Legumes are pods with edible seeds. While beans are legumes, not all legumes are beans. Here are the most common and popular types of dried legumes and how to cook them! Check out this legumes list and try a new one this week.

Legumes List and How to Cook Them

Adzuki Beans

Black Beans

Black Eyed Peas

Cannellini Beans

Chickpeas

Cranberry beans

Fava beans

Gigantes

Pinto Beans

Kidney Beans

Green Lentils

Red Lentils

Split Peas

Mung Beans

Rinse dried legumes well and pick over and...

Rinse dried legumes well and pick over and discard any debris or shriveled pieces.

Dried beans are best to cook after soaking...

Dried beans are best to cook after soaking overnight in a bowl of water on the counter, but lentils and split peas do not need to soak at all. You can pressure cook dried beans without soaking, but there is a greater chance they will break.

If soaking, drain the water, rinse, and transfer...

If soaking, drain the water, rinse, and transfer the soaked legumes to a large saucepan. Cover with at least two inches of water and add a pinch of salt.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and...

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer partially covered with a lid until tender. Stir every so often and add more water if needed.

Use immediately or cool and store for later.

Brown Sugar Baked Beans

bacon,

onion,

Great Northern, navy, cannellini or white beans

ketchup

dark brown sugar

Dijon mustard

apple cider vinegar

Worcestershire

salt and black pepper

Put the bacon in a large, cold skillet and cook over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is almost crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1 of the cans of beans with their liquid. Drain and rinse the remaining beans, then add them to the skillet. Add the ketchup, sugar, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a low simmer, then transfer to a small baking dish. Bake uncovered until thickened and bubbly, about 50 minutes. Serve warm.

I'm not normally a baked bean person. This recipe with its easy directions and delicious ingredients made me a convert. Always appears on our table with smoked ribs! Thanks Valerie. 

They were pretty good. Felt like something (not sure what) was missing to take it to the next level.

I made this for my family and it was a real hit!  They are even better the next day!  I’m not buying the canned stuff again. 

I made this recipe with what I had in the kitchen. I used black beans, filtered bacon fat and honey mustard along with the other ingredients and it tasted great. I will make it again.

We won’t make this recipe again. They were OK but we were disappointed. My daughter loves baked beans so we had high hopes. We used Great Northern Beans - I think they might have been better with pork and beans.

Delicious! I was out of apple cider vinegar, so I used pomegranate vinegar. It smelled fruity like apple cider, so I figured it was a reasonable substitute. It was delicious. My hubby loved it and so did I. It was so easy. I will definitely make again. 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/brown-sugar-baked-beans-0261850

Valerie makes baked beans with a kick to go with her barbecue menu.

Escarole, Beans, Sausage and Peppers Cheat Sheet

olive oil

sausage,

garlic,

yellow onion,

red pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips

sea salt,

black pepper

chicken stock

smoked paprika

escarole,

lemon,

cooked ditalini pasta, wild rice or white rice

Parmesan,

Jeff Mauro makes Escarole, Sausage, Peppers and Beans Cheat Sheet, as seen on The Kitchen, season 25.

Preheat the oven or grill to 425 degrees F.

Put the oil in a sheet tray, then tear off big clumps of the sausage and arrange in the oil in a single layer. Arrange the garlic, onion and red peppers around the sausage. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until the sausage is browned on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the beans, chicken stock, smoked paprika, escarole, juice from 1/2 lemon and salt. Gently toss together and place back in the oven for another 5 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Remove from the oven and stir again. The escarole should be half the size now and easier to mix in with the rest of the ingredients. Serve over the ditalini or rice. Garnish with some juice from the remaining lemon half and grated Parmesan. This would also be wonderful in a fresh hoagie roll.

This was delicious. Definitely making at least once a month. The different textures were amazing and it was so flavorful. Thanks Jeff!!!

I used a smoked mozzarella and broccoli rabe turkey sausage and it was AMAZING!!! 

Very flavorful. I used 16oz of uncased sausage only because that is what came in the package. Served it over ditalini pasta. Maybe could have used just a little more sauce/liquid but still yummy!

Super delicious! I used kale instead of escarole, as our store didn’t have escarolea- and it turned out great. Highly recommend! 

We really enjoyed this.  We made it on a bit of a lark, but it turned out to be even better than we'd hoped.

I am making tonight for the two of us. S for us to eat I’ll make the pasta next week should use 1/2 the escarole  and Cooke second batch with cooking the escarole then or cook it all at once and eat it and have less work. I cook big meals every night. I am making watermelon salad for lunch.  I’m 81 and my husband is 94. 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/escarole-beans-and-sausage-9413309

Jeff Mauro uses just one sheet pan to create a medley of flavors.

