Bean Dishes

Tarascan puréed bean soup hails from the Mexican state of Michoacán, home of the Tarascan or Purépecha people — one of the major pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica. Their culture flourished from 1100s to the earl... READ MORE

Diri ak pwa, also called diri kole ak pwa, is the national dish of Haiti, consisting of rice and beans. The dish became a common, everyday staple during the period of slavery, when rice and beans were two of the few ingredients that were ... READ MORE

Feijão tropeiro is a traditional dish from the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. A favorite dish of cattle rangers (tropeiros), it consists of beans that are cooked with salted or dried meat, manioc flour, and various flavorings, he... READ MORE

La jota triestina is a traditional soup originating from Trieste. Although there are various versions, the dish is usually made with a combination of beans, olive oil, potatoes, sauerkraut, flour, pancetta, garlic, cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pep... READ MORE

Feijoada or feijoada completa is Brazil's national dish, a hearty stew featuring pork and black beans. The dish is consumed throughout the country, and every family in Brazil has their own, special recipe. Sautéed greens, cheese ro... READ MORE

Pasulj is a popular Serbian bean soup that is traditionally prepared with white beans. The beans are usually simmered with sausage, bacon, or ham, and vegetables such as onions and carrots. Paprika, bay leaves, and garlic are commonly used as seas... READ MORE

Frijoles charros is a simple Mexican dish consisting of beans, onions, tomatoes, chile peppers, and coriander. Meat such as bacon, ham, or salt pork is also used in the dish, but mostly as a flavoring agent. The combination of those ingredients is... READ MORE

Piyaz is a traditional salad. In most of the country, it's a general term for a dish of dried beans, parsley, onions, and sumac. In Antalya, however, piyaz also contains a rich and smooth sauce consisting of tahini, lemon juice, and vinegar. The b... READ MORE

Tutu de feijão is a traditional dish originating from the region of Minas Gerais. The dish is made with a combination of puréed beans (traditionally black beans) and cassava flour that's used as a thickening agent. Other ingredients ... READ MORE

Although it translates as stone soup, this hearty Portuguese dish is actually a combination of beans and sausages such as chouriço and morcela (blood sausage), as well as pork belly, pig’s ear, and potatoes, while different r... READ MORE

Frijoles puercos is a traditional bean-based dish. This appetizer, side dish, or even a dip is usually made with a combination of cooked beans, chipotle chili peppers, beef or pork chorizo, lard, jalapeños, and Oaxaca or Chihuahua cheese (o... READ MORE

Khoresh gheimeh, occasionally called simply gheimeh or gheimeh polo, is a traditional meat stew made with yellow split beans. Traditionally it was always made with cubed beef or lamb, but modern variations sometimes include lean ... READ MORE

Ful medames is an ancient, pre-Ottoman and pre-Islamic national dish of Egypt, a traditional breakfast food consisting of slowly simmered fava beans seasoned with a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and selected spices. Some remnants of t... READ MORE

Tavče gravče is the national dish of North Macedonia consisting of beans stewed with onions, oil, dried pepper flakes, and seasonings such as salt, parsley, and black pepper. Although it is primarily a vegetarian dish, some recipes call for the ad... READ MORE

Frijoles de la olla is one of the most basic Mexican side dishes consisting of pinto beans in their broth. Originally, beans were cooked in clay pots with nothing more than some salt. Today, cooks usually add garlic, onions, or ham to frijoles de ... READ MORE

Arroz y habichuelas is a simple and traditional Puerto Rican dish. It consists of rice and beans flavored with bacon or ham, sofrito, tomato purée, spices, and (optionally) olives. In Puerto Rico, it is typically served as a side dish, but ... READ MORE

This Greek classic consists of large white beans that are cooked and then baked in a flavorful tomato sauce, which is usually seasoned with various herbs such as oregano, parsley, and mint. The dish calls for the use of fasolia gigantes, ... READ MORE

Čorbast pasulj is a popular Serbian dish made with soaked beans, onions, carrots, paprika, garlic, and bay leaves. Dried or smoked meat and ribs are common additions to čorbast pasulj in order to make it more flavorful and to give the dish a fragr... READ MORE

This traditional Turkish white bean stew is a staple in virtually every household and lokanta—an establishment serving simple but hearty meals to people on the go. Kuru fasulye translates to dried beans which are first soak... READ MORE

This comforting stew known as fabada Asturiana is a signature dish of the famous Spanish region of Asturias. The stew consists of plump white beans, chorizo, morcilla blood sausages, and pork fat, flavored with smoked paprika and... READ MORE

Gallo pinto, sometimes referred to only as pinto, is the traditional national dish of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Although many variations of the dish exist, at its most basic it is a blend of cooked and fried rice and beans, combined with ... READ MORE

