Good Substitute for Butter Beans: Easy Swaps and Uses

The closest substitute for butter beans is another large, creamy white bean, such as cannellini beans or great northern beans; use it in the same amount. This quick recipe gently warms canned cannellini beans so they are ready for soups, stews, salads, and other dishes that call for butter beans. The best swap depends on whether you need a soft, creamy texture or beans that hold their shape.

Ingredients

1 can cannellini beans, 15 oz (425 g), drained and rinsed; this should yield about 1½ cups (255 g) of beans
½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth or water (120 ml)
1 teaspoon olive oil (5 ml)
⅛ teaspoon fine salt (about 0.75 g), or to taste

Instructions

Drain the cannellini beans in a colander and rinse them under cool running water. Let them drain while you measure the broth, oil, and salt. Handle the beans gently so they stay mostly whole.
Put the broth or water and olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the rinsed beans and salt, then stir carefully to coat them.
Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat. Simmer uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the beans are hot and tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Avoid a hard boil, which can split the beans.
Taste and adjust the salt to suit the dish you plan to make. Use the beans with their remaining cooking liquid in a stew or soup, or drain them if your recipe needs a firmer, drier substitute. Measure out roughly 1½ cups to replace one standard 15-ounce can of drained butter beans.

Tips

Match the amount by drained beans, not by can weight. A typical 15-ounce can contains liquid as well as beans and yields about 1½ cups (255 g) drained. Use that drained volume as a practical one-for-one replacement for a can of butter beans. If a recipe gives a weight for drained beans, weigh your substitute after draining too.
Choose a bean with the texture your recipe needs. Cannellini beans are creamy but keep their shape fairly well, making them a useful all-purpose choice. Great northern beans are a little smaller and tender; lima beans are closest in flavor and character. Chickpeas are firmer and nuttier, so they make a more noticeable change.
Keep the seasoning neutral when using the beans in another recipe. The broth and a little oil make this substitute pleasant to eat on its own, but you can use water instead of broth and leave out the salt if the finished dish is already well seasoned. Add acidic ingredients such as lemon juice or tomatoes after warming if you want the beans to stay tender.
Do not overcook canned beans. They are already cooked, so this short simmer is only to warm and season them. For a cold salad, you can skip the saucepan and use drained, rinsed beans directly. For a thicker soup, mash a few beans with a fork rather than boiling the whole batch until it breaks down.

Serving Suggestions

Use the warm cannellini beans in any recipe that calls for an equal amount of cooked or canned butter beans. They work particularly well in tomato-based soups, vegetable stews, pasta, and braises, where their mild flavor takes on the surrounding herbs and broth. Add them near the end of cooking if the recipe has a long simmer, since the beans are already tender and can split if cooked vigorously for too long.

For salads, let the beans cool and drain them well so they do not water down the dressing. Toss with chopped parsley, red onion, olive oil, and a little lemon, or fold them into a grain salad. In a simple side dish, warm them with garlic, black pepper, and chopped greens. The beans also make a convenient addition to toast or a bowl of cooked grains; gently mash some of them with a fork to create a creamier texture without turning the whole batch into purée.

Think about the role butter beans play in the original dish. If they are the main ingredient, as in a bean salad or a braise served with bread, choose a creamy alternative such as cannellini or lima beans. If they are one element among many in a heavily seasoned stew, chickpeas, great northern beans, or even navy beans can work, because the sauce and other ingredients will contribute much of the flavor.

Variations

Use lima beans for the closest match. Butter beans are a common name for mature lima beans, especially large, flat-seeded types. If you can find canned or cooked large lima beans, substitute them in the same drained amount. They will give the dish the most similar flavor and starchy, buttery texture, though the size and firmness can vary by product.

Choose great northern beans for a softer, smaller bite. They are mild and creamy, though usually not as large as butter beans. Use them one for one in casseroles, soups, and mashes. Because they may soften more quickly, add them later in the cooking time and stir with care.

Use chickpeas when shape matters. Chickpeas stay firm and have a distinct nutty flavor, so they are a good option in salads, curries, and robust stews. They will not mimic the soft, creamy feel of butter beans, but their sturdy texture is useful where the beans should remain intact. Use the same drained volume and taste the finished dish before adding extra salt.

Make a creamy, partly mashed alternative. If you only have firmer beans, such as chickpeas, mash about ¼ cup (40 g) of the drained beans with a splash of broth, then stir that paste back into the rest. This adds body to a soup or stew while leaving most beans whole. It changes the appearance slightly, so it is less suited to a bean salad where intact beans are important.

Storage and Reheating

Transfer leftover warmed beans and any remaining liquid to a clean, covered container and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. Keep them refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. If you have not yet used the beans in a finished dish, store them separately from acidic dressings or sauces to preserve their texture and make them easier to use in another meal.

To reheat, warm a portion in a small saucepan over medium-low heat with a spoonful of water or broth, stirring gently until steaming hot. You can also microwave them in a covered microwave-safe bowl, stirring partway through. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), as recommended for food safety, and only reheat the portion you plan to eat. If the beans seem dry, add liquid a tablespoon at a time; avoid prolonged boiling, which can make them mushy.

For longer storage, freeze the beans with a little of their liquid in a freezer-safe container, leaving room for expansion. They are best used within about 2 to 3 months for good quality. Thaw them in the refrigerator and expect the texture to be somewhat softer after freezing; they are generally better in soups, stews, and mashed dishes than in salads. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers rather than storing cooked beans at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the closest substitute for butter beans?
Large lima beans are the closest match because butter beans are a name commonly used for mature lima beans. If those are not available, cannellini beans are an easy, widely available alternative with a mild flavor and creamy texture. Great northern beans are another good choice, though they are usually smaller and a little less rich.

Can I substitute cannellini beans for butter beans in equal amounts?
Yes. In most soups, stews, casseroles, salads, and pasta dishes, use the same drained volume of cannellini beans as butter beans. One standard 15-ounce can usually provides around 1½ cups (255 g) of drained beans, though the exact yield depends on the brand and how thoroughly the beans are drained.

Are butter beans the same as lima beans?
Butter beans are mature lima beans, but the names used on packages vary by region and product. Butter beans often refers to larger, flatter lima beans, while lima beans can also mean smaller varieties. Both can be used as substitutes for one another; check whether the recipe needs cooked beans or dried beans, because their preparation times are different.

Can I use dried beans instead of canned butter beans?
Yes, provided you cook the dried beans before adding them to a recipe that calls for canned beans. Follow the package directions for soaking and cooking, since the time depends on the bean type, age, and whether it was soaked. Do not add dried beans directly to a quick-cooking recipe that expects ready-to-eat canned beans. Once cooked, measure the drained beans and use the same volume.

What can I use if I do not have white beans?
Chickpeas are a dependable pantry alternative, particularly in well-seasoned dishes, but they are firmer and have a nuttier taste. Navy beans can also work in soups or mashes, though they are small and may break down more readily. Pick the option that suits the finished dish rather than expecting every bean to reproduce the exact texture of butter beans.

Can I use this substitute cold, without warming it?
Yes. For a salad, sandwich filling, or other cold dish, simply drain and rinse the canned cannellini beans and use them directly in the same quantity. The short warming step in this recipe adds a little seasoning and is convenient when the beans will go into a hot meal, but canned beans are already cooked and do not need to be simmered before use.

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).