kidney beans
A large, kidney-shaped red bean with a firm texture and mild, earthy flavor, sold canned (fully cooked and ready to use) or dried (needs soaking and cooking first). Common in chili, red beans and rice, and bean salads.
Buying guidance
Canned is the faster, more forgiving choice for most cooking -- drain and rinse to wash off the thick canning liquid, which can taste tinny if left in. Dried beans need to be soaked and simmered until tender before they can be used the same way; don't swap dried for canned without accounting for that extra cooking time.
Substitutions
- Pinto beans -- similar size and creaminess, milder flavor; interchangeable in most bean dishes.
- Black beans -- firmer texture and a slightly more earthy flavor, darker color.
- Cannellini or other white beans -- creamier texture and much milder flavor; changes the look of a dish since kidney beans are red.
Tips & common mistakes
Dried kidney beans contain a natural toxin that's only neutralized by a full rolling boil -- boil them hard for at least 10 minutes before dropping the heat to a simmer, and don't rely on a slow cooker's low setting alone to cook them from dried, since the lower temperature may not destroy the toxin. This doesn't apply to canned beans, which are already fully cooked.
Storage
Older dried beans take noticeably longer to soften and may never get fully tender no matter how long they simmer -- if you have beans from different bags or years, don't cook them together in the same pot, since the older batch may still be tough by the time the newer batch is done.