These two legumes look awfully similar – let’s figure out the difference between lima beans and edamame.

Lima beans:

• Are the most common shell bean in the US.
• Are a creamy, sometimes faded green color.
• Cannot be eaten raw.
• Are also called “butter beans.”
• Hail from Peru.

Edamame: 

• Are also shell beans – they’re immature green soybeans.
• Are a bright, deep green in color.
• Can be sold fresh and still in the pods, or hulled.
• Are harder than lima beans.
• Hail from China.

Nutrition-wise:

• Lima beans have fewer calories, are fat free, and have more vitamin A, C, and iron.
• Edamame have twice the protein and nearly half the carbs.
• Edamame have all nine essential amino acids.

And finally, according to The Food Substitutions Bible, yes, lima beans and edamame can be swapped out for one another in recipes.