A simple recipe for Corona Beans – giant butter beans (also known as lima beans or Gigante beans) seasoned with olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon zest. Serve as a vegan main dish or side dish or add to salads, soups and Buddha Bowls. Can be made in an Instant Pot!
Maybe I’m easy, but give me a bowl of creamy white beans for dinner, and I’m totally happy. These beautiful extra-large Royal Corona Beans are simply prepared and oh, so satisfying! They are naturally buttery and creamy, seasoned with olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon zest – a simple vegan meal full of flavor. The best part? The leftover beans can be tossed into mid-week salads, soups, or added to buddha bowls!
What are Corona Beans?
Royal Corona Beans are very similar to Gigante beans, Lima Beans, or Butter Beans. But boy, how they differ from their runner bean relatives! They are much bigger ( double the size), fatter, sturdier, and creamier! Can’t find Corona Beans? Substitute gigante beans, lima beans, white beans, or cannellini beans!
What you will need
- Dried Royal Corona Beans– or use Gigande beans, Lima Beans or Butter Beans. See recipe notes for canned beans.
- Bay leaves
- Celery sticks
- Onion and garlic cloves
- Fresh herbs: sage leaves or thyme sprigs
- Olive oil
- Lemon Zest
- Parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
How to Cook Corona Beans
- Soak the beans! Make sure to soak corona beans in water for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight. This will significantly shorten the cooking time and ensure even cooking through out the bean. This step is pretty important because the beans are so big.
Here are the Royal Corona Beans I used for this recipe and as you can see, they swell up into giants! About twice as big as a lima bean, they truly are impressive.
2. Simmer. Fill a large pot with water and add celery, onions, garlic and bay leaves. Season generously with salt. Tip: For one pound of beans, use 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the beans and simmer gently until tender. These extra-large, Royal Corona Beans took about 1 ½-2 hours. White beans and cannellini beans will take much less time.
You can also make these in an Instant Pot; see recipe notes.
3. Once tender, drain and reserve a little of the cooking liquid. Remove the aromatics.
4. Serve. Place in a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil, lemon zest, fresh herbs, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Add chili flakes if you like. Spoon a little of the warm cooking liquid over top, just enough to lightly coat.
Storage and Serving Suggestions
Cooked Corona beans will keep up to four days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They can also be frozen in the freezer for up to 3 months. Serve with crusty bread and a salad.
Optional Serving Additions
To add a burst of flavor – spoon a bright and herby sauce over top!
Or keep them mild and simple for midweek uses in salad, on toast, or in buddha bowls.
Expert Tip!
Adding salt to your soaking water and your cooking water will actually help soften tough skin (it helps break apart the calcium and magnesium ions in the outer skin), which makes the skin softer and more permeable, allowing water to penetrate more easily into the bean itself, and promotes even cooking.
I realize there are a lot of opposing views on this out there- and for years, I never salted until after cooking, but I’ve found I have better results (better texture and flavor) with salting Corona beans, especially salting the soaking water. Do whichever method you please. 🙂
Hope you like these Corona Beans as much as we have! Such a hearty, flavorful, and hearty vegan meal. Let us know in the comments below!
More FavoritE Bean recipes!
- Brothy Beans on Garlic Toast
- Fava Beans with Mint, Lemon & Ricotta Salata
- Italian Baked Beans and Greens
- Smoky Black-Eyed Peas and Collard Greens
- Mole Black Beans
Corona Beans with Lemon, Olive Oil and Garlic
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: vegan, main
- Method: stove-top
- Cuisine: Northwest
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A simple recipe for Corona Beans – giant butter beans (also known as lima beans or Gigante beans) seasoned with olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon zest. Serve as a vegan main dish or side dish or add to salads, soups and Buddha Bowls. Can be made in an Instant Pot!
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry Royal Corona Beans (or sub dried butter beans, gigante beans, lima beans, white beans or cannellini beans), soaked in water 6-24 hours with 2 tablespoons salt. ( See notes)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 celery sticks, cut into 3 inch pieces, or slice them small if you will to eat them.
