Appearance: Flat, kidney-shaped
Flavor: Takes on the flavors of foods with which cooked
Uses: Cassoulet in France, baked beans
Availability: Widely
Appearance: Large, kidney-shaped
Flavor: Robust, full-bodied
Uses: Caribbean, Portuguese, and Spanish cuisines, used in chili, salads, and paired with rice
Availability: Widely
Appearance: Flat-shaped, ivory
Flavor: Smooth creamy sweet
Uses: Succotash, substitute for potatoes or rice, soups, casseroles
Availability: Somewhat limited
Appearance: Small white ovals
Flavor: Mild
Uses: Pork and beans, baked beans, soups, stews, pureed
Availability: Widely
Appearance: Small, pale, pink-colored
Flavor: Rich, meaty
Uses: Chili, Old West recipes
Availability: Limited
Appearance: Medium-sized, oval-shaped, mottled beige, brown skin
Flavor: Earthy
Uses: Refried beans, Tex-Mex, and Mexican bean dishes
Availability: Widely
Appearance: Dark red
Flavor: Robust, full-bodied
Uses: Soups, salads, chili, Creole dishes, red bean pastes
Availability: Limited
light green seed, coat; dark green cotyledon
light green seed, coat; dark green cotyledon
dark brown seed coat; yellow cotyledon
Appearance: Small, rounded, ivory with red markings
Flavor: Nut-like
Uses: Northern Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish cuisines
Availability: Limited
creamy-white seed coat; golden yellow cotyledon
Appearance: Large, kidney-shaped, reddish-brown
Flavor: Robust, full-bodied flavor
Uses: Chili, salads, with rice, Chinese bean pastes, Southeast Asian desserts
Availability: Widely
Appearance: Beige to pale yellow
Flavor: Nutlike
Uses: Salads, Middle Eastern and Indian dishes including hummus, fried/roasted snacks
Availability: Widely
light green seed, coat; dark green cotyledon
light yellow seed, coat; deep yellow cotyledon
light green seed, coat; dark green cotyledon
light yellow seed, coat; deep yellow cotyledon
light green seed, coat; dark green cotyledon
mottled dark green/brown seed, coat; yellow cotyledon
tan to green seed, coat; yellow cotyledon
light brown, mottled seed, coat; yellow cotyledon
bright green seed, coat; yellow cotyledon
reddish-brown seed, coat; red cotyledon
light tan seed, coat; red cotyledon
speckled grey/brown seed coat; yellow cotyledon
creamy-white seed coat; golden yellow cotyledon
light to dark brown seed, coat; red cotyledon
Appearance: Kidney shape, white skin, black eye, fine wrinkles
Flavor: Scented aroma, creamy, and distinctive
Uses: Southwest U.S. side dish
Availability: Limited
Appearance: Flat, creamy white
Flavor: Rich, buttery
Uses: Stews, soups, casseroles, Side dish with herbs, Japanese bean paste
Availability: Somewhat limited
Appearance: Small, reddish brown
Flavor: Nutty, sweet
Uses: Asian cuisines, Japanese confections
Availability: Limited
Appearance: Oval, black skins, Cream colored flesh
Flavor: Mild, sweet, earthy
Uses: Caribbean, Latin American, Southwest U.S. soups, stews, sauces
Availability: Widely