Affordable, adaptable, jam-packed with nutrition, and with a shelf life of 2 to 5 years, beans are a pantry staple of nearly every Allrecipes editor and Allstar.
Ham and beans, bean salad, beans and greens, and Boston baked beans might be among the first bean recipes you think of when we mention these legumes, but that’s just scratching the surface. From hummus to refried beans to chana masala, we adore taking our stock of beans on a “trip” around the world each week.
Since we rely on beans so much, we figured it was about time to pay more attention to the beans we invest in and ingest. So, after polling professional chefs about other pantry stars like canned tomatoes, vanilla extract, and olive oil, we called up a few of our favorite experts to discuss the best dried and canned beans money can buy.
Our Panel of Bean-Rating Chefs
- Erin Clarke, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based recipe developer and the author of “Well Plated Every Day“
- Andres Kaifer, executive chef and co-owner of Customshop in Charlotte, North Carolina
- Aislinn McAllister, specialty foods manager and dry goods buyer at Zingerman’s Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Carlos Nevarez, executive chef at El Puro in Charlotte, North, Carolina
Few or no additives. Some canned beans contain calcium chloride, which is a GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) preservative. Although it has the FDA’s stamp of approval, Charlotte-based Chef Carlos Nevarez prefers to steer clear since it can result in overly salty-tasting beans. Check the ingredient label of your canned beans to ensure it aligns with your own preferences.
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