- 1 onion, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- a few fresh sage leaves or thyme sprigs (optional)
After they are cooked
Instructions
- Soak beans in ample salted water for 6-24 hours. Drain. Place soaked beans in a large dutch oven (or Instant Pot-see notes) and cover with 3-4 inches of water. Add salt, celery, garlic, onion, bay leaves and herbs.
- Bring to a boil, lower heat and cover, simmering until tender, about 1 ½-2 hours.
- Drain, saving a cup of liquid, and remove aromatics. Place in a serving dish or back into the pot, adding back ½ cup-1 cup of the warm cooking liquid.
- Drizzle with olive oil, lemon zest, fresh Italian parsley and add salt and pepper to taste. Add Aleppo chili flakes if you like for heat.
- Optional: For an extra burst of flavor stir in a couple tablespoons of chermoula, gremolata or zhoug!
Notes
To make them in the instant pot, place the soaked beans and cover with 4 inches of water. Add salt, celery, garlic, onion, bay leaves and optional herbs. Add a tablespoon of olive oil ( to minimize foaming).
Pressure cook soaked Royal Corona Beans on High for 60 minutes. Naturally release. Continue with recipe. Pressure cook White Beans 25-30 minutes, Cannellini Beans 35-40 minutes.
*Adding salt your soaking water and your cooking water will actually help soften tough skins ( it helps break apart the calcium and magnesium ions in the outer skin) which makes the skin softer and more permeable, allowing water to penetrate more easily into the bean itself, and promotes even cooking. I realize there are a lot of opposing views on this out there- and for years, I never salted until after cooking, but I’ve found I have better results (better texture and flavor) with salting- and especially salting the soaking water. Do whichever method you please. 🙂
If using canned beans, drain, heat in a saucepan, season with salt, pepper, granulated garlic powder, and a generous splash of water or veggie broth. Once heated through, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with lemon zest and fresh parsley.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 329
- Sugar: 2.8 g
- Sodium: 403.7 mg
- Fat: 7.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 49.5 g
- Fiber: 12.2 g
- Protein: 18.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
I didn’t read through the recipe before assembling, and chopped all my vegetables. Will that change the character?
Not at all, just leave them in ad eat with the beans!
Hello Miss Sylvia! I am looking for a recipe for dried corona bean hummus. Any suggestions? I’ve used gigante beans before; maybe they’re about the same? Blessings to you!
Hi Terri, I love Cornona Beans! I don’t have a recipe but you could use our chickpea hummus as a “guide”.
I have never used Corona beans before…. But wauw what a recipe! While cooking the entire family came down one by one saying how good it smelled… cooking beans?!
Finishing them off with the parsley oil lemon zest just made them delicious! Tooped them off with gremolata (great way to preserve parsley) and wauw!!
Awesome Elzeline- I like this one too!
Hello, this sounds delicious! Planning on making them later this week. What would you serve along with the beans? Thank you!
I would serve crusty bread and a leafy green salad!
Made this tonight. Loved it and had it with the chermoula sauce which was also delicious! I’ve made a few of Sylvia’s recipes now and I love them all! Delicious!
I’ve made this, or variants of it, half a dozen times now. For those who want to cook the beans in an Insta Pot, after soaking overnight try 20 minutes on high pressure and then half an hour of natural pressure release. Comes out perfectly.
Thanks- great to hear!
I’m learning to like beans again. These corona beans are at the top of my list right now. I love the fresh lemon zest and fresh squeezed lemon but I also add olive tapenade which together makes these beans delicious.
That sounds delicious! Such a great idea Dianne!
I discovered corona beans a few weeks ago. Made this recipe which was wonderful, and then another of my own concoction that added cherry tomatoes roasted in olive oil with garlic, some torn fresh basil and fresh mozzarella. Mix all together in a bowl and add a little evoo with some good quality balsamic vinegar. Wow! really good. The Corona beans are the star, though.
