Beans, beans, they're good for your heart. But what about beans in a can? Some of them are
delicious, while others will just leave you gassy. These are the best and worst canned beans to buy.
First cultivated in Central and South America more than 7,000 years ago, black beans are now popular
all over the world. They're also affordable and filling, and perfect for use in countless dishes.
Since dried black beans require hours of soaking and cooking before you can use them, the canned
variety is definitely the way to go for chefs and home cooks alike. They're quick and convenient,
and they still pack the same great nutty, earthy, creamy flavor as if you'd prepared them yourself.
Black beans can be used in a million different ways, like salads, soups,
dips, and especially burritos and tacos. For the best-tasting black beans after you
pop open the can, be sure to rinse them under running water to remove excess salt and starch.
However you use them, black beans are a nutritional superstar,
as they're low in fat and high in protein and fiber. They also pack a
wonderful array of essential nutrients such as iron, magnesium, and folate.
Kidney beans are another canned pantry staple. Named for their distinctive shape,
they're also sometimes known as red beans in parts of the southern U.S. and Caribbean. Canned
kidney beans are a favorite of many chefs because of their incredible versatility and
their ability to add immense depth of flavor and texture. They can be used in innumerable ways,
as they typically take a leading role in chili, soups, stews, salads, and a variety of dips.
Beloved for their slightly sweet, almost umami-like flavor and creamy texture,
kidney beans can also absorb the flavors of the ingredients they're cooked with,
thereby making dishes heartier, more satisfying, and more flavorful. If you've got a few cans
of this wonder bean stashed away, why not mix them with some browned ground beef and
spices for a 15-minute chili or mash them up to be the basis for a homemade veggie burger.
Lima beans got their start in Peru, and they're even named after that country's
capital city. Although, they're also sometimes called Madagascar beans,
or butter beans thanks to their moist, butter-like texture.
But no matter what you call them, lima beans are incredibly versatile and can be used in everything
from soups and stews to salads and casseroles. They're the center point of a number of classic
dishes from around the world, including the traditional Native American dish succotash,
as well as cassoulet, which is a French bean and sausage stew.
If you need a quick and easy way to work some lima beans into your next meal,
just open a can, rinse them, and mash them with a fork. Add salt and pepper to taste,
and spread the mixture on toast for a hummus-like treat.
"Charlie Sheen, Ben Vereen, shrink to the size of a lima bean."
First grown in large quantities in the Middle East, chickpeas are a staple in a variety of
regions, including India, Turkey, Iran, and the Mediterranean. Because of this, the humble bean
goes by a number of alternate names, including garbanzo beans, Bengal gram, and Egyptian peas.
An excellent source of fiber and protein, chickpeas have a unique nutty and creamy flavor,
as well as a slightly grainy texture. That gives them heft and volume,
especially in the dishes they're most known for, like hummus, falafel, and curry.
Canned chickpeas are not only convenient, they also have an incredible shelf life,
making them one food you can stock up on without ever really having to worry about
your supply going bad. They also make a great roasted snack on their own. Just pop open a can,
rinse them, and pat them dry on a paper towel. Then toss with a bit of
olive oil and some favorite spices and bake until golden and crispy.
"These girls at school keep calling me chickpea."
"Oh, son, that's just another name for garbanzo. You are a chickpea."
A favorite in Italy, cannellini beans get their name from their physical similarity
to a classic kind of cinnamon-flavored hard candy. They're also known by some
other different monikers, including white kidney beans and Italian white beans.
Cannellini beans have a subtle earthiness and a smooth texture, with a slightly starchy, delicate
yet hearty taste that's not overpowering. For busy chefs and home cooks alike, canned cannellini
beans can make a great addition to the likes of minestrone soup and white bean dip. They can also
be used as a meat substitute in vegetarian chili or as a side dish in green salads or casseroles.
But nothing quite compares to just how great cannellini beans taste in a quick
homemade soup. To whip one up on your own, try combining a couple of cans of drained,
rinsed beans with a chopped onion, some garlic, a few cups of chicken broth,
and Italian herbs like thyme or parsley to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil,
and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, and then pour in a blender and puree until smooth.
Black-eyed peas have long been considered a staple of Southern cuisine. Originally
native to Africa where they've been cultivated for centuries,
they have a distinct flavor that's often described as slightly sweet and starchy
with a subtle hint of bitterness. The name comes from their physical appearance, which features
a distinctive black spot surrounded by otherwise beige skin. They also go by a variety of aliases,
including cowpeas, southern peas, field peas, marble beans, and Jerusalem beans.
Similar to a lot of other canned legumes,
busy cooks love black-eyed peas for their ability to work in a wide range of dishes,
including jambalaya, collard green stew, black-eyed pea fritters, and vegetarian
black-eyed pea burgers. Even meat-eaters can get in on the greatness in burger form: just work a
handful of mashed black-eyed peas into a ground beef mixture before forming it into patties.
