like the large mature and sweeter Butterbean especially with Tomatoes, garlic, onions, and olive oil in a baked Greek Style. Plaki Gigantes. But I also enjoy both with just some butter and hot sauce. Other way around. Lima and butter beans are two different varieties of _Phaseolus lunatus._ In the US, the smaller variety (Sieva type) are known as butter beans, while the larger are the Lima type. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/46 "2011-11-14T18:03:11Z")
don’t like those “baby” limas. Like the big fat fordhook lima beans which have enough flavor to stand up as a side dish on their own. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Mama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@Atomic\_Mama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Mama)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/47 "2011-11-14T18:07:19Z")
Beans I like: pintos, piquenos, white, navy, cattle, yellow-eye, black-eye, pink and some other southern “field peas.” And peanuts, of course. Legumes. Are lima beans legumes? Lima beans (specifically) disgust me. :eek: Is there a way to make them EDIBLE??? If so, how? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/48 "2011-11-14T18:20:49Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Other way around. Lima and butter beans are two different varieties of _Phaseolus lunatus._ In the US, the smaller variety (Sieva type) are known as butter beans, while the larger are the Lima type. I know for a fact this characterization is false because I buy [cans of Butterbeans](http://www.google.com/search?q=can+of+butterbeans&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1024&bih=578&sei=QFvBTo3xCY2DsALw9_nNBA) quite often and they are large, flat, and white or blonde beans… nothing at all like the tiny, plump, green, succotash ready Lima Beans. Their flavors are quite different as well… the small green Limas having a decidely greener flavor and less creamy texture. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/49 "2011-11-14T18:28:13Z")
… and here’s some [cans of Lima Beans](http://www.google.com/search?q=can+of+Lima+Beans&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1024&bih=578&sei=-VzBTquXLoLi2QXLqpCoBQ) for comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/50 "2011-11-14T18:35:13Z")
I choose “I don’t like Lima beans” and expected that to be the clear winner. However after reading the thread it occured to me that I haven’t tried them since I was a child and since my mother has a rather well known skill to cook all of the taste out of everything I should probably try them again. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/51 "2011-11-14T18:40:10Z")
**devilsknew** - it might be a regional thing. I’ve always called the big beans limas, and the smaller beans butterbeans. [See here.](http://www.ehow.com/facts_5839613_butter-beans-vs_-lima-beans.html) Other sites, though, do seem to have it the other way around, so I suspect it’s just regional usage. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/52 "2011-11-14T18:44:57Z")
I think it is a regional usage. When I grew up down south ‘butter bean’ and ‘lima bean’ were interchangeable. more importantly, where can I find the big fat tasty Fordhook kind? ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/53 "2011-11-14T19:03:23Z")
I love Lima Beans! I’m the only one in my house that does, but that’s just more for me! Butter, pepper and a dash of salt. Mmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Proudest\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/proudest_monkey/32/13257_2.png) [@Proudest\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Proudest_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/54 "2011-11-14T23:46:35Z")
The poll didn’t list an option called “I love lima beans so much I would marry them.” So I voted other. When my husband is out of town and I get to cook myself a meal that he wouldn’t touch, it’s lima beans. I always make extra so I can have limas for breakfast the next day. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/55 "2011-11-15T00:40:16Z")
> [@Proudest\_Monkey](#): > > The poll didn’t list an option called “I love lima beans so much I would marry them.” So I voted other. > > When my husband is out of town and I get to cook myself a meal that he wouldn’t touch, it’s lima beans. I always make extra so I can have limas for breakfast the next day. I have leftover lima beans for breakfast, too! Mmm. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/56 "2011-11-15T03:40:26Z")
I don’t like beans at all because of the chalky texture. My only exception: fresh or frozen green beans. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/57 "2011-11-15T06:14:31Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > **devilsknew** - it might be a regional thing. I’ve always called the big beans limas, and the smaller beans butterbeans. [See here.](http://www.ehow.com/facts_5839613_butter-beans-vs_-lima-beans.html) Other sites, though, do seem to have it the other way around, so I suspect it’s just regional usage. > [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > I think it is a regional usage. When I grew up down south ‘butter bean’ and ‘lima bean’ were interchangeable. more importantly, where can I find the big fat tasty Fordhook kind? That might very well be the case, but there also seems to be a consumer, and perhaps, most importantly, _industry standard_. And the industry standard labels Butterbeans and Lima Beans seperately, and invariably Butterbeans are of a larger white variety, and the standard “Lima Bean” is a much smaller green variety. [Butterbeans](http://www.webstaurantstore.com/furmanos-butter-beans-10-can/furmanos-butter-beans-10-can.jpg) [Lima Beans](http://www.webstaurantstore.com/medium-green-lima-beans-10-can/medium-green-lima-beans-10-can.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/58 "2011-11-15T16:33:30Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I know for a fact this characterization is false because I buy [cans of Butterbeans](http://www.google.com/search?q=can+of+butterbeans&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1024&bih=578&sei=QFvBTo3xCY2DsALw9_nNBA) quite often and they are large, flat, and white or blonde beans… nothing at all like the tiny, plump, green, succotash ready Lima Beans. Their flavors are quite different as well… the small green Limas having a decidely greener flavor and less creamy texture. You don’t know this for a fact, because it Is incorrect. 10 seconds on Google will provide you with a wealth of cites. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/59 "2011-11-17T15:26:30Z")
The cafeteria is serving lima beans tomorrow. Hurray! I’m gonna get me a double bowl to go. Life is good. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2011, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834/60 "2011-11-17T16:30:48Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > You don’t know this for a fact, because it Is incorrect. 10 seconds on Google will provide you with a wealth of cites. Exactly, for example, [here](http://www.ehow.com/facts_7504278_difference-lima-beans-butter-beans.html): > [@](#): > > Features > Lima beans are slightly larger than butter beans, and are green, curved and flat. Butter beans are smaller and have a tan, speckled appearance when they are raw. Butter beans are typically referred to as the Sieva type of the Phaseolus lunatus species. Note that I am not saying this is definitive or correct. I don’t think the terminology is standardized. But it reflect my recollection growing up. We never had the small or medium types of lima beans around–we always had the big ones, maybe the size of a quarter or large across. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-lima-beans/602834.md?page=4)