Savory Kidney Beans Recipe - Food.com (2024)

FAQs

What makes kidney beans taste better? ›

You can add your favourite flavors to the cooking water, such as onion, garlic, and bay leaf - among other things. I also love smoked paprika and oregano with my beans. Be sure to taste your beans when they're finished cooking, and add a bit more salt and additional spices if needed.

The haemagglutinin (lectin), which occurs naturally in the red kidney bean, is inactivated by thorough cooking of well soaked beans. In many of the outbreaks reported the implicated beans were consumed raw or following an inadequate heat process.

In general, most beans go well with herbs like parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, and thyme. You usually can't go wrong with garlic and onions, either. Specific kinds of beans, like fava beans or mung beans, have other affinities with particular herbs and spices.

While lard has been replaced with vegetable oil or shortening in many households, the distinct richness and velvety texture it imparts to a skillet of refried beans is hard to beat. The closest substitute for lard is bacon grease, which is another form of rendered pork fat that's arguably even more flavorful.

Toxicity occurs when you eat raw, soaked kidney beans either alone or in salads or casseroles. There have also been reports of toxicity when cooking raw, dried kidney beans in a slow-cooker. Just four or five raw kidney beans can trigger the symptoms of toxicity.

Do You Need To Rinse Canned Beans? According to The Bean Institute, you can reduce up to 41 percent of the sodium in canned beans by rinsing them. "It's fine to add the bean liquid to many recipes, but if you want to reduce the amount of sodium, it's best to drain and rinse canned beans," the website states.

Add the garlic, oregano, chili powder, and cumin and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add in the drained beans, bay leaves, and broth or water. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the beans are warmed through, then remove the bay leaves.

Add Aromatics (and Some Salt)

We're talking onions, shallots, garlic, and chiles. Or maybe some fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, bay leaves, and thyme. This is where the flavor really starts to build. Salt the liquid again (lightly) after about an hour of simmering.

Control of phosphorus often is difficult for kidney failure patients. High-phosphorus foods to eliminate include: Beans (red, black, and white) Black-eyed peas.

How to tell if kidney beans are bad? ›

The best way to tell if the beans have gone bad is to give them a good whiff. The odor will not be pleasant! You might even see a white liquid surrounding them, as well.

Raw or improperly cooked kidney beans are toxic and should be avoided. What's more, these beans contain antinutrients and may cause bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea in some people.

Epazote (pronounced eh-puh-ZOE-tay) is an herb native to Mexico and Central America that is perhaps best known for its carminative, or gas-relieving, properties. Cooked with a pot of beans, this herb can lessen the “negative effects” and adds a distinctive savory, earthy flavor.

Try adding epazote (1 tablespoon to a large pot of chili, beans, or soup). Epazote is the leaf of a wild herb, prized for its gas-reducing abilities.

Moreover, kidney beans contain less saturated fat and high amounts of protein, contributing to a healthy heart. Moreover, the potassium in kidney beans also contributes to better heart health by promoting better muscle functioning in the heart.

Bump up the flavor with tomato paste

Remember your old friend tomato paste? It's great to add into beans. Throw in a dollop or two to the aromatics once they've cooked, and sauté in the hot fat for a minute or two, just to cook out the tinny flavor. Harissa paste also works nicely for this.

I like to sprinkle in some taco seasoning, but you could add whatever spices you like — garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder are all good calls. Then, you mash the beans up directly in the pan and add just a little bit of vinegar at the end to really make the beans sing.

Canned pre-cooked kidney beans present no problems. Some come packed in water, which is thickened by starches naturally produced by the beans, but it can also contain preservatives, so this should be rinsed away.