Types of Beans

Black beans are small, oval-shaped beans that are native to South and Central America. They are a staple in many South American, Mexican, Spanish, and Caribbean dishes. Black beans are popular in burritos, enchiladas, and chilis, or served as a side with rice. The dense yet smooth texture and high protein content of black beans make them an excellent meat substitute, and they are commonly used as a substitution for traditional burgers.

Black Bean Flavor: Mild and earthy

Black Bean Texture: Dense and meaty

Black Bean Uses: Soups, stews, salads, salsa, dips, and vegan burgers

Pinto beans are medium, oval-shaped beans that are light brown in color with dark brown specks that disappear when cooked. Native to South and Central America, pinto beans are a staple in many Southwestern American and Latin American dishes and are the most commonly consumed bean in the United States. Pinto beans are popular in refried beans, chilis, burritos, or enchiladas, or served as a side with rice. Since they both pair well with the same types of herbs and spices, pinto beans and black beans can be swapped out for each other in a variety of recipes.

Pinto Bean Flavor: Nutty and earthy

Pinto Bean Texture: Soft and creamy

Pinto Bean Uses: Refried beans, soups, stews, salads, casseroles, and dips

Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are medium-sized, round, white beans that are a staple in many Indian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Spanish dishes. Providing an unlimited number of ways to be used in recipes, chickpeas are popularly used in hummus, a variety of vegetarian meals, and aquafaba, which is made from chickpea water and is used as an egg substitute in vegan and allergen-free recipes. Dried chickpeas are also commonly roasted with oil and seasonings for a healthy snack.

Chickpea Flavor: Nutty and earthy

Chickpea Texture: Firm and grainy

Chickpea Uses: Hummus, falafel, curries, salads, soups, stews, and vegan burgers

Great northern beans are medium-sized, oval-shaped white beans that are native to Central and South America. Popular in North American dishes, they are great at absorbing the flavors they are cooked with and hold their shape well. Great northern beans are a great choice for purees, soups, chilis, and baked beans. They are also popularly used to make a full English breakfast.

Great Northern Bean Flavor: Mild and nutty

Great Northern Bean Texture: Soft and creamy

Great Northern Bean Uses: Baked beans, soups, stews, dips, and casseroles

Cannellini beans, or white kidney beans, are large, kidney-shaped white beans. Though they are native to Argentina, cannellini beans are a staple in Italian and American dishes. Versatile in application, they are popular for adding to pasta dishes, stews, ragout, and salads. They are also commonly found in white bean soups and minestrone soup.

Cannellini Bean Flavor: Nutty and earthy

Cannellini Bean Texture: Tender and semi-firm

Cannellini Bean Uses: Pasta, casseroles, soups, stews, salads, and chilis

Native to Central America, kidney beans feature a vibrant red skin and white interior and a kidney-like shape, which is where the bean gets its name from. Red kidney beans are not to be confused with red beans, which are smaller in size and creamier in texture. They are popular in American, Italian, Creole, and Indian dishes and hold their shape during cooking, which makes them a common choice for use in chilis, soups, stews, and other simmered dishes.

Kidney Bean Flavor: Mild, slightly sweet flavor

Kidney Bean Texture: Firm and meaty

Kidney Bean Uses: Chilis, soups, stews, and dips

Lentils feature a distinctive, small, disc shape and come in brown, green, red, yellow, and specialty varieties. They are a staple in Indian and Middle Eastern dishes, including the popular mujadara and masoor dal tadka entrees, and are commonly used in stews, soups, and curries. They have a high protein content, which makes them great for use as a meat substitute in vegetarian meals. Plus, lentils can be milled into flour and used to make gluten-free pasta and bread.

Lentil Flavor: Mild and earthy

Lentil Texture: Tender and semi-firm

Lentil Uses: Soups, stews, curries, dal, and vegan burgers

Lima beans are named after the capital city of Peru, its native country of origin. They come in either a small or large size, and their color ranges from green to white based on their maturity. Lima beans are also commonly called butter beans for their buttery, rich flavor, and velvety texture. Popular in Southern American dishes, lima beans are the main ingredient in a classic succotash and are common to add to casseroles, soups, or simmered with pork to serve as a savory side dish.

Lima Bean Flavor: Nutty, sweet, and buttery

Lima Bean Texture: Smooth and creamy

Lima Bean Uses: Succastash, soups, stews, casseroles

Fava beans, or broad beans, are usually sold fresh in their green pods. The bean itself is large, flat, and green with a tough, clear skin that is typically removed before cooking. To do this, you should remove the seeds from their pods, blanch them, and then remove the skins before continuing to cook. Popular in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and South American cuisines, fava beans are perfect for adding to soups and stews, bean salads, and mashing or pureeing for spreads and dips.