Rajma is one of the most popular vegetarian dishes of North India. It consists of red kidney beans which are stewed in a rich gravy combined with numerous spices. The dish is usually prepared for festivities and special occasions, when it is typic... READ MORE

Loubia is a traditional North African dish consisting of stewed white beans. This dish is very popular in Moroccan, Tunisian, Algerian, and Libyan homes, where the beans that have been simmered in a zesty tomato-based sauce are typically scooped u... READ MORE

Bissara is a comforting Egyptian and Moroccan dish made with puréed beans – either split peas or dried fava beans. It can be prepared in the form of a soup or porridge, while the thicker versions are commonly used as a dip. The pur&ea... READ MORE

Cowboy beans or chuckwagon beans is a traditional dish with unknown origins. However, it is especially popular in the American Southwest and a staple of Texan cuisine. The dish is usually made with a combination of pinto beans (alternatively: red ... READ MORE

The essential ingredients in this hearty Cantabrian stew include white beans and collard greens (berza), but the dish is commonly enriched with chorizo (pork sausage) and morcilla (blood sausage), pork ribs, and bacon. I... READ MORE

This simple Indian dish consists of red beans (rajma) and cooked rice (chawal). Rajma is traditionally made with onions and tomato purée which acts as a gravy for the red beans. This dish makes for a complete vegetarian me... READ MORE

Bob chorba is a soup prepared with Bulgarian varieties of white and kidney beans, onions, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, and mint. Additional ingredients include bell peppers, paprika, potatoes, and meat, but the soup can be made with almost any avai... READ MORE

Jókai bableves is a flavorful Hungarian bean soup named after the famous writer Mór Jókai, who was a big fan of the dish. It is made with beans, smoked sausages, smoked meat, and vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, carrots, a... READ MORE

Dominican food is a unique mixture of African, Spanish, and Taino Indian influences, without spiciness but with a lot of herbs and sauces. La bandera Dominicana (literally translated as the Dominican Flag) is one such dish and a staple of... READ MORE

Although it originated in northern parts of Ghana, the rice-and-bean-based dish known as waakye is today consumed on a national level. Whether it's eaten for breakfast or lunch, this dish can be made as rich and as filling as one likes by adding a... READ MORE

Fasole cu cârnați is a popular Romanian stew consisting of either pork and beans or sausage and beans. There is also a variation on the dish that replaces the sausages with smoked meat. It is a typical army dish that is traditionally prepare... READ MORE

Oxtail with broad beans is a traditional stew consisting of chopped oxtail, onions, garlic, ginger, chile peppers, fava beans, water, cornstarch, and seasonings such as black pepper, allspice, thyme, and salt. The stew is slowly simmered over medi... READ MORE

Feijoada is a hearty bean stew that appears in several local and international varieties. Although it is often assumed that feijoada originated in Brazil, where it is considered a national dish, it was primarily made in Portugal before it was intr... READ MORE

Louisiana's comfort food is nicely represented in red beans and rice, a dish that is traditionally prepared on Mondays, with the aroma of red beans drifting through the neighborhoods. The dish originates from the New Orleans Creole kitchens of the... READ MORE

Lobio is a Georgian invention that refers to a wide group of dishes that employ beans as a key ingredient. Most commonly, those are red kidney beans, boiled with various spices to create a thick stew, commonly served with mchadi, a tradit... READ MORE

Fasolka po bretońsku is a traditional stew that, despite its name, is not of British origin but rather draws inspiration from the culinary styles found in Brittany, France. Typically robust and hearty, fasolka po bretońsku typically consists of wh... READ MORE

Red red is a popular Ghanaian stew consisting of beans, red palm oil, tomato paste, and flavorings such as garlic, ginger, chili, and onions. Some cooks like to add meat or fish broth into the stew, but it is completely optional. The stew is tradi... READ MORE

Käferbohnensalat is one of the most traditional dishes from the Austrian state of Styria. Käferbohnen, literally meaning beetle beans, also known as Styrian scarlet runner beans, are a variety of extra large, l... READ MORE

This traditional Istrian stew-like soup is prepared with kidney beans, potatoes, and sweet corn, locally named bobići. Maneštra od bobići is cooked with the addition of dried pork meat, and for extra flavor, when the beans and corn... READ MORE

This traditional bean- and meat-based dish from the southwest of France comes in three versions, and each version is a separate dish in its own right. The name cassoulet comes from the name of the dish used to prepare it, called a cas... READ MORE

Platillo Moros y Cristiano, roughly translated as Moors and Christians dish - a poetic name referring to history, is the national dish of Cuba, a hearty combination of fluffy white rice and seasoned black beans, cooked together in the sam... READ MORE