I’m bringing this post forward from the archives because it is still one of my favourite winter recipes. The house just smells so good (and garlicky) when these babies are baking in the oven. So. so good. And here’s some useless piece of info for you — the first time this post went live was January 2010! ….2010! That was six years ago. I have been at this way too long.

I’ve edited and added some pictures but the recipe remains the same. Roasted, crispy beans with roasted, creamy garlic… swoon…

I’m serious.

Few people in my family understand my love for lima beans. Frozen limas are the best invention ever. Lima’s are full of protein, fibre and a good source of folate, iron, manganese and magnesium.  And they are relatively low in fat and calories too – so I think they are definitely worth adding to your diet.

The best thing to do with them – IMO – is roast them. I think lima beans get a bad rap because they are usually served boiled or out of can. I’m telling you, get a bag of frozen limas and throw those babies in the oven. You will thank me.

I like them almost crunchy. And with lots of garlic.  Hot out of the oven the make the best toppers for fresh spinach or other dark green salads. Or serve them over mashed white or sweet potatoes, with rice or just as a side to a fish dish.  Leftovers make a great snack to pack for work or added to a salad as a source of protein.  You really can’t go wrong.

A word of caution here — you can roast these as long as you want to. I like mine on the crispy and crunchy side. Think roasted chickpeas like this…. Which makes them good for snacking or throwing on top of salads or rice bowls.  For a side dish, you might want them a little less cooked, with a little less crunch. I suggest you check on them after about 30 minutes to see if they need more time according to your liking.

Here is how you make them:

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Oven Roasted Lima Beans with Garlic

an easy and high protein side dish or snack

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time50 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 package 300 g of frozen lima beans
• 5 cloves of garlic skin left on
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a medium casserole dish or glass baking dish (this beat-up stoneware dish is just perfect) dump the package of frozen limas (it's okay if a little bit of water or ice crystals stick to the beans). And yes, go ahead and use them straight out of the freezer.
• Toss in the garlic cloves and drizzle everything with the olive oil. Toss it up good so that everything feels like it has been coated with a bit of the oil then spread out in an even layer. Pop the whole thing in the hot oven and bake 30-45 minutes or until the limas are done to your liking. I like mine crispy so I leave them for a full 45 minutes.
• To serve, fish out the garlic and slice open the cloves to get at the sweet and creamy goodness inside. Squeeze the soft garlic over the lima beans, give the dish a generous pinch of salt and pepper and toss it up.

Trish Cowper