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.

black beans

chicken broth

salt

black pepper

garlic,

onions,

olive oil

oregano

cumin

coriander

chile powder, plus more if needed

For the beans: Place the beans in large bowls or pots, cover with cold water and allow to soak overnight. Drain and rinse before proceeding. (Alternatively, add the beans to a few large pots and cover with hot water. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover the pots and allow the beans to sit for 1 hour. Drain the beans and rinse them with cold water before proceeding.)

Divide the soaked beans between 2 very large pots. Into each pot, add 3 quarts (12 cups) chicken broth, 2 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons pepper, half of the garlic and onions and 1 gallon (16 cups) water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

For the spice mixture: Heat the oil in a skillet, then add the oregano, cumin, coriander and chile powder and fry until the color deepens (do not let it brown), 30 seconds to a minute. Divide the spice mixture between the pots of beans, along with the salt (3 tablespoons salt in each pot) and stir together. Cover and continue simmering until the liquid level is to your liking, about another hour. Taste for seasoning and add more of what it needs.

First...this recipe is not written for most home cooks.  Yes, we can do math...just very intimidating and most will ignore the recipe.  Second, black beNs are so horribly bland and need zing!  I made a batch of spicy pico and added the juice of 4 limes and these beans stood at attention and were delicious!!!

It just takes a little simple math to adjust the recipe.  The recipe actually will feed 100 people!!! which is a little too much for my household of 2 however I love to freeze portions.So, math time...Cut the recipe in half...now its 50-1/2 cup servings:<div>5 pounds dried black beans6 quarts (12 cups) low-sodium chicken broth 2 tablespoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons ground black pepper 10 cloves garlic, minced ...Still way too much for me..:)5 medium onions, diced Spice Mixture:1/2 cup olive oil3 tablespoons dried oregano 3 tablespoons cumin 3 tablespoons ground coriander3 tablespoons chile powder, plus more if needed 3 tablespoons kosher salt<br />Still too much...Cut in half again for 25-1/2 cup servings2 1/2 pounds dried black beans3 quarts (12 cups) low-sodium chicken broth 1 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoons ground black pepper 5 cloves garlic, minced ...Still way too much for me..:)2-3 medium onions, diced Spice Mixture:1/4 cup olive oil1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin 1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander1 1/2 tablespoons chile powder, plus more if needed 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt<div>I love her recipes and never have a problem scaling down...however...a little too much garlic for my liking.  I would have given 5 stars if I did not have to do the math...Sorry Ree</div></div>

Her recipes are impossible to make.  You can't just adjust the recipe.  You need to inform the viewers exact measurements. 

Great recipe!! Because I wasn't having a party, I cut the recipe for the seasoning mix by 6, so a tablespoon of each spice. That made about 1/3 cup. I didn't want to go to the trouble of doing the beans from scratch, so to one 15 oz. can of drained black beans, I added 2 tsp. of the seasoning mix and 1/8 tsp of onion powder and 1/8 tsp of granulated garlic. Don't add salt, the beans already have a good amount of salt in them. Really great flavor!!!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/rees-tex-mex-black-beans-0242802

Ree toasts the spices to add intense flavor to her pot of black beans.

Ree's Tex-Mex Black Beans

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.

Easy Baked Beans

bacon

sweet onion,

pork and beans

dark molasses

light brown sugar, packed

mustard

Description: Trisha Yearwood’s Easy Baked Beans. Keywords: Bacon, Vidalia Onion, Pork And Beans, Dark Molasses, Light Brown Sugar, Yellow Mustard

Fry the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the drippings, and drain it on paper towels. Crumble and set aside.

Add the onion to the pan with the bacon drippings and saute until softened, a couple minutes. Stir in the beans, molasses, brown sugar, mustard and crumbled bacon, and mix well.

Pour the beans into a 3-quart casserole and bake, uncovered, for about 45 minutes.

Very good. I modified it a little. Instead of bacon i used a LB of ground sausage. Also added a red &amp; green bell pepper 

These are by far best baked beans I have ever made.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/easy-baked-beans-for-a-crowd-0226092

Trisha's Easy Baked Beans live up to their name for feeding a hungry crowd.

Easy Baked Beans for a Crowd

Escarole, Beans, Sausage and Peppers Cheat Sheet

sausage,

yellow onion,

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

sea salt,

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!<br />

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

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

Receita de Sopa rápida de legumes com frango. Enviada por clarie e demora apenas 30 minutos.

