Sure, cannellini and garbanzo are great, but let’s not give them all the love. There’s a whole world of beans out there, and we should explore it. Our test kitchen staff has some strong opinions about beans, and it didn't take much to get them to wax poetic about their favorite underrated legumes. Open your pantry up to a bean you've seen in the supermarket aisle but were too timid to try. It’s time to grow.
Gigante
Gigante beans love to take the center stage. They’re big, creamy, and meaty, and they take acid very well, especially when you cook them with tomatoes. I use them in salads with a nice vinaigrette. I also think they do really well mashed on some toast. Definitely toast. — Rick Martinez, senior food editor
Navy
These pale beans are smaller than your average bean, which means they have a higher skin to to interior ratio. They hold up really well when cooked, supplying a mild creamy flavor to soups, stews, and cold weather comforts, especially something like this escarole stew. — Claire Saffitz, senior food editor
Baby Lima
I actually didn’t set out to buy baby limas the first time, but they ended up in my cart nevertheless. Their perfect in-between size makes them cook pretty quickly, and they have a good bean-y flavor, perfect for a pot of brothy beans. Even better, their skin doesn’t split like a normal lima. You might also know them by their alias, butter beans. — Carla Lalli-Music, food director
Flageolet
These French beans are on the more delicate side of the bean spectrum, and I like to use them as a base for lamb, beef, or chicken. I’ll soak them with herbs, olive oil, garlic, and eventually get some acid in the mix, like we did in this walnut and bean salad. I also like that they look kind of like Tic Tacs, small and pale green. Not so minty though. — Andy Baraghani, senior food editor