Escarole, Beans and Sausage

Mary's Baked Beans

bacon

pork and beans

molasses

brown sugar

dry mustard

Add the bacon to a large skillet and fry over medium heat until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and remove all but 4 tablespoons bacon fat from the skillet.

Add the beans, ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard and onions to an 8-by-8-inch casserole dish. Add in the bacon fat from the skillet. Lay the reserved bacon strips on top of the bean mixture. Bake until heated through, 30 to 45 minutes.

Every time I make this recipe the family raves about it. 

THE best baked beans I have ever eaten! And I thought I made a pretty good baked bean, but this is the best. ;) Will be making a double batch to take to family picnic on the Fourth of July. 

These beans were divine! Taking one star off because it was a tad too sweet according to my boyfriend. He said he would eat them again though. 

Love this recipe!! Reminds me of my Mom's beans!! Don't get them anymore since she passed. Thank you so much! Delicious!!

This is such an easy recipe. I’ve taken to several pot luck gatherings never go home with leftovers. My husband smoked a batch of this recipe turned out fabulous. Highly recommend this dish!!

This is very much my mother’s recipe as well!  I love this recipe. When I make it, I put my bacon in uncooked and I cook for an hour and a half at 350 degrees. Oh and as a side note, my mom’s name was Mary, as well. ♥️

Maybe cut the mustard to one tablespoon and add a bit of liquid smoke.

So is it 3 cans of beans or a total of 6? Help

Refried Beans and Rice Bowl

yellow onion, diced

chili powder

green chiles

pinto beans, drained

limes

Kosher salt

white rice

(4 ounces) grated white Cheddar or Cotija

scallions,

jalapeno, sliced

cilantro,

Food Beauty of Molly Yeh's Refried Beans and Rice Bowl ,as seen on Food Network. Season 6.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat, rendering the fat until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Set aside.

Increase the heat to medium and add the onions to the remaining bacon fat. Stir, then cook until soft, translucent and lightly brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chili powder and cook for another minute. Stir in the green chiles and beans. Stir and continue cooking to heat through, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and mash with a fork, potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Or, for a smooth consistency, puree in a food processor (add 2 to 4 tablespoons water to the puree if it seems dry). Stir in the juice of 1 lime and season with salt. 

To serve, fill one side of a serving bowl with refried beans. Fill the other side with cooked rice. Garnish with the bacon, cheese and scallions. Scatter the jalapeno slices and cilantro on top. Cut the remaining lime into wedges and tuck a wedge into the side of the bowl. Repeat to make 3 to 5 more bowls.

Perfect Pinto Beans

pinto beans

cumin

paprika

cayenne

garlic

bay leaves

red bell pepper, diced

Put the beans in a large bowl, cover with cold water and let soak overnight.

Drain and rinse the beans, then put them in a large pot. Cover the beans with water and add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, bacon, garlic, bay leaves, onion, bell pepper and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook until the beans are tender, 2 to 3 1/2 hours.

These beans are so good! Because of Covid my partner and I lost our jobs and money was really tight for a few months. His work union gave out weekly groceries with a whole frozen chicken, 5 pounds of beans and rice and some produce which was a huge help for us! I love to cook and refuse to eat anything bland and boring so when I found this recipe for beans I was very excited! We had most of this on hand except for the bacon and that’s relatively cheap to buy to make this pot of beans that lasts us a very long time :) My boyfriend LOVES these tasty beans!

I have a question, why is it necessary to cook the beans for 2 to 3 hours after soaking them overnight?  I've been cooking beans for over 25 years and never have needed to cook them longer than 2 hours, and I don't soak them. o overnight 

Really good beans. I use chicken stock in place of water.

This is my go to recipe for beans I add jalapeños to mine as well.

It was amazing !!!! it is spicy so if you don't like spicy you may want to lay off of the chili powder.  

I love to make these in the winter time. We eat them with cornbread &amp; sometimes meatloaf. I like many of you add jalapeno, can whole peeled tomatoes (broken up), broth  &amp; a can beer.  As far as spice I wing it but basically use same as what recipe calls for. In fact I have a some cooking in crock pot right now.

I've made this recipe 3 times now, and it is just delicious! I make spicy cornbread with it. Cornbread recipe on the Martha White self-rising meal bag, chopped jalapeños, sautéed (roasted) corn, chopped red pepper, shredded cheddar.

I have what's left simmering on the stove right now and it makes the entire house smell wonderful. Great, cheap and easy meal with plenty of flavor! The whole house loves it. 

COVID-19 Pinto beans!! Love these babies. I wasn’t sure how they’d taste, especially with three bacon slabs cut into thirds (the only meat at the market these days)— but wow— yumm. Add a few tbs of salt and you’ll be golden.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/rees-perfect-pinto-beans-0258488

After soaking them overnight, Ree cooks pinto beans with a blend of spices.

Ree's Perfect Pinto Beans

Brothy Beans with Garlic Toast ~ yes beans and toast can be dinner, and a darned delicious one, at that, this is a healthy Mediterranean inspired meal!

Brothy Beans with Garlic Toast

beans

ginger

chili pepper

shallot, sliced in half lengthwise

thyme sprigs, tied

rosemary

saffron

Parmesan cheese rind

fresh chopped rosemary and thyme leaves

sea salt

garlic cloves,

First soak or quick soak your dried beans ~ to quick soak, rinse your beans and add them to a pot.  Add cold water to cover the beans with several inches of water and bring to a boil.  Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let sit for an hour.  For regular soaking method, let your beans soak in cold water over night. Whichever method you choose, drain the soaked beans and return them to the pot.

Add the chicken stock and aromatics (garlic through Parm rind.)  Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes, or just until the beans are tender.

While the beans are cooking fry the bread ~ liberally coat the bottom of a saute pan with olive oil and fry the bread on both sides until golden.  Rub the tops of the bread with the cut sides of the garlic, and season with sea salt.  Set aside.

Remove the aromatics from the bean pan.  Ladle some of the hot broth into the beaten egg to temper it, while whisking constantly.  After adding 2 or 3 ladles of the hot broth, pour the whole thing back into the beans and stir to combine.  Add the fresh herbs.

Put a slice or two of bread in the bottom of your bowl and top with the beans and broth.  Add grated Parm if you like.

Pasta with Beans, Crispy Lunch Meat, Greens and Garlic

Salt

pasta

lunch meat, sliced thin (I'm using salami)

greens

cheese

chile flakes, optional

Bring a pot of water to a boil and salt liberally. Drop the pasta in the water and give it a stir. Cook according to the package instructions for al dente. Reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the lunch meat and cook until crisp. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, an additional minute. Add the beans and greens and cook, stirring, 1 minute more.

Add the pasta and reserved pasta water to the pan and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, toss in the cheese and chile flakes if using and serve.

I’ve made this recipe a few times and LOVE IT!!!  So easy and so delicious!

Love making this with and without meat, adding different veg like onion or cherry tomatos or basil or sundried tomatos sometimes SUPER YUM!!.  Will be my forever go to meal!!! 

This has become one of my favorite meals--my boyfriend cooks it for us regularly. He typically uses cannellini beans which make the dish even creamier. Delicious!

I loved this - so different and had everything on hand!

This was very good, easy &amp; fast to make. I was looking for a recipe to use up lunchmeat. I used what we had, spaghetti, great northern beans, spinach, parmesan cheese and since we didn't have fresh garlic, a substitution of granulated garlic (1/4 t.) and garlic powder (1/8 t.). Love the kick of the chile flakes. Thank you!

I made this last night and it was a hit!  I used Genoa and added tomatoes like you suggested in the video.  I had the rest of the ingredients on hand by accident.  I used 24 oz of pasta because we are a family of 4.  The addition of the tomatoes (5 Campari), a little more spinach and an extra clove of  garlic made more than enough for that amount of pasta.  Quick and delicious.  My college boy/man asked for it to “be added to the rotation”.  Trust me that’s like getting a Michelin Star.  Thank you!  I am enjoying your videos 

Sweet and Smoky Baked Beans

medium onions, finely chopped (about 2 cups)

green bell pepper, finely chopped

barbecue sauce

dark brown sugar,

Worcestershire sauce

mustard

cider vinegar

liquid smoke,

Salt and black pepper

In a heavy pot, cook the bacon over medium heat to render the fat, about 5 minutes. Discard all but 2 tablespoons fat.

Add the onion, pepper, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the beans, molasses, barbecue sauce, ketchup, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustards, vinegar, and liquid smoke. Simmer the beans, uncovered, until rich and thickly flavored, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Alternatively, place the baked beans in a deep baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Add salt, pepper, or any other ingredient to taste.

My family and I loved this recipe.  It was full of flavor with green peppers and bacon. I used a 1/4 cup of maple syrup instead of molasses and red wine vinegar. Even better the next day!

I have made these twice now the first time with Kidney good. The second with Navy Incredible!!!!! I bake for at least an hour at 350 then let sit out for a couple hours then reheat before serving. Also doubled the bacon!!!

We loved this recipe, fed four hungry people as side dish but would double if taking to a barbecue. Excellent balance of flavors, used pinto beans and cooked lower temp, covered for an hour longer. Did not have liquid smoke, substituted smoked paprika, but will try w/ smoke next time.