Sopa rápida de legumes com frango

xícara de frango cozido e desfiado

litro de água

batatas médias picadas

cenoura picada

colheres de milho verde

caldo de galinha

colheres de macarrão de sua preferencia

colher de cheiro verde picado

ovo batido

Coloque o frango, a batata, a cenoura, o milho, a água e o caldo de galinha para cozinhar.

Quando a batata estiver al dente adicione o macarrão deixe cozinhar mais alguns minutos.

Acrescente o cheiro verde e o ovo batido, misture bem e sirva com queijo e torradas.

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.

Provencal French Beans

Great Northern beans

onions

medium-diced carrots (2 carrots)

medium-diced celery (2 stalks)

parsley,

garlic (3 cloves)

rosemary

thyme

Parmesan cheese

This image has been migrated from FGS and has been distributed to our partners.

Place the beans in a bowl and cover with water. Soak in the refrigerator overnight.

Drain the beans, place in a large saucepan with the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender but not mushy. Add 1 tablespoon of salt for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving the stock.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil, then add the onions, diced carrots, and celery, and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Add the parsley, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and cook for 1 more minute. Add the beans and 2 cups of the cooking stock. (If you dont have enough liquid, add additional stock or water to make 2 cups.) Cook for 15 minutes until the stock makes a little sauce, adding more stock if necessary. Finish with the Parmesan cheese. Serve with a garnish of chopped parsley.

I've made this recipe twice and it turned out great both times.  The second time I made it with pulled pork and it really paired well. It is easy to execute and looks so good on the platter with the meat.  This is definitely something I will make often.

I made this to pair with steamed clams and a beautiful fillet of halibut For one bowl meal so I substituted fish stock for any water to cook the beans in and omitted the rosemary and used bay leaves instead. It was awesome as almost every single Ina Garten recipe I ever try is.

I served this with a pork roast and everyone raved about it. This is now a go to dish with not only the lamb roasts but pork roasts as well. Thanks Ina!

I made this dish for Easter dinner with lamb chops on the grill! Oh my gosh !! Everyone loved loved loved this beans , me too!! Big hit and will make these over and over!

This was awesome!  Served with lamb that had the same flavor profile. Great recipe. Thank you!!

i made this tonight and it was extremely tasty.  Not too salty, although i season and taste as I go, so that might be why i'm not as critical as some.  Even my husband, who doesn't like beans said it was very flavorful and enjoyed the recipe.  I'll keep this on my list of items to make again!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/provencal-french-beans-0149378

This hearty, earthy dish pays homage to the classic flavors of Provence.

Skillet dishes are the cornerstone of Gullah cooking, and these lima beans are made in my favorite skillet—cast-iron. Instead of simmering the lima beans for hours and hours, I've added a fresh take to the traditional Lowcountry side dish by adding bell peppers and tomatoes.

Skillet Lima Beans

unsalted butter,

white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

lima

red bell pepper, chopped (about 2/3 cup)

cherry tomatoes, halved (about 1 cup)

lemon (1 1/2 tablespoons)

Miss Kardea Brown's Skillet Lima Beans, as seen on Delicious Miss Brown, Season 7.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until crispy, about 15 minutes. Remove the bacon from the skillet to paper towels, reserving the drippings in the skillet. Crumble the bacon once cooled.

Add the butter to the drippings in the skillet and heat until melted. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the lima beans and garlic. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook until the lima beans are tender and the broth has evaporated, about 25 minutes.

Add the bell pepper, tomatoes and crumbled bacon, adding more butter if needed. Saute until the vegetables are tender, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Mexican Rice and Beans

canola oil

green onions, greens and whites sliced

jalapeno, minced

rice

low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed

turmeric

tomatoes

diced tomatoes and green chiles,

Cheddar

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the garlic, green onions and jalapeno and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the rice. Cook, stirring to make sure the rice doesn't burn, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, cumin, salt, pepper, turmeric, beans, diced tomatoes and diced tomatoes and green chiles and stir together. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the rice is not quite done, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Top the rice and beans with the cheese, then bake with the lid off until the cheese is melted and the rice is fully cooked, about 15 minutes more. Top with chopped cilantro before serving.

I’m not sure how this got rated so high. 🤨 It came out extremely bland and like another person said, some of the rice was undercooked.  

I don't frequently leave reviews but I have to with this recipe. My family loved this yummy dish! My rice was cooked perfectly, not crunchy and under done at all. I worried because of some reviews. The flavors were delicious and just right. Not overly spicy but a great balance. Next week I'm making it again but this time it will be vegan. With the switch of vegetable broth instead of chicken. I'm confident it will be the same....delicious! Thank you Mrs. Drummond

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/mexican-rice-and-beans-5631383

Pinto beans and rice cook together in this easy one-pot side dish.

Beans and Legumes