7 Best Interesting Substitute For Lima Beans

Lima beans, which most of them fancy calling butter beans, are mild-flavored legumes with a creamy texture that have a common presence inside soups, stews, salads, and casseroles, keeping them delicious and satisfying.

Additionally, they are also characterized by their starchy and slightly nutty flavor when cooked in their. They are available in fresh, frozen, canned, or dried forms, blessing your dishes with fiber, protein, and other essential nutrients.

Generally, this type of bean is commonly found inside recipes like succotash, soups, and vegetarian dishes, particularly because of its hearty texture.

There are days when the lima beans might be unavailable for you to use, but you still need to prepare your succotash, soups, and vegetarian dishes. Well, below are highlighted 7 of the best substitute for lima beans you can always trust to replicate the flavors and textures of lima beans.

7 Best Substitute For Lima Beans

1. Cannellini Beans

Cannellini beans, of which most people out there identify as white kidney beans, come to the top of our list of excellent substitute for lima beans owing to their creamy texture and mild flavor that is made perfectly for blending well inside soups, stews, and casseroles.

With Cannellini beans as a substitute for lima beans, you can never go wrong with this choice of substitute since it is widely available, either canned or dried, in any of the local grocery stores or marketplaces in your neighborhood.

Generally, they are a great choice of substitute for the Lima beans inside of soups, pasta dishes, or bean salads.

2. Great Northern Beans

Coming next on our list of ideal substitute for Lima beans is the Great Northern beans, which, in terms of appearance, happens to be much smaller than Lima beans. However, the similarities they both share in their mild flavor and creamy texture qualify the great northern beans as an excellent substitute for lima beans.

When cooked, be rest assured of the great northern beans keeping their shape intact, making it an even better substitute for the lima beans inside soups, stews, and slow-cooked dishes.

Generally, the great northern beans are an easy swap for the lima beans inside of casseroles, soups, or as a base for bean dips.

Read also, 10 Best Substitute For Broad Beans For you to Try Out

3. Edamame

Edamame, as a substitute for Lima beans, can either come in its fresh or frozen form, a type of young green soybean identified by its bright and slightly nutty traits, which are more like the typical characteristics of lima beans.

Though edamame shares a slight difference with Lima beans as regards their firmer texture, the fact that they both share similarities in their mild flavor makes it a better choice of a substitute, particularly inside salads, stir-fries, and side dishes.

Commonly found in the frozen foods section of most of the grocery stores in your neighborhood, edamame can come in as an easy swap for any of your fresh or frozen lima beans, particularly inside of your succotash, grain bowls, or vegetable stir-fries.

4. Fava Beans

There is no talking about excellent substitute for Lima beans without bringing the fava beans inside of the conversation or discussion. A choice of a substitute nicknamed broad beans due to the similar size and texture it shares with the lima beans.

Even though their flavor tends to be more earthy and nutty, the fava beans still do their magic and wonders inside recipes that ordinarily call for dried lima beans, such as stews, soups, and casseroles.

To get started with this choice of a substitute, all that is expected of you to do is to have it cooked first before proceeding to have it peeled after which you can then put it into use, with its hearty texture there for you to enjoy inside of recipes that ordinarily calls for the presence of a robust bean.

For the very best results, it is suggested that you have them used in soups, stews, or Mediterranean-inspired salads.

5. Chickpeas

Chickpeas, which have also been nicknamed garbanzo beans in terms of their texture and flavor profile, appear to be a firmer and nuttier alternative to lima beans. However, you should always bear it at the back of your mind that they are not known for their creamy texture, meaning they only work best in certain recipes.

Talking about certain recipes, chickpeas only do their wonders mostly inside recipes where a bean is acceptable; examples are inside of salads, stews, and curries.

Easily found either in their canned or dried forms, the chickpeas work well inside grain salads, and curries or roasted as a snack as well.

6. Navy Beans

Popularly referred to as haricot, while some people fancy calling it white beans, navy beans as a substitute for Lima beans is a versatile and nutritious legume known for its slightly nutty flavor and creamy texture when being used inside of soups, stews, and casseroles.

Nutritious-wise, navy beans as a substitute for lima beans would always remain a reliable source of fiber, protein, and iron, offering you the sweet combo of enjoying a healthy and satisfying dish.

7. Borlotti Beans

If there is anything the borlotti beans are known for, it is its versatility accompanied by its nutty yet mild flavor that goes hand in hand with plenty of recipes. The fact that it comes from the family of legumes as well makes it best for consumption for individuals battling with digestive issues.

Additionally, borlotti beans are also a rich source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants, which assist with keeping your heart health in check, lower cholesterol levels, and help combat the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer while still enjoying them inside of your salads, stews, or casseroles.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is no denying the fact that lima beans are a nutritious and healthy food, They have also been tested and approved to be an excellent source of fiber, protein, and iron; all of which are nutrients that are very much needed for your weight loss journey, keeping your hearts healthy, maintaining a low cholesterol level while also reducing the risk of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and cancer.

However, each and every single one of the aforementioned Substitutes for Lima beans possesses such nutritional as well, meaning you have little or nothing to lose at all, opting to put them into use on days when the lima beans are unavailable for you to make use of.