southern sides

Classic Butter Beans with bacon recipe for the most tender, flavorful lima beans that are perfect to serve as a side with your favorite southern dishes!

Southern Butter Beans Recipe (Best Lima Beans)

butter beans (lima beans)

bacon

onion

carrots

celery

garlic (minced)

thyme

rosemary

bay leaves

chicken base (bouillon or vegetable base)

water

Soak the beans: Place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for 12-24 hours. If you are in a hurry, most bags of beans have a “speed-soak” method listed on the package.

Set a large 6-8 quart sauce pot over medium heat. Add the bacon. Stir and brown for 3-5 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Sauté for 5 minutes to soften.

Drain the beans. Then pour the beans into the pot. Add in the chicken base and water. Stir well.

Cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes, until the butter beans are soft.

Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.

Crunchy breaded and fried okra is a classic summertime side dish! This southern fried okra recipe is easy to make in only 30 minutes.

Best Southern Fried Okra

okra (whole pods)

yellow cornmeal (not mix)

all-purpose flour

salt (divided)

garlic powder

smoked paprika

black pepper

milk

fry oil (peanut, canola, soy)

Set a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Pour the oil into the pot and place a cooking thermometer on the side of the pot, with the tip down in the oil. Set a paper towel lined holding plate to the side of the stove.

Check the temperature every couple of minutes as you prep the recipe. When it reaches 375 degrees F, turn the heat down to medium to maintain.

Set out two shallow bowls. In one bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder, smoke paprika, and pepper. Mix and set aside. In the second bowl whisk together the egg, milk, and ½ teaspoon salt.

Cut the tops off the okra pods. Then cut each pod into half inch rounds. Toss the chopped okra pieces into the egg mixture. When you get down to the thin tip of the okra pod, discard.

Toss the okra pieces in the egg mixture. Mix well to coat. Then working in batches, drain off the egg mixture and toss the pieces into the cornmeal breading.

Once the oil is at 375 degrees F, shake the excess breading off the okra and gently place half in the fry oil. Stir and fry for 3-5 minutes, until the okra is golden-brown. If you want it very crispy, make sure to fry at least 4 minutes.

Use a skimmer to move the fried okra to the holding plate. Then repeat with the second batch.

Serve immediately or keep warm in a warming drawer or low temperature oven.

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/XDEnXyn9.mp4

Best Southern Fried Okra Recipe - Crunchy breaded and fried okra is a classic summertime side dish! It's easy to make and perfect to serve with your favorite southern mains.

Tangy, slightly sweet, and seriously delicious Southern style mustard greens braised with cider vinegar and topped with crispy bacon. The perfect Southern side dish, and better than your favorite BBQ joint!

Southern Style Mustard Greens

mustard greens (approximately 2 large bunches), washed thoroughly*

yellow onion, diced

garlic cloves, sliced

apple cider vinegar

chicken broth

Tablespoon Texas Pete hot sauce

Tablespoons brown sugar

teaspoons kosher salt

red pepper flakes

Remove the greens from the stems and tear into bite-sized pieces. 

Wash greens thoroughly in a large bowl or in your salad spinner.*

Add the bacon to a large pot and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes to render the fat. 

When the bacon is crispy, transfer it with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. 

Add the diced onion to the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook onions for 5 to 7 minutes until soft and translucent. Be sure to stir occasionally.

Add the sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute or until it becomes aromatic. 

Deglaze by adding the cider vinegar. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a heat-resistant rubber spatula to release all that flavor from cooking the bacon. 

Keep the heat at medium low and add half of your greens (or as much as you can fit in your pot) and chicken stock. Cook them down until you can add the rest of the greens to the pot. 

Add hot sauce, brown sugar, kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and toss everything together with a pair of tongs.

Cover the pot and cook the greens over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, tossing occasionally. The greens should be soft and tender, but not mushy. 

Transfer greens using a slotted spoon to a serving platter, top with your crispy bacon, and be transported right to the Great American South!

Absolutely delicious!  Love the sweetness!

I can give this 5☆ already because I love to cook, thoroughly enjoy all greens and the flavors of your ingredients already make me happy. I know how my apt will be scented soon. Buying ingredients today. 
Thank you for this recipe. First time at your site. Love it!

I love this recipe and have pinned it as my new favorite. I've made it twice now for our abundance of red mustard greens and it's been delicious each time. Really helps to take the bitterness out of the greens.

Just made the mustard Greens, so good  👍 😋, had to make more bacon 🥓  couldn't stop nibbling

This is my favorite mustard green recipe ever!  Absolutely delicious.  Served on top of corn bread with the addition of extra bacon to make a complete meal.

Made this tonight and wow are these amazing. So full of flavor and just the right amount of kick!

The sugar ruins this recipe in my opinion, but I have noticed that many of my southern kin tend to put sugar in stuff like beans.  It overpowers and ruins it for me.  If you leave out the sugar the recipe is fine though.  I tend to like my greens spicier and smokier.  Maybe substitute a ham hock for the sugar and add more pepper.

Thanks for sharing your recipe it taste just like my mama’s. She’s been gone for some time now and I forgot the seasonings that she told me to use, so thank you so much.❤️

My husband wanted greens for Christmas but I've never made them since they've never been something I liked. I used your recipe. He loved them! I even enjoyed a small bowl. Thanks!

Top 3 southern sides recipes from across the web

The most viewed southern sides recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Southern Butter Beans Recipe (Best ...

Best Southern Fried Okra

Southern Style Mustard Greens

Top 3 southern sides recipes from across the web

The most viewed southern sides recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Southern Butter Beans Recipe (Best ...

Best Southern Fried Okra

Southern Style Mustard Greens

The most viewed southern sides recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine