Black Turtle (Black Beans)

The black turtle bean is a staple food throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, where it is often paired with fried plantains. Interchange black beans with pinto beans in any recipe. They are delicious as an addition to soups or simply refried (refritos negros).

Black-eyed beans

They have a scented aroma, creamy texture and distinctive flavor. This kidney-shaped pea has white skin with a small black eye and very fine wrinkles. Originally from Africa, it is one of the most widely dispersed beans in the world. Black-eyed beans are really a type of pea, which cook up quickly, with no pre-soaking needed.

Garbanzo beans

Aka chickpeas, these are the most widely consumed legume in the world. Originating in the Middle East, they have a firm texture with a flavor somewhere between chestnuts and walnuts. Garbanzo beans are usually pale yellow in color and are the beans used to make hummus.

Great Northern beans

They have a delicate flavor, thin skin, and are a flat, kidney-shaped, medium-sized white bean. They are popular for making the well-known French cassoulet (white bean casserole).

Lima beans

They are flat with a greenish-white color. These beans have a buttery flavor and creamy texture and can be found in two sizes – large and small. My mom used to make a big pot of limas with ham and serve it over rice and of course, a side of skillet corn bread.

Lentils

Green, brown, red, orange, yellow or black, lentils are an inexpensive source of protein throughout the world. Except for soybeans, lentils are richer in protein than any other legume. They are also high in calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and vitamin A. More than 50 varieties alone are grown in India, home of the popular dish dhal. Lentils cook faster than other beans and are a common soup base. No pre-soaking is needed.

Dark red kidney beans

This large and kidney-shaped bean has a deep glossy red color. They have a solid flavor and texture and are produced mainly in the northern United States. This is a good bean for chili.

Light red kidney beans

These are the kissing cousins to the dark red variety. This bean is pink instead of red, popular in Caribbean dishes and similar to the white canellini bean.

Navy beans

This small, white, oval bean has a refined texture and delicate flavor. These are the beans used for the famous Boston and English baked bean recipes because their skin and fine texture do not break up during cooking. Navy beans were named for their part in the U.S. Navy diet during the second half of the 19th century.

Pink beans and small red beans

These two popular beans are used in Caribbean dishes. Pink beans have a beautiful pink color with a delicate taste, while small red beans are dark red in color (like dark red kidney beans) with a smooth texture and taste. Both beans are normally eaten with rice.

Pinto beans

The most widely produced bean in the United States, it is one of the most popular in the Americas. It also contains the most fiber of all beans. They are a medium-sized, oval-shaped bean with a speckled reddish brown over a pale pink base. This bean is used in many Tex-Mex recipes.

Soy beans or edamame

The former is dried and yellow in color. The latter are fresh soybeans, green in color. These small beans are native to east Asia. They are an excellent source of protein and dietary fiber. Soybeans are most often transformed into other foods such as tempeh, tofu, miso, shoyu and soymilk. Edamame can be eaten as a snack or used in vegetable meals and soups.