The cooking time refers to the time needed to cook dry beans after you soak them. If a recipe calls for white beans, you can use Great Northern beans, navy beans, or white kidney beans (also called cannellini beans). Black Beans are medium-size, oval-shaped beans with matte black skin.
What’s the best substitute for white beans?
8 Best Substitutes for Cannellini Beans
- Red Kidney Beans.
- Great Northern Beans.
- Navy Beans.
- Baby Lima Beans.
- Butter Beans (Lima)
- Garbanzo Beans.
- Borlotti Beans.
- Black Beans.
Navy Beans: Navy beans, which have a pale ivory or white color, are the smallest of various white beans. The beans, named for the maritime service branch, have been a staple food in the US Navy for over 200 years, though they have various other names, including Boston beans, Yankee beans, haricots, or pea beans.
While navy beans are great in soups specifically designed for them or in dishes like baked beans (where the acidic molasses aids in keeping bean skins intact during the long cooking), we would avoid using them as a substitute for cannellini beans.
Substitute for Navy Beans
- You can substitute Great Northern Beans (larger)
- OR – White Kidney Beans (Canellini beans)
- OR – Flageolet beans.
No, small white beans (a.k.a. Navy beans) are not the same as Cannellini beans. This will surprise a lot of people as both of these beans are very similar to one another, but they are actually two very different things. On the surface, it might look like small white beans are the same as Cannellini beans, only smaller.
Navy Beans are small, oval-shaped beans with white skin. They have a mild, delicate flavor. These are the beans used for the famous Boston Baked Beans. These white beans were named Navy Beans because of their inclusion in the U.S. Naval diet during the second half of the 19th Century.
What is another name for white beans?
What is a White Bean? Some recipes simply call for “white beans.” This is a general term for great northern beans, navy beans, cannellini beans, and other similar beans.
Navy beans, also known as haricot beans, are a great source of fiber, B vitamins, and other minerals.
Best navy beans substitute options
- Great Northern Beans. Great northern beans are a great way to substitute for navy beans in a recipe.
- Canellini beans. You can also use canellini beans as a replacement for navy beans.
- Butter beans.
- Flageolet beans.
- Red kidney beans.
- Black beans.
- Pinto beans.
- Mayocoba beans.
What’s the difference between white beans and great Northern beans?
These are also the one’s used in most recipes that list white beans as an ingredient. Great Northern beans have a grainier texture but a delicate flavor. Their flesh is less creamy, and takes on the flavor of whatever they’re cooked with (similar to tofu).
What is a substitute for white northern beans?
If you don’t have Great Northern beans then your best alternatives would be: You can substitute Navy beans which are smaller. OR – Cannellini beans which are large, white kidney beans.
What type of beans are used for baked beans?
Baked beans is a dish traditionally containing white beans that are parboiled and then, in the US, baked in sauce at low temperature for a lengthy period. In the United Kingdom, the dish is sometimes baked, but usually stewed in sauce. Canned baked beans are not baked, but are cooked through a steam process.
The flavors of great northern and navy beans are both delicate and mild. It’s difficult to distinguish between them by flavor alone. But there’s a significant variation in texture. The texture of great northern beans is less dense than that of navy beans, which is smoother and softer.
What are white beans good for?
White beans, also known as white navy beans, offer extraordinary health benefits. They are loaded with antioxidants and provide a good supply of detoxifying molybdenum. They are also a good source of fiber and protein and produce alpha-amylase inhibitors which help regulate fat storage in the body.
What are the big white beans called?
Sometimes called white kidney beans, cannellini beans are the largest type of white bean, which makes them meatier than other white beans like Great Northern beans or navy beans.
Any excessive amount of beans may cause loose stools because of consuming too much fiber, but this typically does not cause diarrhea.
Which beans cause less gas?
If one bean bothers you, try a different one to see if it causes less gas. Lentils, split peas and black-eyed peas, for example, are lower in gas-producing carbohydrates than other pulses. Chickpeas and navy beans are on the high end.
Soak the beans overnight (optional).
Soaking your navy beans in cold water overnight helps soften them and shortens the cooking time. If you don’t want to soak beans, be prepared to cook them a little longer.
Great Northern Beans
Great in soups and stews, they hold their shape better than Navy beans, take on the flavors of the foods they’re cooked with, and are commonly used in French cassoulets.
Navy beans have a soft, velvety texture and a slightly nutty taste, and like other legumes, are a fantastic source of fiber.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.