Lima bean stew is a hearty and delicious comfort food that is a full meal all on its own. It’s the comfort food you didn’t know you wanted.
Lima bean stew is a hearty comfort food that will have you wondering why you don’t eat more lima beans. They really are an underrated food.
This stew is really very simple. Don’t be discouraged by the soaking of the beans. That was always something that scared me off but there is really nothing to it.
There are few simple ingredients and no complicated cooking methods so even the most novice chef can make a killer lima bean stew.
This is a Polish dish, called Fasola po Bretonsku, which I grew up eating. It has always felt very comforting to me so hopefully, it does the same for you and your family.
It’s not originally made with lima beans but I wanted to make the recipe accessible and find the lima bean a great substitute.
Preparing Lima Bean Stew
Ingredients
Lima beans: Lima beans are a type of legume that has a creamy texture and a colour that ranges from beige to green. The seeds grow in pods in tropical climates originating in Central America. The size of the seeds c
an also vary quite a bit. Lima beans are high in fiber, protein, iron, potassium and vitamin B6. They really are a nutritional powerhouse.
Bay leaves: Bay leaves are the leaves of the bay laurel tree. Bay leaves are most often added to dishes whole and then removed after cooking, before serving. When used in their dry form they don’t soften during the cooking process so are not pleasant to eat.
Bacon: Bacon is salt cure pork from different cuts of the back. It is typically sold in slices. There are also non-pork alternatives such as turkey bacon that can also be used.
Onion: Onion is a very common vegetable that is used both raw and cooked in food preparation. It has a sharp flavour raw that often sweetens once cooked. There are many varieties of onions, some that are milder than others. We use the common onion or yellow onion in this recipe.
Paprika: I use sweet paprika, or just paprika which is most commonly found in grocery stores. It is not sweet in the sugary sense, but compared to its spicy and smoked siblings it is definitely the sweetest of them all.
Tomato paste: Tomato paste is concentrated tomato sauce. As the name indicates it is a paste and therefore has a reduced water content. It’s rich in fiber, vitamin C, and potassium and is a great way to add tomato flavour without adding extra liquid.
Marjoram: Marjoram is a perennial herb from the mint family. It has a strong flavour, especially in its dried form, that has similar undertones as oregano and thyme. Marjoram is native to the Mediterranean but has spread across many continents. It is typically grown for cooking purposes.
How to Make Lima Bean Stew
If you are using dry
lima beans you will need to soak them in 6 cups of cool water overnight. If you are using canned beans see the substitutions section below.
Rinse the lima beans and transfer them to a pot. Cover with 4 cups of water, add bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes until tender.
In the meantime, dice the onion, and bacon and peel the garlic.
Add the bacon to a pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Then add the onions and sauté until translucent. Another 3 minutes or so.
Finally, press in the garlic and sauté for one more minute. Set aside.
Once the beans are softened (you may need to actually try one because they will not feel soft to the touch), spoon some of the water from the beans into the bacon pan to help remove the browned bits.
Add the tomato paste to the beans, followed by the marjoram and spices. Lastly, add the cooked bacon with onions and garlic. Stir well to combine, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Substitutions
Marjoram: If you don’t have it, you can use half the oregano instead. Its going to have a slightly different flavour profile but will still be delicious. The marjoram apparently has properties that help with the digestion of the beans so that’s the only downside if you skip it.
Dry Lima Beans: If you don’t like working with dry beans, or don’t have the time, use canned beans instead. They are already cooked, so unlike the dry lima beans, there is no need to soak or cook them. If you are using canned lima beans, cook the bacon, onion and garlic first, then add the lima beans to 4 cups of water with the bacon, onion mixture and the rest of the ingredients. Cook for 10 minutes for the flavours to marry and you’re all set.
Serving Lima Bean Stew
With this lima bean stew, you have everything you need all in one bowl. There is no need to top it with anything or to add anything else. However, you may need a mechanism to wipe up any leftover sauce in the bowl. The best vessel for this is a delicious ciabatta bun with butter.
We are not biased against any bread so if you don’t have ciabatta literally any other type of bread will do.
Let us know in the comments if you have any questions. And if you like this recipe be sure to leave us a five-star rating below.
Are you looking for dinner ideas? Check out our recipes:
Lima Bean Stew Recipe
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
- Small pan
- Large bowl
Ingredients
Optional:
- 1 Smoked sausage (optional)
Instructions
- Soak the lima beans in 6 cups of cool water overnight.2 cups dry lima beans
- Rinse the lima beans and transfer them to a pot. Cover with 4 cups of water, add bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes until tender.2 bay leaves
- In the meantime, dice the onion, and bacon and peel the garlic.6-8 slices of bacon, ½ cup onion, 1 garlic clove
- Add the bacon to a pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Then add the onions and sauté until translucent. Another 3 minutes or so.1 Smoked sausage
- Finally, press in the garlic and sauté for one more minute. Set aside.
- Once the beans are softened (you may need to actually try one because they will not feel soft to the touch), spoon some of the water from the beans into the bacon pan to help remove the browned bits.
- Add the tomato paste to the beans, followed by the marjoram and spices. Lastly, add the cooked bacon with onions and garlic. Stir well to combine, cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.¼ tsp paprika, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 156 ml tomato paste, ¼ tsp marjoram
