Red Beans – All You Need to Know | Instacart’s Guide to Groceries

What are red beans?

Red bean is a term often used for a variety of beans that are red in color. While this can be a little confusing when following a recipe that calls for red beans, luckily, most of the red bean types are interchangeable in bean dishes. The most popular red beans include:

Small red beans

Also known as Mexican beans, these legumes are like kidney beans but smaller and rounder. These oval-shaped beans are often used to make Cajun bean and rice and are the key ingredient in chili and refried beans.

Adzuki beans

Adzuki beans are small round beans with a dark red color. Also known as azuki bean, aduki bean, red bean, or red mung bean, these beans are commonly used in Asian cuisine. Adzuki beans are often sweetened with sugar to make red bean paste used in desserts and porridge. They have a slightly nutty and sweet flavor and are delicious in savory dishes with rice and other grains.

Kidney beans

Kidney beans are a common variety of beans resembling the human kidney. The red kidney bean is darkish red in color. The white variety of kidney beans is also known as cannellini beans and is used in recipes such as Italian bean soup. Red kidney beans are great for Mexican dishes such as chili con carne and are the main ingredient in the classic Creole red bean and rice recipe.

Pinto beans

Although these beans are mostly beige with a red streaky appearance, they develop a more red-brown color when they are cooked. These beans have a nuttier flavor and are softer and creamier than other beans when cooked, making them great for mashing and making refried beans.

Where did red beans originate from?

Kidney beans are native to Central America and Mexico and are thought to have originated from Peru. Cultivated as early as 8,000 years ago, kidney beans made an appearance in Colonial America in the 1700s, when they were cultivated in Louisiana by Spanish settlers.

Like kidney beans, small red beans also originate from Peru. They eventually made their way to the United States after spreading to the Caribbean, where they are a popular ingredient in bean-based recipes.

Pinto beans also originated in Peru and were cultivated by the Mexican and Peruvian civilizations about 5,000 years ago. Today, it is the most popular bean consumed in the United States.

Adzuki beans originate from somewhere in eastern Asia, possibly China, although the exact center of origin is not known. It has a 2,000-year history of cultivation and is widely grown in China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, India, Thailand, the Philippines, and New Zealand.

How are red beans grown?

Red beans are grown in loose, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic pH level. They grow either in bush or vine form, growing well in warmer climates. Because red beans have a low tolerance for cold weather, farmers harvest beans before the fall frost, after about 120 days of maturation after planting.

Unlike green beans which are harvested mature, dried red beans are left to dry in their pod. They are harvested when they have lost a significant amount of their moisture when the pods are dark, dry, and brittle.

When are red beans in season?

Red beans are available throughout the year in the store for any bean recipe you want to make.

How do you pick red beans at the grocery store?

You can buy red beans in cans or as dried beans in packets. Either has its merits. Canned red beans will save you time in cooking as these beans are already blanched before canning.

A can of beans will give you about 2c of beans. On the other hand, a 1lb bag of dried beans will yield 6 to 7 cups of cooked beans. So, it is cost-effective to get dried beans, but if you want convenience, then pick cans of red beans. However, make sure not to get any bulging or leaking can of beans. When buying dried beans, make sure you avoid beans that are broken, cracked, or shriveled as these beans could be old.

If you are looking to have your groceries delivered, you can easily shop for red beans via Instacart. After adding a product to your cart, use the “Instructions” option to notify your Instacart shopper about any preferences or specific directions on how to choose the best products.

How to store red beans

Cans of red beans can store for at least 2 years after you buy them. It’s the same for dried beans. Although dried beans won’t go bad, but will lose some of their flavor and nutritional value.

Store both cans and dried beans in a dry place at room temperature or cooler. Keep dried beans in an airtight container away from any light. Dried beans that have been cooked can store in the fridge for 5-7 days and for 6 months in the freezer. Canned beans, once opened, will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.

How to tell if the red beans are bad

If you’ve stored your beans properly in airtight containers, then they are probably safe to eat. But you should check for any pantry bugs that may have made their way into the beans.

A good way to tell if the beans are old is to cook them. If they take too long to cook or don’t really reach their cook point, then the beans are old and will not have that good flavor. Usually, the dates on the cans and packets are a good indicator of when the beans will start losing flavor.

If you notice a rancid smell when you open the container of beans, then this could indicate mold, fermentation, or pest droppings, and it’s a good idea to throw the beans in the trash.

What can you substitute for red beans?

Red beans are extremely versatile and interchangeable. You can easily substitute 1 type of red bean for another.

Other bean substitutes are:

• Pink beans
• Cranberry (borlotti) beans
• Anasazi beans
• Black turtle beans
• Cannellini beans

Cooking with red beans

There are so many delicious dishes you can make with red beans, and now that you know all about these legumes, you can start cooking today with ingredients from Instacart.

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