Cooking instructions of beans:
Type of bean
Soak
Simmer
Characteristics
Common uses
Adzuki beans
no
¾ to 1 hour
Slightly sweet tasting.
Lower in fat and easier to
digest than most beans.
Anasazi beans
yes
1.5 hours
Black
beans/Turtle
beans
yes
1.5 hours
Beans are sweet, fastcooking, and reputed to
cause less flatulence
than other bean
varieties.
Earthy, meaty flavor and
a mealy texture.
Soups, sweet bean
paste, and
Japanese and
Chinese dishes
A great substitute
for pinto beans.
Pairs well with hot
chiles, cilantro and
lime. Try in chili.
Black-eyed peas
no
1 hour
Small, creamy-flavoured
beans with a black 'scar'
where they were joined
to the pod.
Borlotti beans
yes
1 to 1.5 hours
Cannellini beans
yes
1.5 hours
Borlotti beans are widely
used in Italian cooking
and have a sweetish
flavour with a smooth
creamy texture.
When cooked, they have
a fluffy texture and a
slightly nutty, mild
flavour.
Chickpeas
yes
1.5 to 2 hours
Seeds have a firm
texture and nutty flavor.
Fava beans or
Broad beans
yes
1 to 1.5 hours
Fava beans taste like a
nut that doesn’t stick in
your teeth, a little sweet,
a little buttery, and a wee
bit ‘green.’
Harvest Cooperative Ltd, 1143 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow, G41 3YH
Used in soups,
stews, salads, and
bean dips; served
with pork, rice, and
greens.
Salads, casseroles,
fritters and
Southern dishes.
Their earthiness
complements salty
meats, like bacon
and ham.
They work well in
salads and
casseroles.
Feature in
minestrone soup
and other Italian
dishes.
Casseroles,
hummus,
minestrone soup,
and Spanish and
Indian dishes.
Use them to make
daal, falafel or
hummus - or add a
handful or more to
soups, stews or
curries. The beans
get softer and softer
the longer they're
cooked.
tel. 0141 632 7419
Flageolets
yes
1.5 hours
Haricot beans or
Navy beans
yes
1.5 hours
Great Northern
beans
yes
1 hour
Lentils
no
25 – 30 mins
Lima beans or
Butter beans
yes
1 hour
Mung beans
no
1.25 hours
Pinto beans
yes
2 hours
They are actually small,
young haricot beans that
have been harvested and
dried before they are fully
ripe. The texture is firm
and creamy when shelled
and cooked.
Haricot beans are small,
oval, plump and creamywhite with a mild flavour
and smooth, buttery
texture.
These large white beans
hold their shape well,
making them a favorite
for long-cooked recipes.
They have a mild nutty
flavor and creamy flesh.
A lentil is not specifically
a bean but is often
categorised with beans.
Lentils come in a variety
of colours and sizes.
Have a buttery flavor and
a starchy interior that can
turn mushy, so they’re
best in quick sautés.
When eaten sprouted,
fresh and raw, they are
clean and crisp tasting;
when cooked, they taste
hearty and wholesome.
Mung Beans take on the
flavor of what you choose
to cook them with,
whether sweet or savory.
When cooked, their
colored splotches
disappear, and they
become a beautiful pink
color.
Harvest Cooperative Ltd, 1143 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow, G41 3YH
Use them in
tomato-based and
meat stews, in
mixed bean salads
or tossed in butter
to accompany roast
lamb or veal.
With little flavour of
their own, they
absorb other
aromas and
flavours easily,
which makes them
popular beans to
use in bean salads,
vegetable soups,
slow-cooked dishes
such as cassoulet
or bean purées.
Used dried in
soups, stews,
baked bean dishes,
and salads.
Soups, stews,
salads, side dishes
and Indian dishes
Mix well with
vegetables for
casseroles, soups,
and even cold in
salads.
Used mostly for
sprouting (edible
bean sprouts) or for
grinding to bean
meal. Favoured in
Indian, Chinese,
and Asian cookery.
Used in
southwestern and
Mexican soups,
stews, and chilis.
Creamy texture
when cooked;
delicious puréed.
tel. 0141 632 7419
Red kidney
beans
yes
Soybeans
no
1 to 1.5 hours
and
boiled
vigorously for
10-15 mins
3 to 4 hours
Meaty flavor and mealy
texture. Retains shape
and texture cooked.
Use in salads and
in simmered dishes
such as soups,
stews, and chili.
An excellent source of
protein, with a firm, nutty
flesh that stands up well
to reheating.
Delicious added to
stir-fries and soups.
Also can be
sprouted and used
in salads or as a
cooked vegetable.
Harvest Cooperative Ltd, 1143 Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow, G41 3YH
tel. 0141 632 7419