What are beans?
Beans are a type of legume, in fact they’re actually a category of legumes. The other categories of legumes include lentils and peanuts.
Legumes are defined as the seeds that grow inside a pod on the flowering plants of the Fabaceae family. Beans are often referred to as pulses and this term means the edible dried beans, while legume can refer to the entire plant.
Types of beans
There are hundreds of types of beans, with different varieties common in different parts of the world. In the UK, there are around 20 types of beans that are commonly available, although more may be available at speciality shops.
The most well-known beans are haricot beans and kidney beans, although butter beans have recently had a surge in popularity thanks to social media trends. Not only are beans trendy but they're extra brilliant as they count towards your 5-a-day - 80g of beans is 1 portion of your 5-a-day*.
Read on for a deep dive into the different kinds of beans and how to cook them.
Kidney beans
Kidney beans are red beans with a similar shape to kidneys, hence their name. They have a mild flavour that is slightly earthy and a soft texture that makes them really versatile, so there are lots of ways to use kidney beans. They can be mashed into bean burgers, stirred into chillies like our cauliflower and bean chilli or eaten as they are like in this buddha bowl recipe.
Kidney beans are high in protein and fibre and generally sold cooked and stored in water. As they are already cooked, all you need to do is drain and rinse before adding to different dishes.
Cannellini beans
Cannellini beans are white beans with a similar shape to kidney beans. They are mild with a slightly nutty flavour and a creamy, fluffy texture. They work well as a side dish like in this cannellini beans with rosemary and garlic, or as a main like in this sausage and cannellini bean casserole.
They are high in fibre and protein and are also a source of B vitamins, in particular folate.
Cannellini beans are sold dry or cooked in water and tinned. Tinned cannellini beans can be rinsed and drained before they’re ready to use. They can be added to salads and eaten chilled like in this roasted radish, orange and white bean salad or stirred into soups. You can even blend them into soups as they thicken really nicely, like in our cauliflower and white bean soup with crispy bacon.
If using dried cannellini beans, you’ll need to soak them first: soak 100g of beans in 500ml of cold water for at least 12 hours or overnight. You can soak your beans the day before you eat them. Drain the soaked beans, rinse, then submerge in cold water in a saucepan. Bring the pan to the boil and cook them on a rolling boil for 10 minutes. This step is important to kill bacteria.
Turn the heat down to low and simmer the beans for an hour and a half until they are tender and fluffy with a slight bite.
Pinto beans
Pinto beans are small, speckled beans often used Mexican dishes. They have a soft texture when cooked and a deep nutty flavour. They’re a great option for those who want to add more fibre to their diets as they are high in fibre. Try pinto beans cooked with tomatoes and spices to make wholemeal nachos. Or use them to make beef go further in this pulled barbecue beef with pinto beans.
Pinto beans can be bought dried or cooked in water and tinned. Since the tinned pinto beans are already cooked, they just need to be drained and rinsed before being added to stews or sauces. For dry pinto beans, rinse them thoroughly, then add to a pan of cold water and boil for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and let them simmer for an hour until soft but still with a little bite.
Borlotti beans
Somewhere between pink and brown in colour, borlotti beans are a variety of kidney bean. They are used frequently in Italian dishes and have a smooth creamy texture. They add substance to soups like our savoy, chorizo and borlotti bean soup, or can be used in stews like this Italian bean stew.
Borlotti beans are often cooked, then tinned in water. They can be drained, rinsed, then added directly to dishes, needing only a little heating through as they are already cooked.
Black eyed beans
Black eyed beans are also known as black eyed peas. These beans are creamy beige in colour, with a black spot from which they get their name. They have a creamy, earthy flavour and are widely used in African and American cooking. Try them in our aubergine, black eyed bean and spinach curry.
Black eyed beans are widely sold cooked and stored in water and dried. With tinned black eyed beans, drain and rinse the beans before adding them to curries, stews and other dishes. For dried black eyed beans, soak the beans in cold water overnight, before draining them, rinsing and putting in a saucepan of fresh water. Bring them to the boil and cook for 10 minutes, before reducing to a simmer and cooking for 45 minutes-1 hour until the beans are tender.
Black eyed beans are high in both protein and fibre.
Butter beans
Butter beans are large white beans with a super-creamy and soft texture. Also called lima beans, their texture makes them well suited to a variety of dishes like our creamy greens, pesto and butter bean stew. They also work well blitzed up into soups or in dips like our Greek-style spanakopita dip.
Butter beans are high in protein and fibre. They are usually sold cooked and in water, so they can be drained, rinsed and added straight into dishes.
Haricot beans
Known as navy beans in some parts of the world, haricot beans are creamy coloured beans with a small, oval shape. The plump beans have a smooth, almost buttery texture that makes them a great addition to soups like our white haricot bean and tomato soup. If you’ve ever wanted to make your own baked beans, why not try our smoked baked beans with jacket potatoes recipe using haricot beans. Or, for more inspiration, discover how to turn 4 tins of baked beans into 4 family meals.
You can usually find haricot beans in the tinned food aisle. They tend to be cooked, submerged in water and tinned, so they can be easily added to dishes once they’ve been drained and rinsed.
How to cook beans
Cooking beans is simple, although it takes a bit of time. Tinned beans are the easiest form of beans to cook; they can be added straight to dishes or eaten cold as they have already been cooked.
Most dried beans need to be soaked for at least 12 hours or overnight before cooking. After soaking and rinsing, it’s very important to boil beans over a rapid boil for at least 10 minutes as this kills any potentially dangerous bacteria. Once the beans have been boiled, you can reduce them to a simmer and continue to cook them, either in water or stock before adding them to soups, stews or other dishes.
*https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day/5-a-day-what-counts/