Beans come in a huge variety of shapes, colors, sizes, and flavors, and each type works better in certain dishes. From creamy cannellini and hearty kidney beans to chickpeas, mung beans, and black-eyed peas, these versatile legumes can be used in soups, stews, curries, salads, rice dishes, dips, and more.
Below are 15 popular types of beans, with their typical soaking times and simple information about their flavor, texture, appearance, and common uses.
1. Red Beans (Soak Time: 8–12 hours)
- Common names: Red beans, small red beans
- Type: Small to medium-sized legume
- Flavor: Mild, earthy, and slightly sweet
- Texture: Creamy and tender when cooked
- Appearance: Small, oval beans with deep red skin
- How they’re used: Soups, stews, rice dishes, chili, and bean salads
- Popular dishes: Red beans and rice, bean soups, chili, and stews
- Common pairings: Rice, onions, garlic, celery, tomatoes, chili, and herbs
2. Kidney Beans (Soak Time: 8–12 hours)
- Common names: Kidney beans, red kidney beans
- Type: Large legume
- Flavor: Mild, earthy, and slightly sweet
- Texture: Firm skin with a creamy interior
- Appearance: Large, kidney-shaped beans with red or dark red skin
- How they’re used: Chili, curries, stews, salads, and rice dishes
- Popular dishes: Chili con carne, rajma, bean salads, and rice bowls
- Common pairings: Tomatoes, onions, garlic, chili, cumin, rice, and spices
3. Pinto Beans (Soak Time: 8–12 hours)
- Common names: Pinto beans
- Type: Medium-sized legume
- Flavor: Earthy, nutty, and mild
- Texture: Creamy and soft when cooked
- Appearance: Beige beans covered with reddish-brown speckles that often fade after cooking
- How they’re used: Refried beans, chili, soups, stews, and Mexican dishes
- Popular dishes: Refried beans, chili, burritos, and bean bowls
- Common pairings: Rice, tortillas, tomatoes, onions, garlic, cumin, and chili
4. Adzuki Beans (Soak Time: 6–8 hours)
- Common names: Adzuki beans, azuki beans, red mung beans
- Type: Small legume
- Flavor: Mild, nutty, and slightly sweet
- Texture: Tender with a relatively firm skin
- Appearance: Small, oval beans with reddish-brown skin and a white seam
- How they’re used: Soups, stews, desserts, rice dishes, and sweet bean pastes
- Popular dishes: Adzuki bean paste, sweet red bean desserts, and rice dishes
- Common pairings: Rice, coconut, sugar, sesame, ginger, and spices
5. Black Beans (Soak Time: 8–12 hours)
- Common names: Black beans, black turtle beans
- Type: Small to medium-sized legume
- Flavor: Rich, earthy, and slightly sweet
- Texture: Creamy inside with a firm skin
- Appearance: Small oval beans with glossy black skin
- How they’re used: Rice dishes, soups, chili, tacos, salads, dips, and stews
- Popular dishes: Black bean soup, black beans and rice, tacos, and bean salads
- Common pairings: Rice, corn, tomatoes, lime, onions, garlic, cumin, and chili
6. Fava Beans (Soak Time: 8–12 hours)
- Common names: Fava beans, broad beans, field beans
- Type: Large flat legume
- Flavor: Nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet
- Texture: Creamy and meaty when cooked
- Appearance: Large, flat beans with pale green to light-brown skin
- How they’re used: Dips, salads, stews, soups, purees, and vegetable dishes
- Popular dishes: Ful medames, fava bean dips, salads, and stews
- Common pairings: Lemon, garlic, olive oil, parsley, cumin, tomatoes, and herbs
7. Lima Beans (Soak Time: 8–12 hours)
- Common names: Lima beans, butter beans
- Type: Large or small flat legume
- Flavor: Mild, buttery, and slightly sweet
- Texture: Soft, creamy, and buttery when cooked
- Appearance: Flat, oval beans that range from pale green to cream or white
- How they’re used: Soups, stews, casseroles, salads, and side dishes
- Popular dishes: Butter beans, bean soups, succotash, and casseroles
- Common pairings: Corn, tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, butter, and bacon
8. Mung Beans (Soak Time: 4–6 hours)
- Common names: Mung beans, green gram, moong beans
- Type: Small legume
- Flavor: Mild, fresh, nutty, and slightly sweet
- Texture: Tender and soft when cooked
