Southern Butter Beans

Butter Beans are classic Southern side that pairs perfectly with all sorts of dishes!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, southern

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1

Servings

Calories 470kcal

In a large dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp.
Remove bacon and bacon grease, then return 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease to the pot and heat.
Set bacon strips on a paper towel to drain and cool, then crumble.
Add diced onion, celery, carrots and sauté until soft, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the butter beans, broth, bacon and seasonings.
Bring the broth to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45 to 1 hour, or until tender.
Then stir in heavy cream and butter into bean mixture until thickened, about 15 minutes more.
Season with salt and pepper, and top with additional crumbled bacon before serving.

If you aren’t a fan of spicy foods, simply omit the red pepper flakes and Cajun seasonings.
But if you love spicy foods, try adding a touch more red pepper and Cajun seasoning to really give this recipe a kick.
To make this a vegetarian recipe, skip the bacon and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Cook a few extra slices of bacon and reserve them until the end of cooking. Sprinkle the crunchy bacon bits over the top of the beans just before serving.
Smoked ham is a great addition to this recipe. Chop leftover ham and add to the beans along with the bacon and broth for a deeper, meatier flavor.