These beans deserve a medal! I've had good baked beans, and good barbeque beans, but nowhere have I had good barbeque sweet baked beans like this! My family had a revered recipe that has been passed down for years but this has become the new family recipe! Thank you!  For people who are wondering about their beans coming out hard or crunchy, you can always try using pork and beans and rinsing off the sauce. Or, try taking the beans and cooking them a while before adding to your recipe.

I am SO excited I found this recipe again!  I originally found this in a long-ago edition of Bon Appetit magazine and it was my quickie baked bean standard, but I lost the magazine.  This is the same exact recipe that I used to use.  It's going to be a Happy 4th of July!  Thank you Steven!  (I think the others that posted a bad review didn't see that you're supposed to use CANNED beans...

I'm a big fan of Steven's. I have all of his books and have never been steered wrong. I have made these beans several times, and as several other reviewers have stated, the beans always come out of the over either hard or crunchy. I made the recipe various times trying to perfect it, in that it is definitely tasty, but the hardness of the beans ruins the dish.

Not sure what I did wrong but the beans are hard and dry. I used red kidney beans...I will not make this again

These are truly the best baked beans I've ever tasted. I've made them numerous times and have gotten rave reviews from my guests. An important thing I've learned about this recipe is that you must make the beans 1-2 days ahead of time in order for the flavors to meld. The first time I made them, I almost threw them away because the mustard flavor was so pungent. Luckily, I had made them ahead of time and the next day, they were heavenly! Try this recipe!

I recently made the BBQ sauce recipe found in this  baked bean recipe with great success!  We used the sauce as an added sauce to each bowl of beans my husband and I had from my own huge batch of beans and ground turkey.  I quadrupled the recipe for Steven's BBQ sauce, as my own recipe is loosely based around 2 lbs of dry pinto beans and 3 lbs of ground turkey.  Obviously, a batch of beans this big would need more BBQ sauce!  My husband &amp; I are making this dish again tonight...and we're salivating just thinking of tasting  Mr. Raichlen's BBQ sauce again!  I have his book, "How to Grill"  and every single recipe I have cooked from it over the years, has turned out perfectly!  He's the BEST in BBQ &amp; Grilling!  Nancy in Portland, OR 

this recipe was perfect!  made them over the holidays for boyfriend's extended family, and they loved them!  i was contemplating skipping the smoke flavor, ultimately added it and it was delish!  will do again for bbq in summer for sure.

Refried beans without the frying makes this the perfect side dish for any fiesta. With your Instant Pot®, you can start from dried beans but skip the soaking step and skip the hours of cooking but still get velvety, bacony beans.

Instant Pot Bacony Refried Beans

green bell pepper, chopped

pinto beans, rinsed and picked through

Food Network Kitchen’s Instant Pot Bacony Refried Beans

Set a 6-quart Instant Pot® to saute on high (see Cook's Note) and cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and the fat has rendered, about 7 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, beans, 4 teaspoons salt and 5 cups water and stir to combine. Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on high for 45 minutes. After the pressure cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release and wait until the quick release cycle is complete. Be careful of any remaining steam and unlock and remove the lid. Stir to combine.

Using a potato masher or an immersion blender, smash the beans so that all of the beans have been crushed but the mixture is thick and not completely smooth (refried beans should still be pourable at this point, but they will thicken as they sit). Transfer to a large bowl, let sit 10 minutes to thicken and serve.

These were good.  Nice flavor, however the beans were still a little hard at end of cooking.  I did not want to tie up my instant pot by putting them back in since I was going to use it for carnitas next so I microwaved them for about 10 minutes and the we’re fine.  I’d make again just increase cooking time a little

Love this recipe! These are super tasty and add a lot to your Mexican cuisine. 

these are wonderful-if you decrease salt some. I've made them 3 times, first time as written and it was too salty tasting (tho still good). The other 2 times I only added 2 tsp salt to pot and in place of half the water I used chicken broth (I had one opened so I thought I'd try it)-it turned out even better than the first time.  It makes too much for us so I freeze the rest in 3 containers and it works out perfectly. Love this recipe.

Delicious, I will never buy the canned ones again. 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/weeknight-pressure-cooking-5441518

Bev gets a lesson in pressure cooking from food editor Rick Martinez.

Weeknight Pressure Cooking

Roasted Green Beans

beans,

salt

Put the beans on 1 or 2 baking sheets. Sprinkle over the bacon and onions, and add the olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss around to mix and coat everything in oil.

Bake until the bacon is sizzling and the beans are starting to brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

We had this for my vegetable hating son who has to eat 7 vegetables a day for football! He didn’t eat all of them, but he actually liked them and he went back for 2nds and 3rds! His trainer will be very happy! Thank you so much Ree #footballfamily #vegetableclub #7isalot

Beans and Legumes