- Appearance: Small round beans with green skin and a pale interior
- How they’re used: Curries, soups, dals, salads, sprouts, and rice dishes
- Popular dishes: Mung dal, mung bean curry, sprouted mung bean salads, and khichdi
- Common pairings: Rice, ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin, tomatoes, and leafy greens
9. Great Northern Beans (Soak Time: 8–12 hours)
- Common names: Great Northern beans, large white beans
- Type: Medium-sized white legume
- Flavor: Mild, delicate, and slightly nutty
- Texture: Creamy but able to hold its shape
- Appearance: Large oval white beans with smooth skin
- How they’re used: Soups, stews, casseroles, salads, and baked bean dishes
- Popular dishes: White bean soup, bean casseroles, and slow-cooked bean dishes
- Common pairings: Ham, garlic, onions, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, and leafy greens
10. Cannellini Beans (Soak Time: 8–12 hours)
- Common names: Cannellini beans, white kidney beans
- Type: Large white legume
- Flavor: Mild, nutty, and creamy
- Texture: Creamy interior with a tender skin
- Appearance: Large, slightly curved white beans
- How they’re used: Italian soups, salads, pasta, stews, and dips
- Popular dishes: Pasta e fagioli, Tuscan bean soup, white bean salad, and bean bruschetta
- Common pairings: Olive oil, tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, spinach, pasta, and herbs
11. Fayot Beans (Soak Time: 8–12 hours)
- Common names: Fayot beans, small white beans
- Type: Small white legume
- Flavor: Mild, delicate, and slightly nutty
- Texture: Tender and creamy when cooked
- Appearance: Small, pale cream or white beans
- How they’re used: Soups, stews, salads, casseroles, and slow-cooked dishes
- Popular dishes: Bean soups, white bean stews, salads, and baked bean dishes
- Common pairings: Tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, olive oil, and grains
12. Chickpeas (Soak Time: 8–12 hours)
- Common names: Chickpeas, garbanzo beans, garbanzo peas
- Type: Round legume
- Flavor: Nutty, earthy, and slightly buttery
- Texture: Firm and creamy when cooked
- Appearance: Round, beige legumes with a slightly wrinkled surface
- How they’re used: Curries, salads, soups, stews, dips, roasted snacks, and flour-based dishes
- Popular dishes: Hummus, chana masala, falafel, chickpea curry, and roasted chickpeas
- Common pairings: Tahini, lemon, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, olive oil, and herbs
13. Soybeans (Soak Time: 8–12 hours)
- Common names: Soybeans, soya beans
- Type: Oilseed and legume
- Flavor: Mild, nutty, and slightly grassy
- Texture: Firm when cooked, becoming softer with longer cooking
- Appearance: Small, round beans with cream, yellow, green, or black varieties
- How they’re used: Soups, stews, salads, plant-based foods, soy milk, tofu, and fermented foods
- Popular dishes: Soybean stews, tofu dishes, edamame preparations, and fermented soybean foods
- Common pairings: Soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame, rice, vegetables, and chili
14. Black-Eyed Peas (Soak Time: 4–6 hours)
- Common names: Black-eyed peas, cowpeas, field peas
- Type: Small legume
- Flavor: Mild, earthy, and slightly nutty
- Texture: Tender and creamy while holding its shape
- Appearance: Cream-colored peas with a distinctive dark spot
- How they’re used: Soups, stews, curries, salads, rice dishes, and side dishes
- Popular dishes: Hoppin’ John, black-eyed pea curry, bean salads, and Southern-style peas
- Common pairings: Rice, tomatoes, onions, garlic, greens, chili, herbs, and smoked meats
15. Navy Beans (Soak Time: 8–12 hours)
- Common names: Navy beans, haricot beans, pea beans
- Type: Small white legume
- Flavor: Mild, delicate, and slightly nutty
- Texture: Soft and creamy when cooked
- Appearance: Small, oval white beans
- How they’re used: Soups, stews, baked beans, casseroles, and bean salads
- Popular dishes: Navy bean soup, baked beans, white bean stew, and casseroles
- Common pairings: Tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, bacon, ham, and mustard
