Air fryer Butter Beans

Butter beans also known as lima bean are large, white and creamy beans when cooked. They are so delicious as Air Fryer Butter Beans with crispy skin and a softer inside. 

My family polished off an entire batch as evening snack. If you have some canned butter beans at hand, then it is really quick and easy peasy to make.

If you have dry beans, then you will need to soak and cook them which requires some prep but it’s totally worth it.

Go for a big batch and store the rest for later consumption. It is really yummy.

If you are a fan of roasted beans, nuts and lentils then try these air fryer chickpeas, air fryer moong dal, air fryer peas, air fryer cashews, air fryer peanuts, air fryer masala peanuts, air fryer honey almonds, roasted almonds in air fryer.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

1 Healthy Snack: Since we are air frying these beans, they are definitely way healthier than the deep fried travesty that we often snack upon.

2. Easy recipe: The recipe is so simple that even your son in college with an air fryer will get right.

3. Versatile: Have them as a snack or top your salads or serve them as a crispy side, it all works.

Ingredients

Butter Beans: I have used 2 cups cooked butter beans here. You can use canned as well.

Olive Oil: It helps the spices to adhere and gives a golden fried appearance.

Spices: I have used garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, pepper and salt as a the spice mix for this recipe. I used 2 tbsp. of the same.

Variations and Substitutions

1. This is a vegan recipe and it is delicious even with minimal seasoning. You can add cheese (if you eat dairy) towards the end of air frying time if you like it more luxurious.

2. Spicy: Add some chilli flakes or cayenne for a spicy kick.

3. Top with herbs: Dried herbs like dill or basil taste good on these.

Serving Suggestions

butter beans or lima beans in air fryer are fabulous as a snack. I normally just have them as is. But you can serve them with a dip of choice.

You can also use them just like seeds or nuts to top your salads or anyplace where you need a bit of crunch.

Instructions

First step is in prepping your beans. Get a can of butter beans. Drain the liquid and dry the beans well. They are now ready to be air fried.

If you are using dry beans, then you will need to soak these for 6 to 8 hours till they double in size. Soak about 8 oz. or around 100 gm. of dried beans. They will double in size.

Now, cook them till al dente or they have a bite. We do not want them mushy or creamy.

If you are using a stove top pressure cooker, you can cook them to one whistle and then release the pressure.

For stove top, just bring a pan of water to boil and add the soaked beans. Cook till they are  done but still have a bite to them.

Now add all the spices of your spice mix together.

Take the beans that have been dried using paper towels in a bowl. Add the spice mix along with the olive oil.

Toss or mix well till every butter bean is coated.

Preheat air fryer at 200C or 400F for 4 minutes.

Lay the spiced butter beans in one layer. Let there not be much overlap. They will shrink a bit in size as they cook.

Air fry at 200C or 400F for 15 minutes. I shook the basket twice to ensure an even cooking of the beans. 

The skin on the beans starts getting crispy and browned and splits in places. Some of the beans may explode too. Mine didn’t.

At the end of 15 minutes, your butter beans will be having a lovely crunch on the outside while staying a bit chewy on the inside.

They won’t be completely dehydrated. They don’t need to. They taste great just like this.

There you have it. Your air fryer lima beans are ready to serve. Take them out and enjoy your air fried butter beans as a fantastic snack.

Expert Tips

1. Make sure that the butter beans are dried before you apply seasonings and oil on it. If they are wet, the skin will not crisp up well.

2. Do not overcrowd the basket to ensure that the beans cook evenly.

3. Shake the basket during air frying for even cooking.

4. Adjust seasoning as per taste. You can also use spice mixes like Cajun spice mix, Old Bay seasoning etc.

5. Storage Instructions: These beans can be stored in an airtight container for upto two days. Air fry for a couple of minutes to crisp them up before serving.

Here's the recipe card:

📖 Recipe Card