Fava Bean Flavor: Bittersweet and nutty

Fava Bean Texture: Tender and creamy

Fava Bean Uses: Soups, stews, salads, dips, and spreads

Mung beans are small, round, and green and are a staple in Chinese, Indian, and Southeast Asian cooking. Their slightly sweet flavor and soft texture make them great for use as an ingredient in a variety of desserts like puddings, sweet soups, and cakes. Mung beans are a common alternative to chickpeas in recipes, making them a popular choice for adding to soups, stews, and curries, mashing to make fritters and falafels, or roasting with seasonings for a healthy snack.

Mung Bean Flavor: Slightly sweet and nutty

Mung Bean Texture: Soft

Mung Bean Uses: Soups, stews, curries, and desserts

Black-eyed peas, also called cowpeas, have a small, round, white body with a distinctive black spot called an "eye". Native to North Africa, they are a staple ingredient in North African, Southern American, and Indian dishes. Compared to green peas, which have a sweet taste and soft texture, blackeye peas have a richer flavor and denser, meatier texture that stands up well to long cook times and bold flavors. 

Black-Eyed Pea Flavor: Nutty and earthy

Black-Eyed Pea Texture: Dense and firm

Black-Eyed Pea Uses: Soups, stews, curries, salads, and side dishes

Cranberry beans, also known as borlotti beans, are medium, oval-shaped beans that are beige-pink in color with dark red specks that fade when cooked. Native to Colombia, cranberry beans are commonly used in Italian and Portuguese cuisines. They develop a creamy texture when cooked and their thin skin makes for a delicious bean broth, which makes them a popular addition to minestrone, pasta e fagioli, and Portuguese beans.

Cranberry Bean Flavor: Rich and nutty

Cranberry Bean Texture: Creamy and meaty

Cranberry Bean Uses: Soups, stews, ragouts, and casseroles

Navy beans, or white pea beans, are small, oval-shaped white beans that are native to the Americas. The navy bean name comes from its use as a staple food in the U.S. Navy in the mid-1800s due to being cost-effective yet nutritionally rich. Navy beans are great at absorbing the flavors they are cooked with, making them a popular choice for white bean dips, chilis, pasta, and burgers. They are used in a variety of popular American dishes like Boston baked beans, Kansas City-style BBQ baked beans, and Senate Bean Soup.

Navy Bean Flavor: Mild and nutty

Navy Bean Texture: Soft and creamy

Navy Bean Uses: Baked beans, soups, stews, salads, casseroles, and dips

Red beans are small, oval-shaped beans that are bright red in color. They are a staple in Caribbean, Latin American, Creole, and Cajun dishes, and are most notable for the classic Cajun red beans and rice dish. They are ideal for use in soups, stews, chilis, or as a side dish with smoked sausage or ham hock.

Red Bean Flavor: Earthy and nutty

Red Bean Texture: Smooth and creamy

Red Bean Uses: Soups, stews, chilis, and side dishes

Pink beans, which get their name from their pink color, are medium, oval-shaped beans. They are an essential ingredient in many Caribbean and Latin dishes including pink beans and rice and habichuelas guisadas. Pink beans are also a favorite for barbecue-style dishes, baked beans, chilis, and refried beans. Due to their similar texture, pink beans can be used interchangeably with pinto beans. 

Pink Bean Flavor: Rich and savory

Pink Bean Texture: Smooth and meaty

Pink Bean Uses: Stews, side dishes, chilis, and refried beans

Soybeans are tan, round beans that are native to China and are now heavily produced in the U.S. Soybeans are used to make a variety of plant-based meat substitutes, including tofu, tempeh, and yuba. They are also commonly used to make sauces, vegetable oils, and even non-consumable products like candles and biodiesel fuel. Edamame is green, immature soybeans that have a sweet taste and are commonly added to soups, stir-fries, rice dishes, and side dishes.

Soybean Flavor: Mild

Soybean Texture: Soft

Soybean Uses: Vegan dishes, soy sauce, miso, vegetable oil, soups, and stews

Fayot beans, or flageolet beans, are oblong-shaped beans that range from a creamy white to a pale green color. They are native to France and most popularly used in French cuisine. They are often stewed with lamb or used as a traditional ingredient in cassoulet, a hearty, slow-simmered French stew. Fayot beans are commonly used to make stews, soups, and salads, or can even be pureed for dips. Due to their mild, creamy texture, fayot beans can be used in almost any recipe that calls for white beans.

Fayot Bean Flavor: Mild and delicate

Fayot Bean Texture: Tender and creamy

Fayot Bean Uses: Soups, stews, salads, and side dishes

Adzuki beans are small and round with a bright red color. Popular in Chinese and Japanese cuisines, they are commonly used to make a sweet red bean paste called anko that is used to fill mochi, cakes, and other desserts or even flavor ice cream and shaved ice. Adzuki beans are also used in a variety of savory dishes like rice and beans, curries, soups, and hummus.

Adzuki Bean Flavor: Nutty and sweet

Adzuki Bean Texture: Soft and firm

Adzuki Bean Uses: Bean paste for desserts, hummus, soup, and side dishes