With all this versatility, it just goes to show you that black-eyed peas are good
for way more than just ushering in luck and prosperity on New Year's Day. Happy eating!
"So?
Cool beans."
"Cool beans."
Now that we've stocked up on some reliable canned beans, let's clear out the ones to avoid,
starting off with a certain comfort food classic. Canned baked beans consist of a
mixture of navy beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans. They're generally combined with molasses,
brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and some form of tomato sauce, stirred together,
and then slow-cooked to perfection in the oven or atop the stove in a cast-iron skillet.
This dish is believed to have originated with the Native Americans, and it's now widely
beloved across the U.S. and around the world. In the U.K., baked beans are a breakfast staple,
while in Australia and New Zealand, they like to spread them on toast.
But while nobody can dispute the popularity of baked beans, this is one variety that's better
off coming from somewhere other than a can. For starters, the beans used in most brands
tend to be lower quality rejects. If they can't be sold on their own, manufacturers
mix them with other beans and cover them in a sauce so that their poor quality is harder to
detect. Canned baked beans are also usually a no-no because of their high amounts of sugar,
salt, and preservatives. Plus, they often lack the sweet, tangy, caramelized bite of beans that
have been slow-cooked for hours. Instead, they tend to taste a bit cloying, tinny, and bland.
Green beans are an anomaly in the canned bean family. They don't really offer any time savings,
since fresh green beans don't require an arduous drying, soaking, and cooking process. Instead,
they were invented out of necessity. Back when travel and food distribution were difficult,
canned green beans allowed plenty of consumers
to enjoy something they might not otherwise be able to buy.
But times have obviously changed since then. There's probably a good chance that your local
market always has fresh green beans readily available. And if you can't get the fresh stuff,
you can almost certainly find something in the freezer aisle. So with fresh and frozen
varieties ready to grab and go, why would you ever opt for the canned version? They're mushy,
they're bland, and they're packed with sodium. And they have almost none of the
same nutritional punch as their fresh counterpart.
If you do insist on buying them, save them for a once-a-year traditional green bean casserole at
Thanksgiving. Otherwise, opt for fresh -- your taste buds will thank you!
"Uh, uh, gracias."
Like green beans, canned bean sprouts are another weird relic of the past that just
won't seem to go away, no matter how out-of-date they are. Bean sprouts are literal sprouts of mung
beans and soybeans that have just begun to grow. They're a staple of Asian cuisine and have been
enjoyed in countries like China and Japan for thousands of years. They have a crisp,
nutty, slightly sweet flavor and can be eaten on their own or used in a wide
variety of dishes ranging from salads and stir-fries to soups and sandwiches.
Despite their popularity, there was a time not that long ago when bean sprouts were hard to come
by, especially if you didn't have easy access to a specialty Asian market. In these cases,
canned bean sprouts were useful. But as the availability of fresh food continues to increase,
they're no longer that valuable. And besides, they were never actually that good in the first place.
The sprouts packed into cans are often incredibly mushy and bland. They also tend to be high in
sodium and loaded with chemicals and preservatives that further diminish their nutritional punch.
For professional chefs and home cooks alike, this is another example where fresh is best.
"Eat fresh? Eat fresh?"
"Eat fresh." "That's my man!"
A big bowl of warm, smoky refried beans topped with melted cheese
and Tabasco is an incredible option to enjoy with some tacos and a big,
icy margarita. Even tucked into the filling of an enchilada or piled atop a mound of nachos,
refried beans are an incredible comfort food and one of the highlights of Mexican cuisine.
But compare that rich, flavorful plate of refried beans to the Play-Doh-like
brown blob that comes out of a can, it's easy to see why refried
beans are one variety of canned bean that's definitely not worth buying.
Sure, there are plenty of online tutorials about how you can refresh and revitalize what that
plops out of the can. But why bother, especially when refried beans are so easy to make on their
own? All you need to do is take a can of drained, rinsed pinto beans or kidney beans and heat them
with a bit of oil in a large skillet. Add some onion, garlic, chili powder, and cumin, plus a
bit of water if needed, and toast until warm. Then just mash your beans to the desired consistency.
If canned green beans are mushy, then canned peas are one step away from baby
food. They're a horrid mess that definitely doesn't deserve a place in your pantry,
let alone your diet. But when they're fresh from a harvest, garden peas or English peas
are one of the most delightful legumes you can get your hands on. They're bright, moist, sweet,
and incredibly flavorful. They're perfect to eat on their own or combined into any number of
homemade dishes. Chilled spring pea soup and peas and pasta are just a couple of stellar standouts.
But if you throw those same fresh peas into a can, all that magic instantly disappears. "Mushy"
doesn't even begin to accurately describe canned peas. They basically taste like metal, and they're
loaded with sodium. If you buy a sodium-free variety, then they basically taste like nothing.
Once again, this is a case where fresh is best. And going for the cold option may be even better,
as frozen peas save you the hassle of blanching and prepping. And they're still incredibly tasty,
as they stay bright and crisp even after a few minutes of steaming in the microwave.