How to Season Butter Beans

Last Updated: November 8, 2022

Butter beans are large, cream-colored beans that get their name from their buttery texture. These beans are great on their own, but they taste even better with seasoning. Seasoning is fairly simple because you add it during the cooking process. You can choose to season your beans with ingredients such as brown sugar and bacon, rosemary and tomato, or chicken broth.

Ingredients

Brown Sugar and Bacon

5 slices of bacon, diced
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup (64 g) of firmly packed brown sugar
1 16-ounce (453.6 g) package of frozen butter beans
1/4 cup (236.6 mL) of butter
2 teaspoons (9.8 g) of salt
1 teaspoon (5.69 g) of cracked pepper

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Rosemary and Tomato

1 14-ounce (396.89 g) can of butter beans
3 tablespoons (44.37 mL) of olive oil
3 tablespoons (44.37 mL) of tomatoes, sun-blushed
2 tablespoons (29.58 mL) of rosemary, chopped

Makes 2 servings

Chicken Broth

4 tablespoons (59.16 mL) of butter, divided
1/8 cup (28.39 mL) of onions, finely chopped
1 cup (236.59 mL) of chicken broth
1 12-ounce (340.19 mL) package of frozen butter beans
1/4 teaspoon (1.23 mL) salt
1/4 teaspoon (1.23 mL) ground black pepper

Makes 4 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Seasoning with Brown Sugar and Bacon

1
Cook the bacon and onion over medium heat. Put the diced bacon and minced onion in a large Dutch oven. It’s also an option to use a large, deep pot if you don’t have a Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. The bacon should be crisp, and onion should be fragrant when it is ready.^{[1]
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2
Add brown sugar. After 5 to 7 minutes, add brown sugar to the bacon and onion. Stir the sugar in so it mixes with the ingredients. Allow 1 or 2 minutes for the sugar to dissolve.^{[2]
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3
Stir in the butter beans and butter. Once the brown sugar has dissolved, add in the butter beans and butter. Again, stir all of the ingredients together. The beans should be thoroughly coated with the butter and seasoning.^{[3]
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4
Add 12 cups (2.8 L) of water and bring to a boil. Bring the beans to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low once the water begins to boil. The water should still be simmering.^{[4]
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5
Let the beans cook for 2 hours. Cover the Dutch oven during this time—unless you are stirring or adding ingredients. Add salt and pepper about halfway through the cooking time. Stir the ingredients occasionally during the 2 hours. The beans are done when they are tender and the liquid in the Dutch oven has thickened.^{[5]
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6
Serve the beans. These beans taste best when served warm. If there are leftovers, store them in an airtight container, and put them in the refrigerator. Eat the leftovers within a few days.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Rosemary and Tomatoes to Season

1
Add the beans to a small saucepan. Turn the stove top to low heat. The beans should be heated up slowly.
2
Add the remaining ingredients. Once the beans are have started to heat up, add olive oil, sun-blushed tomatoes, and chopped rosemary. Throw in a pinch of sea salt and pepper as well. Stir all of the ingredients together so that the beans are coated in the seasoning.
- It’s also an option to add additional seasoning. For example, you can also add garlic and/or slices of green pepper.
3
Remove from heat when the beans heat up. The beans should not be boiling or simmering when they are done cooking. This should only take about 10 minutes. If you aren’t sure they’re ready, use a spoon to taste one of them. They should not be too hot to taste.
4
Allow the beans to sit for a few minutes. Let the beans sit in the saucepan for a few minutes so that the flavors can properly infuse. Then, serve warm.
- Put leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator. Eat the leftovers within a few days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Seasoning with Chicken Broth

1
Add butter and onion to a medium-sized saucepan. Put in the butter over medium heat and allow it to melt. Then, add in the onion. Cook for a few minutes until the onion is soft.^{[7]
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2
Pour in chicken broth and butter beans. Turn up the heat to medium-high. Then, add the chicken broth, and bring it to a boil. Then, add the butter beans^{[8]
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- It’s also an option to add additional ingredients or seasoning, such as garlic and bell pepper.
3
Allow to simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to a low setting after you’ve added the butter beans. Then, cover the saucepan. Stir the contents occasionally during the 25 to 30 minutes.^{[9]
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4
Add butter, salt, and pepper when the beans are done cooking. The beans should be tender when they are finished. When they are done, remove them from the heat source. Do not drain the beans. Add the butter, salt, and pepper after you’ve removed the beans from the heat source. Stir all of the ingredients together one more time. Then, serve warm.^{[10]
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- Store leftover in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Eat the leftovers within a few days.
- Wait until you finish and taste your dish before adding any more salt so you don't overseason it.