Sounds perfect! Love it. Thanks Christopher!
Yummy
Glad you liked it!
Hi,
I’m soaking the beans right now to make this tonight for dinner. Can’t wait! The Rancho Gordo website says to cook soaked Corona beans for 10-12 minutes under high pressure. The difference between the 60-minute cook time in this recipe and 10-12 from RG is scaring me… any advice? Thanks!
That seems really really short. But they are the experts I guess?
I soaked the beans overnight and then simmered them uncovered for about 40 minutes. They came out wonderfully soft with just enough “bite”. I’ve cooked them in my pressure cooker several times when I’ve only pre-soaked them for an hour or two. Takes 40 minutes or more under high pressure and the beans are inconsistent in their texture. soak ’em overnight and slowly simmer them in just boiling water. Works great.
Appreciate the info! Helpful!
Rancho Gordo’s actual recommendation for stove -top, printed on the side of their bag, suggests cooking on high then lowering to a simmer for 1 – 1 1/2 – 2 hours + test to be sure. Their beans are usually very fresh and take less time to cook. But not that short even with soaking.
I put this recipe together using Caballero Beans from Rancho Gordo (I have not received my Royal Coronas yest) and it is still on the stove top. My first taste was fantastic! The pot liquor is like gold and the bean flavor comes bursting through. I also started this with a fat, smoked turkey wing in addition to the aromatics called for. This will become a standard for me! Can’t wait to try it with the Royal Corona Beans.
Sounds divine!
I gave it 5 stars because it’s delicious, but I want to let you know that 60 minutes under pressure in the Instant Pot was too long. I would try 40 next time. The beans are too soft – barely holding together with some just dissolved. I’ll still eat it because it’s delicious, but I’m glad I made a half batch.
Stupid auto correct!
Want to.
Thanks Meagan! Appreciate this!
Thanks for including us. I love this dish that you’ve made. It is the reason we do what we do.
Anytime, Steve, love your products. Coming down to Napa in a few days and plan to visit your store….cant wait!
Looking forward to making this recipe Sylvia. Was a bit surprised to see that you add salt when cooking the beans as many bean advocates don’t add salt until after cooking. They suggest that salt inhibits the beans during cooking. Whenever I have cooked beans with salt in the IP, they seem to take longer. If your friend is Jill Nussinow, she adds salt after. Wondering why you opted to add salt while cooking?
Hi Leslie, I have found that adding salt during both the soaking and cooking gives the beans more flavor, softens tough skins, while keeping beans in tact- and doesn’t affect or lengthen the cooking time. I actually think it shortens it- contrary to popular belief! I know many say and believe differently, and to each their own. I’ve done it both ways for years, and prefer adding salt. But feel free do as you please. 😉
Hi Leslie! I too was hesitant about adding salt while cooking, but then read this great article…And sometimes i don’t even soak my beans (!) but generally only if i know they are fairly fresh, like those from Rancho Gordo. There is a lot info online about ‘how to cook dried beans’, and i think the more recent articles from trusted sources that are testing in a kitchen are the most reliable. Anyways, thought i’d share the link, i found it interesting 🙂 -Jill
https://www.seriouseats.com/2018/03/how-to-cook-dried-beans.html
I’m cooking some gorgeous Rancho Gordo Royal Corona Beans right now, and this recipe looks delicious! Thank you for the explanation about cooking them with salt. I’m not yet experienced enough to have formed my own opinion, but look forward to experimenting both ways…probably in small batches, because I’d hate to waste any of those exceptional Rancho Gordo beans, of which I recently purchased a large variety!
I wanted to send this recipe to both my sister and to my own ‘inbox’ but there was no email share offering!
Please change that format so more of your wonderful dishes can be served and shared!!!
Thank you.
Jo Sanders
Hi Jo- I had an app that was not working, now it is! thanks for letting me know.