Navy (Pea) Beans Also called pea beans, Navy beans are small, oval-shaped, and quick-cooking. Because they get creamy when cooked, they’re perfect for mashing against the side of the pot, pureeing in dips, and thickening soups, stews, ragouts, and more.
Navy Beans
This particular small white bean is known by many names, including white pea bean, small white bean, Boston bean, Yankee bean, or Fagioli bean. They’re called Navy beans, not for their color, but for their presence as a staple product used by the US Navy.
The navy bean, haricot, pearl haricot bean, Boston bean, white pea bean, or pea bean is a variety of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) native to the Americas, where it was first domesticated. It is a dry white bean that is smaller than many other types of white beans, and has an oval, slightly flattened shape.
Substitute for Navy Beans
You can substitute Great Northern Beans (larger) OR – White Kidney Beans (Canellini beans) OR – Flageolet beans.
No, you’ll find a bewildering world of things labeled great northern white beans, navy beans, cannellini beans and more. While these are all technically white beans, these aren’t just different names for the same type of bean.
How to Cook Navy Beans
- Rinse the beans. Pour your dried navy beans into a bowl and rinse them to check for rocks or foreign material before adding them to your pot.
- Soak the beans overnight (optional).
- Drain the beans.
- Cover with water and boil.
- Simmer and season.
- Store.
Canned beans should be thoroughly rinsed and drained before using. Dried should be soaked before cooking, both to speed cooking time and to reduce any gas-causing tendencies.
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.
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 the healthiest bean to eat?
- Chickpeas. Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas are a great source of fiber and protein.
- Lentils. Lentils are a great source of vegetarian protein and can be a good addition to soups and stews.
- Peas. Peas are also a type of legume.
- Kidney beans.
- Black beans.
- Soybeans.
- Pinto beans.
- Navy beans.
Due to their creamy white color, navy beans are sometimes confused with other white beans such as great northern beans, cannellini beans, or white kidney beans. Although their taste is similar, navy beans are smaller and rounder than these other varieties.
What kind of bean is used for baked beans?
Ingredients
- 1 pound package dry great northern, navy, or pink beans.
- Lots of water.
- 1 medium onion, chopped.
- 1 cup ketchup.
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed.
- 1/3 cup molasses.
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus additional if desired.
Canned Navy Beans are already cooked and safe to eat right out of the can, however, this recipe will help them to taste much better!
According to the FDA, many beans can be toxic if consumed raw or undercooked, including black, great Northern, kidney, and navy beans.
Does soaking beans reduce gas?
While soaking shortens the unattended cooking time of beans somewhat, the time saved is marginal and there are no other labor-saving benefits. Finally, soaking does absolutely nothing to reduce the gas-producing properties of beans.
Some beans refuse to soften. You can soak them overnight and then simmer them all day long, and they’re still hard as pebbles. The main causes of this are age and improper storage.
Can you soak beans too long?
Do Soaked Beans Go Bad? If your beans are left soaking for too long they begin to ferment. This starts happening around 48 hours at room temperature. If you soak your beans in the refrigerator, it will take three or four days before fermentation begins.
What to put in beans to prevent gas?
Dissolve about 1.5 tablespoons of salt in 8 cups of water and add it to the bowl. Soak the beans for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours before cooking. Drain and rinse the beans before cooking them.
Why do you discard bean soaking water?
Finally, soaking beans helps them to cook up in about half the time. So after the beans have soaked for a while, the soaking water now contains these elements that you are trying to eliminate by soaking the beans in the first place. And this is why the bean water is discarded.
What happens if you don’t Rinse beans?
While rinsing and draining beans is not necessary, there are a few reasons people choose to do so. Depending on the type of bean you are using, the coloration of the bean liquid may cause a coloration change you don’t want for your dish.
Great northern beans resemble lima beans but have a thin skin, taking about 45 to 60 minutes to cook. While both navy beans and great northern beans have a very similar, subtle flavor, their key difference lies in their texture, making great northern beans the ideal legume when you’re making more delicate dishes.
Gerardo Gonzalez loves cooking. He became interested in it at a young age, and has been honing his skills ever since. He enjoys experimenting with new recipes, and is always looking for ways to improve his technique.
Gerardo’s friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of his delicious cooking. They always enjoy trying out his latest creations, and often give him feedback on how he can make them even better. Gerardo takes their input to heart, and uses it to continue refining his culinary skills.