Pan-Fried Lima Beans With Feta And Lemon Zest Recipe

We love to use frozen lima beans in this recipe for their convenience, quicker cooking time, and their bright color. However, it is also possible to use dried lima beans if you prefer. If using dried lima beans, you will need to soak them in water overnight or for at least 8 hours before cooking them. Once ready to cook, drain the soaked lima beans, place them in a pot, and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until tender, about 30–45 minutes. This may seem like a lot of work for a side dish, but the separate cooking of dried lima beans is necessary to ensure they become fully softened before adding them to the flavored oil. While frozen lima beans can simply be added to the pan, dried lima beans require this extra step of soaking and pre-cooking to achieve the right texture once simmered in the olive oil and other flavors.