Help me, uh, overthink

March 8, 2025 11:44 AM

I eat a lot of beans and like to treat myself to premium and/or unusual dried beans from time to time. What are your favorite fancy beans?

I of course know about Rancho Gordo. I also occasionally buy the expensive Italian import beans (usually cannellini and borlotti/cranberry varities) from a couple of local Italian specialty shops. I've tried the beans from Masienda and they were pretty good, and I also already enjoy less-common-in-the-US pulses from grocery stores serving Indian and South Asian populations (kala channa etc.).

Where else can I get the good beans? Priority for consistent freshness, unusual/uncommon varieties (they should be tasty, too, I guess, but I'll try anything?), and availability of larger quantities (1 lb and up).

posted by pullayup to Food & Drink (15 answers total)

https://zursunbeans.com/
https://foodsofnations.com/collections/beans-peas-lentils-dal-in-bulk-pack
posted by wicked_sassy at 11:56 AM on March 8

Ask around at farmers’ markets if anyone growing snap beans also harvests them dry. I had a variety not work out at all for fresh, but at seasons’ end there were plenty dried for me.

You might get a deal if you’re willing to take them in the pod and thresh them yourself.
posted by clew at 12:07 PM on March 8

highmowingseeds.com

Help me, uh, overthink

food metaphysics [philosophy of food project]
posted by HearHere at 12:47 PM on March 8 [1 favorite]

the best beans I've ever had:
https://www.ranchogordo.com/
posted by evilmonk at 12:49 PM on March 8 [2 favorites]

If you have a local Indian grocery, those are often excellent sources of a variety of interesting beans in bulk.
posted by mezzanayne at 1:20 PM on March 8 [3 favorites]

I've loved Palouse beans, especially their garbanzo beans.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 1:20 PM on March 8 [3 favorites]

Cicerchia is a weird bean, but also a tasty one.
posted by clockwork at 1:25 PM on March 8 [1 favorite]

Definitely cannellini beans as they are popular for soups, salads and many Italian dishes. They hold their shape well and can be lightly cooked or mashed to make delicious patties.
I love it so much and every week I have to eat it with rice.
posted by XTRpoweR at 2:59 PM on March 8

Evilmonk: pullayup says they already know about Rancho Gordo.

Pullayup: Just to clarify, are you looking for a specific variety of bean (i.e., "there's this runner bean called "Jacob's Shelf" that is INCREDIBLE"), or are you looking for a brand name/supplier ("there's this organic farm a bunch of Buddhist monks started in Poughkeepsie and they just entered the market with their beans and WOW")?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:42 PM on March 8 [2 favorites]

If you're at all interested in growing your own, the Worcester Mammoth Bean is pretty special.
posted by dizziest at 3:50 PM on March 8 [3 favorites]

You might like trying lupini, as a quasi-bean. They're tasty. Safety notes:

• varieties differ in their levels of anticholinergic toxin.
• high-toxin 'bitter' varieties (which people say have better flavor) are sold commercially sometimes processed to remove it, sometimes not.
• so know what you have, and follow a traditionally-informed recipe for what that is.

posted by away for regrooving at 4:08 PM on March 8 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Just to clarify, are you looking for

Both
posted by pullayup at 6:37 PM on March 8

I have not actually tried it yet but I'm about to sign up for a subscription from this site, which offers a subscription box of just beans or two beans and one grain, from different small farms around the country.
posted by skycrashesdown at 7:00 PM on March 8 [1 favorite]

> Just to clarify, are you looking for

Both

Gotcha.

I'd consider joining the RG Bean Club if you're not in there already - we get first crack of some beans before they are offered in the general web site (and sometimes we're the only ones who DO get access to them, there's a bean called "Black Calypso" which is only an occasional item on the RG site; it's not on the main site now, but we just got some in the bean club recently anyway). I also have been trending Italian with a lot of my bean cooking so I also keep my eye on things like Borlottis and Cranberry beans, and RG's Occhio Della Capra is catching my eye (I haven't had it yet, but I may buy a pound and give it a shot).
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:33 AM on March 9 [1 favorite]

Adzuki are used for sweetened red bean pastes but they are also tasty, pretty and mild and so fun to experiment with.

Seconding a visit to your local Asian/Indian grocers. Also keep your eye out for fresh 'shell beans', which are basically dry beans prior to drying.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:46 AM on March 9 [1 favorite]