All About Beans

bowl of bean salad
Beans are tasty and nutritious and can be used in so many different ways! Enjoy them baked, refried, wrapped in tasty burritos or mixed into salads with colourful fresh vegetables. If you want to start eating more beans but are not sure how, here’s everything you need to get you started.

Beans are a nutritious choice

Beans are a great part of a healthy eating plan for people looking to lose weight, reduce cholesterol and manage diabetes. They are also an important part of any vegetarian eating plan.
Beans are rich in fibre and protein and low in fat, and they have vitamins and minerals such as folate, potassium and iron.
Health Canada recommends eating meat alternatives, like beans, more often. One Food Guide serving is ¾ cup (175 mL) of cooked or canned beans. That’s about the size of a tennis ball.
Dried beans have no sodium but canned beans do. To reduce the sodium of canned beans drain the liquid and rinse well.

Try a new type of bean

There are so many varieties of beans available both dried or canned. Have you tried all of these?

Chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans)
Black beans
Navy beans
White kidney beans (also called cannellini beans)
Adzuki beans (also called red bean and used in Chinese cuisine as red bean paste)
Pinto beans
Baked beans
Dark red kidney beans
Light red kidney beans
Romano beans (also called cranberry beans)
Soybeans
Fava beans (also called broad beans)
Lima beans

Experiment! Try different beans in your favourite recipes to see which varieties you like best.

Buying local beans

Canada is one of the world’s top exporters of beans. Ontario produces 15 different varieties of dry beans including coloured beans and white navy beans. Look for Product of Canada on packaging to find out if beans are locally produced.

Buy it best

A variety of canned and dried beans can be found in your local supermarket or ethnic grocery store. Here are some more tips for buying beans:

Canned beans are already cooked. They cost a little more than dried beans, but are still a great buy because they are fast and convenient. Just remember to rise them first to wash away some of the sodium.
No-name canned beans are just as tasty and nutritious as name brand canned beans. Use the unit price to see which is the better buy.
Check the Nutrition Facts table on the package. Look for brands with 360 mg of sodium or less per serving or less than 15% DV (Daily Value) for sodium.
Dried beans are inexpensive but they do need to be cooked before using. Choose beans that are smooth and shiny. Beans that are broken, cracked or shriveled are old and may not cook properly. Dried beans can be bought at your local grocery store and bulk food stores.
Bean flours, like chickpea flour, are good for gluten-free baking.

Tips for storing beans

Dried beans

Store dried beans in an airtight container for up to one year.
Cover and refrigerate within two hours of cooking.
Dried beans that have been cooked can be kept covered in the fridge for 5-7 days or frozen for up to 6 months. Label with a date and store beans in an air tight container made for freezing food or wrapped tightly in heavy foil.

Canned beans

Unopened canned beans last for up to a year in the cupboard. Look at the best before date on the can.
After rinsing canned beans, store in a glass or plastic air tight container in the fridge, not in the opened can. They will keep for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze opened canned beans for 1-2 months. Label with a date and store beans in an air tight container made for freezing food or wrapped tightly in heavy foil.

Tips for cooking beans

Canned beans

Canned beans are cooked and ready to eat or add to your favourite dish. Always drain and rinse well to lower the sodium and make you less gassy.

Dried beans

Here’s how to cook dried beans. Save time by making a large batch and freezing smaller portions for when you need them.

Spread beans on a cookie sheet. Remove any small stones and beans that are cracked or discoloured. Place the rest of the beans in a bowl and rinse well.
Soak beans in a large pot. Add four times more water than beans. You can leave the pot on the counter for 6-10 hours (overnight), or boil for two minutes, remove from heat and let stand for one hour.
Drain and rinse well.
Return beans to the pot with fresh water. Bring beans to a boil and remove any foam.
Reduce the heat and add seasonings (cumin, coriander, chili, onion, garlic, ginger) and simmer, partly covered, until they taste tender (1-2 hours). (Tomato products, lemon, sugar and vinegar all slow down cooking, so add these ingredients during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.)

Good to know

2 cups (500 mL) of dried beans make 4-6 cups (1L-1.5L) of cooked beans (depending on the type).

5 things to do with beans

1. Easy mashed pinto beans

Most kids love these sweet beans. Use them as a spread for burritos or sandwiches, serve them with baked tortilla wedges, or offer them as a side dish.

Dice a small onion. Sauté in a frying pan or skillet with 1 tsp (5 mL) oil for 6-7 minutes.
Add 1-2 finely chopped garlic cloves and sauté for 1 minute.
Add 1 cup (250 mL) of beans at a time along with 2 tbsp (30 mL) water. Mash beans with the back of a fork. Makes 1 cup (250 mL).
Add chopped cilantro before serving.

2. Bean burgers

Try these instead of meat burgers. You can experiment with different recipes, but here’s the basic idea:

Rinse and drain one 19-ounce (540 mL) can of black beans. Mash them in a bowel. Mix in 3/4 cup (175 mL) cooked brown rice, 3 tbsp (45 mL) bread crumbs and one egg (beaten).
Season with any of these flavourings: diced onion, garlic, salsa, cumin, lemon, parsley, chili powder, hot sauce or cilantro.
Form into 6 one-inch burgers. Bake in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 5 minutes on each side, or until firm.

3. Soups, sandwiches and salads

Add beans to homemade soups or low-sodium canned soups.
Try a falafel (chickpea) patty in a pita, or beans in quesadillas.
Beans go nicely in salads with raw vegetables, couscous, quinoa, pasta or rice. Try canned mixed beans (well rinsed) with chopped veggies and salad dressing.

4. Spreads, sauces and side dishes

Make bean dip and use it as a spread in wraps or sandwiches. Try black beans mixed with chopped tomato, avocado, onion, frozen corn, coriander, chili powder and olive oil. Make it smooth in a blender or keep it chunky.
Add beans (whole, mashed or puréed) into sauces. Try cannellini or kidney beans in tomato sauce over pasta.
Mix kidney beans into brown rice for an easy side dish.