Tag: Cooking with beans

Originating in the American Southwest and known for their resilience, rattlesnake beans are a highly versatile heirloom variety with multiple culinary applications. This guide explores exactly what are rattlesnake beans good for, from their use as tender, fresh snap beans to rich, dried additions for soups.

The legume family, known as Fabaceae, is the third largest family of flowering plants, encompassing over 20,000 species. Within this vast family lies a common source of dietary confusion: the distinction between a legume and a bean.

Great Northern beans and lima beans are both popular legumes, but they belong to different botanical species, a fact that dictates their unique characteristics. While a casual eye might confuse these white-hued beans, their differences in texture, flavor profile, and ideal culinary applications are distinct.

More than 70% of households in the United States consume dry beans regularly. Knowing which beans go well together is key to creating rich, complex, and nutritious meals, from hearty chilis to vibrant salads.

Kidney beans, a type of common bean, are a pantry staple prized for their hearty texture and rich flavor. However, when you need a substitute or are simply curious, you might wonder: what is the closest bean to a kidney bean? The answer depends on which characteristic—size, texture, or flavor—you want to prioritize in your dish.

Research shows beans have been a staple in the Greek diet for centuries. Gigantes, meaning "giants," are large, meaty white beans, a variety of white runner bean native to Greece that are prized for their creamy, buttery texture.

According to the Plant-Based Foods Association, the plant-based food market is rapidly expanding, with beans and other legumes leading the charge as cost-effective and nutritious protein sources. This guide explains which beans replace meat and how to use them to create delicious, satisfying meals.

Botanically speaking, northern beans are indeed a legume, classified under the species *Phaseolus vulgaris*, alongside many other common beans. This places them squarely within the Fabaceae plant family, making them a nutritious and versatile food staple with a rich history.

According to the USDA, both red beans and kidney beans are excellent sources of plant-based protein and fiber, but they possess subtle nutritional differences. This comparison breaks down which is more nutritious, red beans or kidney beans, based on their specific vitamin, mineral, and macronutrient content.

Both black beans and pinto beans have been staples in Latin American cuisine for centuries, prized for their versatility and nutritional value. But beyond their shared heritage, **what is the difference between black beans and pinto beans**, and how do these distinctions impact their culinary uses and nutritional profiles?