How to Cook Kidney Beans: 4 Ways to Enjoy Kidney Beans

Crimson kidney beans, named for their resemblance to human organs, are a classic bean with a mild flavor that goes well with everything from broths to hearty stews.

Kidney beans are a common legume, an annual legume of the lentil and pea families. There are several different varieties of kidney beans, including standard sorrel beans, white kidney beans, and speckled light pink beans similar to cranberry beans, a popular ingredient in Italian and Brazilian dishes. Pale red kidney beans are popular in Caribbean cuisine.

Kidney beans have thicker skin than black or great northern beans but are comparable in cooking time to navy, pinto, or red beans—usually about 90 minutes to 2 hours. These gluten-free beans are the star of a variety of side dishes and lunch options like bean soups, bean salads, and casseroles.

Packed with protein, calcium, dietary fiber, and slow-release carbohydrates, kidney beans are a powerful pantry staple with many health benefits—and they taste great, too.

1. Add to stews and soups. Kidney beans retain their shape when cooked, making them a popular choice in stews like peppers, bean soups like minestrone, and vegetables and chewy grains like pearl barley or farro or chewy pasta.

2. Baked. Kidney beans are great for baked beans, a classic Southern side dish thanks to their thick skin and velvety texture: they soak up every last bit of flavor without turning mushy.

3. Stir fry. Preparing kidney beans on the stovetop may take longer than roasting them, but this method offers chefs the opportunity to calibrate the perfect flavor as they can be seasoned and tasted for doneness throughout the cooking process.

4. Serve with rice. Along with adzuki beans, kidney beans in a fragrantly spiced gravy are the heart of Louisiana Creole-style red beans and rice. In India, a similar (vegetarian) presentation is called rajma.

To cook canned kidney beans, drain and rinse the beans in cold water before using them in your favorite bean recipe. If you are using dried beans, there are a few more steps in the cooking process:

1. Quick soak. Soaking dried beans before cooking can reduce cooking time. To use the quick soak method, add a cup of kidney beans to a large pot and cover with a few cups of water. Bring it to a boil and cook for a minute. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let the soaked beans sit for an hour. Drain and discard the soaking water, then return the beans to the pot.

2. Boil and simmer. Cover the beans with two cups of fresh water, add a bay leaf or two to the pot and your favorite seasoning, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for an hour or two, or until the beans are the consistency you want.

3. Drain and serve. Drain the cooking liquid and allow the beans to return to room temperature. Store cooked beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

What distinguishes kidney beans from other legumes is the presence of phytohemagglutinin, a toxin that must be destroyed by boiling; the USDA recommends at least 30 minutes. If the cooking temperature is too low, the toxins won't break down sufficiently, so if you're using dried beans, skip the slow cooker.

The above briefly describes how to cook kidney beans, if you want to buy kidney beans, please contact us.

Goodluck is a professional agricultural product supplier wholesale. Our main products include kidney beans, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and mung beans. In addition, we are working hard to develop new products to meet different needs. The company has a number of advanced production lines, farm bases, and warehouses to ensure that our output is large and stable.