A growing collection of Primary Beans' favorite recipes, stories, and recommendations meant to inspire mindful living and bring your pantry to life.

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Primary Beans bookshelf

Primary Beans bookshelf

Welcome to our bookshelf! Each quarter, we're sharing reads that have caught our fancy and expanded our horizons on cooking, agriculture, history, culture, and more.
Turkish bean salad (piyaz)

Turkish bean salad (piyaz)

A traditional Turkish salad recipe developed in partnership with New York Shuk that comes together quickly to make your summer easy and delicious. We love how the zingy preserved lemon paste and sumac...
*Actual* veggie burgers

*Actual* veggie burgers

You make a veggie burger because you want an actual veggie burger, not a plant-based burger that tastes exactly like meat. This recipe celebrates beans and veggies...
Online reading

Online reading

We're sharing articles by trusted voices that explore food topics like farming, culture, health, climate change, technology, and more. Learn with us.

Carrot-bean soup with miso and dill

Carrot-bean soup with miso and dill

Here's a simple, nourishing carrot-bean soup with miso, lemon zest, and dill for a flavor punch. We love the rustic nature that’s achieved by keeping vegetable chunks whole rather than pureeing. 
Mexican beans 3 ways: Frijoles charros, oaxaqueños, and puercos

Mexican beans 3 ways: Frijoles charros, oaxaqueños, and puercos

We're sharing 3 ways to transform your next batch of Mexican-style beans into dishes representing regional favorites across Mexico. Each of these preparations starts with a batch of frijoles de la olla.
The future of beans (Part 4)

The future of beans (Part 4)

We’re sharing a behind-the-scenes look at Primary Beans' role in furthering the availability of the highest quality beans to home cooks around the country.

The art of bean breeding (Part 3) - Primary Beans

The art of bean breeding (Part 3)

What exactly is breeding? We’re demystifying the often misunderstood concept of breeding, its important role today, and how it has shaped the availability of beans at the grocery store.
What are heirloom beans? (Part 2) - Primary Beans

What are heirloom beans? (Part 2)

Ever wonder how heirloom beans differ from the run-of-the-mill varieties found at the typical grocery store? Here, we break down the different types of beans and explain the allure of heirloom beans.

Small but mighty: Beans’ treasured role in agriculture (Part 1) - Primary Beans

Small but mighty: Beans’ treasured role in agriculture (Part 1)

The humble bean has been fundamental to meeting agricultural, nutritional, and cultural needs of the societies that have grown them. We're giving you an in-depth look at the evolution of beans.
Persian-style herby beans with yogurt and caramelized onions - Primary Beans

Persian-style herby beans with yogurt and caramelized onions

We’re excited to share one of our favorite recipes, adapted from the herbaceous bean and noodle soup known as ash reshteh, which is typically celebrated during Nowruz.
Favorite shakshuka with chickpeas and harissa - Primary Beans

Favorite shakshuka with chickpeas and harissa

Shakshuka is at the top of our list of eggs-for-dinner recipes, though in Israel it’s brunch fare above all. It’s a one-pan dish of eggs baked in a spice-laden tomato sauce, and served with a pile of warm pita bread. 
Chipotle baked beans with cilantro pesto  - Primary Beans

Chipotle baked beans with cilantro pesto 

 This recipe was just made for the plump, sturdy, and creamy nature of our Ayocote beans. These large beans really shine when bathed in the smoky chipotle-tomato sauce and topped with bright cilantro pesto.
Friday night beans, greens, and sausage - Primary Beans

Friday night beans, greens, and sausage

My partner, Dylan, and I probably make this every-other-Friday (at least). It’s easy enough to make after a long work day, but special enough for it to feel like a Friday.
Our top 5 steps to an organized kitchen - Primary Beans

Our top 5 steps to an organized kitchen

Now that we’ve settled into the role of being our own personal chefs, we thought we’d share our favorite ways to up your cooking game and stay organized in 2021...
Botanica’s bean tartine with sage-pistachio pesto - Primary Beans

Botanica’s bean tartine with sage-pistachio pesto

This stunning recipe comes from Botanica, one of Los Angeles’s leading vegetable-forward restaurants. Primary Beans and Botanica partnered up for a 10-day food festival...
A primer on bean nutrition - Primary Beans

A primer on bean nutrition

Beans are a magical fruit– but not for the reason you think. Beans pack in an average of 21-24 grams of protein per 1-½ cups. They’re also a key dietary source of B vitamins, potassium, magnesium...
Garlicky white bean spread - Primary Beans

Garlicky white bean spread

This creamy spread has it all: it’s classy and decadent, but also crazy simple and nourishing. We love the complexity of flavors that comes from the roasted garlic...
Enrique Olvera's pozole (with beans) - Primary Beans

Enrique Olvera's pozole (with beans)

Deliciously comforting and nourishing, and fortified with hominy, chiles, and pork, it’s no wonder pozole is a celebratory dish all over Mexico. Here we feature Enrique Olvera’s pozole recipe...
Pressure cooker rajma - Primary Beans

Pressure cooker rajma

This iconic North Indian bean stew is the ultimate comfort food. Like a classic chili, the beans are coated with a rich, heavily spiced, tomato-ey sauce. And, it is practically made for the electric pressure cooker.
Creamy beans with herb oil - Primary Beans

Creamy beans with herb oil

A bowl of creamy beans topped with a smooth, vibrant herb oil is the perfect dinner when life is busy and people are hungry. Plus, the leftover herb oil is great for vinaigrettes and drizzled over...
Refried beans - Primary Beans

No-fail refried beans

Once you’ve made a pot of beans using our guide, you’ve allllmost made refried beans. All you need is a little more fat to fry everything up. If you can find quality, pasture-raised lard, use it for the best flavor...
Frijoles de la olla - Primary Beans

Frijoles de la olla

We’ve experimented with enough variations to know that the ultimate Mexican-style brothy beans comes from embracing simplicity. While flavorings vary depending on the region...
Baked beans with greens, dill, and yogurt - Primary Beans

Baked beans with greens, dill, and yogurt

For those of you who love one-dish dinners that don't compromise on complexity of flavor, this one’s for you. Inspired by Greece’s way with beans, this recipe uses a traditional technique...
Pared-down cassoulet - Primary Beans

Pared-down cassoulet

Deceptively known as “peasant fare” in France, cassoulet is as technical as it gets when it comes to beans. Beans are the backbone of this dish and work their magic by absorbing the many flavors...
Creamy beans on toast - Primary Beans

Creamy beans on toast

A no-recipe recipe that is a must-have for your back pocket. Never forget: good, crusty bread is the perfect vessel for creamy beans. Which beans to use? Creamy beans with delicate skins...
Espinacas con garbanzos - Primary Beans

Espinacas con garbanzos

Typically served as a tapa, this lovely stew of chickpeas (aka garbanzos), spinach, garlic, smoked paprika, and homemade croutons will surely make you nostalgic about that last time you traveled...
Pasta e fagioli - Primary Beans

Pasta e fagioli

With as many variations as there are bean varieties, this Italian favorite is the perfect way to show off brothy beans in all their glory. Literally "pasta and beans," the only other ingredients you need are...