Beans, lentils & pulses · Beans

Kidney beans (canned)

Large, kidney-shaped red beans, here ready-cooked in cans; the bean for rajma, chilli con carne and red beans and rice.

Also called: red kidney beans, rajma, red beans

A kind of beans

Photo: Sanjay Acharya, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

What it is

Red kidney beans are named for their curved kidney shape and have deep red-brown skins and creamy flesh. This record is the canned, ready-cooked form, which only needs rinsing and heating. Dark red and light red types exist; they are larger and hold their shape better than pinto beans.

Phaseolus vulgaris

How it’s used

Simmered in Punjabi rajma masala
Added to chilli con carne and bean stews
Cooked with rice in Caribbean rice and peas and Louisiana red beans and rice
Tossed into salads

Characteristics

Texture: Firm skin with a soft, floury-creamy centre.
When cooked: Holds its shape in long simmering; mash a few to thicken a sauce.
Sold as: canned, dried
Cooking uses: Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling
Common in: Indian, Punjabi, Mexican, Tex-Mex, Caribbean, Jamaican, Southern US, American

Storage

Pantry-stable. Keep cans in the pantry; discard bulging or badly dented cans. Once opened, transfer to a covered container in the fridge and use within a few days.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

Vegetarian
Vegan
Dairy-free
Egg-free
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Soy-free
Caffeine-free

Canned beans are already cooked and safe. If you use dried kidney beans instead: Raw or undercooked dried kidney beans contain a lectin (phytohaemagglutinin) that causes severe vomiting; soak, drain, then boil hard for at least 10 minutes before simmering. Low slow-cooker temperatures do not destroy it.