It’s time to spill the beans, or at least the basic facts, about varieties of the legume family that are eaten whole, pods as well as seeds. Here’s a rundown of edible-pod beans you’re most likely to come across in the produce section of your supermarket.
Chinese long beans: The slender, 1- to 2-foot-long pods are sometimes labeled yard-long beans or asparagus beans. When fresh, they should be pliable but not soft or spongy. Chinese long beans are a different genus of plant with a less assertive flavor than the other varieties listed, but they are treated much the same way in cooking.
Green beans: Blue Lake and Kentucky Wonder are two of the most popular varieties in this category. The different types vary somewhat in size, but all have slender pods ranging from 5 to 7 inches long. When properly cooked, they retain their crisp texture. Along with the following, they are often lumped under the heading of snap beans.
French green beans (haricots verts): These are smaller (3 to 4 inches), very thin, tender green beans. They are meaty, with only wispy seeds inside.
Italian green beans (not pictured): They may be labeled Romano beans. The pods are wider and flatter than standard green beans.
Purple beans: Though deep purple when raw, this variety turns green when cooked.
Yellow wax beans: Similar characteristics to green beans, but the pods are yellow and the flavor is more subtle. Sold in different sizes.
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Until the late 19th century, many bean varieties had tough strings along the sides that needed to be removed before cooking. The term string beans is sometimes still used, but almost all are now stringless.
Generally speaking, you should select slender, crisp beans that are free of blemishes. Older beans begin to bulge and turn leathery.
Figure a quarter pound of beans per serving. The quicker you cook them the better, but if placed in a plastic bag, they’ll hold well in the refrigerator three to four days.
To prepare the beans for cooking, snap or cut off and discard the ends, then rinse the beans with cold running water. Leave whole, cut into pieces or French cut.
Use a 3-quart saucepan for a pound of beans. Cook in about an inch of boiling water, covered, until just tender-crisp, four to 10 minutes, depending on size and maturity. Reduce the cooking time if the beans are cut.
Allow more time if steaming beans--10 to 15 minutes for whole beans, eight to 12 for cut beans.
FAQs
Beans are an excellent source of vegetable protein and minerals such as iron, magnesium and zinc. They are rich in folic acid, an element associated with the reduction of such birth defects as Spina Bifida, and they also protect against heart disease. Beans are also a good source of non-lactic calcium.
How many beans is enough? ›
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommends eating about 3 cups of legumes—like pinto, kidney, or black beans—per week. If you eat about ½ cup of beans every day, you'll meet the weekly Dietary Guidelines for beans.
How do you know when beans have soaked long enough? ›
If it splits cleanly down the middle, it has had enough soaking time. See if you can peel the skin of a bean. Sufficiently soaked beans will also have skin that can be easily peeled away. The skin will not fall off- that would mean that they have soaked too long.
How to know beans are done? ›
The beans are done cooking when they're all tender; you can test this as they by smooshing a bean or two against the side of the pot with a fork — it should collapse easily, but not be mushy.
What is the saying about beans? ›
Beans beget beans. I don't remember exactly when I first heard it, but if I had to pick one phrase to encapsulate my time with the Boston Children's Chorus, that would be it: beans beget beans.
What is a bean slang for? ›
Slang. a person's head. a coin or a bank note considered as a coin: I can't pay for the ticket, I don't have a bean in my jeans.
What is the healthiest bean to eat? ›
The 7 Healthiest Beans to Eat, According to Dietitians
- Lentils. Lentils are rich in polyphenols, plant-based compounds that have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. ...
- White Beans. ...
- Black Beans. ...
- Chickpeas. ...
- Pinto Beans. ...
- Red Kidney Beans. ...
- Lupini Beans.
Enjoying beans daily will strengthen your nutrient intake—allowing you to embrace better health and well-being! On top of that benefit from their higher protein content - making them the ideal supplement for those looking to build or maintain muscle mass.
Can I eat 2 cups of beans a day? ›
The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating 1-3 cups of beans, peas and lentils per week. That is equal to approximately ½ cup per day.
How long to boil beans? ›
Place soaked beans in a large pot; cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently until beans are tender but firm. Most beans will cook in 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the variety. Periodically, try a taste test or mash a bean against the side of the pot with a fork or spoon.
Soaking thoroughly cleans accumulated buildup on the surface of the bean, such as dirt, pesticide residue or contamination from rodents and insects. Soaking also allows beans to cool evenly. Like grains, soak at room temperature for 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Do you cover beans when cooking? ›
Drain and rinse well. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Is 48 hours too long to soak beans? ›
Cold water slows rehydration and the beans will take longer to cook. Cooking time will also be longer if beans are not soaked long enough – at least 8 hours. Beans soaked longer than 12 hours can absorb too much water and lose their characteristic texture and flavor.
Which is better, canned beans or dried beans? ›
Control: If you want less sodium, cook with dry beans.
You can drain and rinse canned beans to remove about 40 percent of the sodium. You can also buy lower sodium versions of many canned bean products. But if you want to more carefully control the sodium in the final dish, you're better off starting with dry beans.
What happens if you don't soak beans before cooking? ›
Modern cooking websites often say it doesn't matter. In a way, they're both right. Soaking beans can help improve the texture of the final product once the beans are cooked and reduce the gas produced when the food is being digested. But it isn't necessary to soak them.
What is special about beans? ›
Beans provide protein, fiber, folate, iron, potassium and magnesium while containing little or no total fat, trans fat, sodium and cholesterol [5, 6].
What is a fact about the bean? ›
The Bean is 33 feet high, 42 feet wide, and 66 feet long. It weighs about 110 tons — roughly the same as 15 adult elephants.
How would you describe beans? ›
bean, edible seed or seedpod of certain leguminous plants of the family Fabaceae. The genera Phaseolus and Vigna have several species each of well-known beans, though a number of economically important species can be found in various genera throughout the family.
What is unique about beans? ›
Beans are unique among plant foods due to their high protein content. For this reason, they're considered an important protein source for vegetarians. Beans come in many varieties. They're packed with protein and fiber while low in fat and calories.
