Ingredient Spotlight: Heirloom Beans

This season, we’re proud to feature heirloom beans grown with care on family farms like Mohr Fry Ranches. Each kind of bean has its own unique flavor that can be highlighted in a variety of seasonal dishes, adding new characteristics to your favorite dishes.

The nutty flavor and creamy texture of large Good Mother Stallard beans make them perfect for stews and soups, starring in our new recipe for Summer Braised Chicken. Hearty snow cap and tender, mildly flavored pebble beans lend their rich color and silky smoothness to salads, such as our Snow Cap Beans with Lemon and Sage, which can be served at room temperature for an outdoor picnic.

Firm, nutty Christmas Lima beans create a delicious side dish on their own when simply steamed and seasoned. Come fall, heirloom beans lend their hearty flavors to soul-satisfying chili.

Dried beans make the perfect pantry staple: they are economical and easy to store, and they pack a nutritional punch, adding protein to vegetarian and meat dishes alike. Heirloom varieties elevate the standbys with fuller, nuanced flavors.

Click to try all of our heirloom bean recipes, and find more tips for soaking, simmering and serving dried beans.