From Camellia Band Navy Beans and Great Northern Beans to Large Limas and more, our favorite white beans are buttery, delicious, and deserve their own day of the week. Whether you’re looking for easy Instant Pot recipes, slow simmering stovetop favorites, Cajun cuisine or something with Mexican flair, you’ll find a delicious round up of white beans here. So, let’s get cooking.   

Café Reconcile’s White Beans and Shrimp

Café Reconcile is a destination lunch spot for a lot of New Orleanians, and their famous White Beans and Shrimp dish is a local favorite.

Great Northern Beans & Ham

We can thank our friend Chef Jennifer Hill Booker for this delicious recipe. It’s from her cookbook Field Peas to Foie Gras: Southern Recipes with a French Accent.

Creamy Bean and Collard Greens Soup

A quintessential comfort food, this Creamy Bean and Collard Greens Soup is full of Southern flavor.

Instant Pot Navy Beans

Featuring smoked sausage that’s browned right in the Instant Pot, this is a great weeknight recipe that offers big, savory flavor.

Instant Pot Southern Large Limas with Ham Hock

Lima Beans with Shrimp and Andouille

Simmering white beans with Andouille sausage brings amazing spices and seasonings to the pot, but adding fresh peeled shrimp in the last few minutes of cooking really takes this dish up a notch.

Frijoles Charros

South-Louisiana Style White Beans & Rice

Have you ever seen the term “white beans” and wondered if it was referring to Navy beans, Great Northern beans, Cannellini beans, or Baby Lima beans? Well, it could be referring to any and all of them. And since there are so many varieties of white beans, it’s easy to be confused by what differentiates one from another. Let’s break it down:

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. They have a mild flavor and are the bean of choice for classic Boston baked beans, Navy Bean Chowder, and quintessential South Louisiana-Style White Beans & Rice. Interestingly, the Navy bean name comes from its use as a food staple by the U.S. Navy in the early 1900s. While all beans are high in fiber, Navy beans have the most — 19 grams per cup!

Great Northern Beans

Larger than Navy Beans but smaller than Cannellini beans, medium-sized Great Northern beans are known for their mild, nutty flavor and firm flesh. 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.

Cannellini Beans

Cannellini beans are the largest of the group and because of their traditional kidney shape, they can also be referred to as White Kidney Beans. Meatier than Navy or Great Northern beans, they have a nutty, earthy flavor and tender flesh, and are often used in Italian dishes like Minestrone. They retain their shape and texture well, so they’re perfect to use in salads, soups, stews, and chili.

Baby Lima Beans

Also called “butterbeans”, Baby Lima beans are small, smooth, and creamy with a rich, buttery texture. They’re starchier than other beans and are often used in soups, stews, succotash, and casseroles, or just cooked simply with herbs and spices. In the south, they’re often cooked with ham or bacon and served over rice.

Substituting One Variety for Another

The reality is that even though the different varieties have slightly different flavors and sizes, (and everyone has their personal favorites), they’re often used interchangeably in recipes. So, for example, if a recipe calls for Cannellinis, and you only have Great Northerns on hand, your dish will still come out fine and taste delicious. So try them all to see which you like best, and enjoy.

When you hear “white beans”, you might think of Navy beans, Great Northern beans, Cannellini beans, or Baby Lima beans. Which ones are the real white beans? Actually, all of them are. While you won’t see them labeled as such, these varieties are often referred to generally as white beans, and depending on the qualities you’re looking for, different types are found and used in everything from soups and stews to regional southern favorites.

Cozy Minestrone with Cannellini Beans

If you’re on the hunt for a healthy, hearty soup that combines fresh vegetables, pasta, diced tomatoes, and large white beans that retain their kidney shape, look no further than a delicious Cozy Minestrone made with Cannellini beans. Cannellini beans have an earthy flavor and are often found in Italian dishes. With fresh zucchini, green beans, basil, and shaved Parmesan on top, this filling vegetarian meal is loaded with protein and fiber and is perfect for warming up on a cold night. Pair it with a green salad and cheesy crostini for a nutritious meal. And since it makes so many servings, it’s great for feeding a crowd or enjoying leftovers all week long.

White Bean & Spinach Soup with Great Northern beans

Another popular combination comes together in this wonderful White Bean & Spinach Soup. With a base of onion, celery, garlic, and veggie broth, the soup features creamy, medium-sized Great Northern beans that are known for their nutty flavor and firm flesh. Fresh sprigs of thyme and rosemary are what makes the soup fragrant, while wilted leafy greens add a pop of color — as well as lots of vitamins and minerals. Topped off with lemon juice for brightness, this soup is a meatless meal that really satisfies.

South Louisiana-Style White Beans & Rice with Navy Beans

A local and regional dish that’s almost as beloved as New Orleans Red Beans & Rice is South Louisiana-Style White Beans & Rice. Typically made with small, oval Navy beans, the trinity, and either smoked or andouille sausage, this quintessential dish is similar to the way many people prepare their red beans. But it’s the creamy, quick-cooking Navy bean that really sets it apart and makes it perfect for mashing against the side of the pot. South Louisiana-Style White Beans & Rice are finished off by stirring in chopped fresh parsley and chopped green onions, and they might just give your red beans & rice a run for their money. Whip up a batch and give ’em a try. Interesting side note: Navy beans are also the standard varietal used in classic American baked beans.

Dorothy’s Delicious Baby Lima Beans

Another southern favorite that features a fourth type of white bean is Dorothy’s Delicious Baby Lima Beans. A simple, hearty recipe that simmers Baby Limas with chopped onion, garlic, butter, and ham, it makes a great main dish or side dish, depending on what you pair it with. Also called “butterbeans”, you might guess that Baby Lima beans are small and creamy with a rich, buttery texture – and you’d be right.

It’s perfectly ok to swap out one of these varieties for another in any of your favorite dishes – just keep in mind that their size and texture vary, as do their cooking times. If you had to pick just one — Great Northerns are probably the most versatile to use in any kind of recipe. That said, variety is the spice of life — so be sure to give them all a try.

If you haven’t gotten on the mason jar meal bandwagon yet, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about. Well, by following a few simple guidelines outlined below, you can end up with fun, easy, make-ahead meals for on-the-go that save time and money. They also feature great ingredients, include powerful bean protein, and offer you a delicious meal right at your desk – or anywhere else you happen to be.

Sure, making mason jar meals requires some planning and meal prep, but the jars make it fun and different. Mason jars keep all the flavor and freshness locked in, and with the right layering technique, they’ll keep your ingredients from getting soggy. Your average plastic storage container just can’t do that.

Tips for Creating, Building & Enjoying Mason Jar Meals:

1. Prep and cook ingredients that will add healthy bulk to your mason jar meals and keep well in the fridge.
   • Try protein-rich make-ahead beans and lentils.
   • Whip up batches of whole grains like brown rice, pasta, and quinoa.
   • Shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
   • Clean and pre-chop vegetables.
2. The key to keeping everything crisp in a mason jar is to add dressing first, in the bottom of the jar. Then, on top of the dressing, add layers of hearty beans, lentils, and vegetables that won’t soak up the dressing. Then, add layers of more delicate items like rice, tomatoes, and lettuce, etc., towards the top.
3. Make a week’s worth of mason jar meals at one time. With all of your pre-made ingredients ready to go, it’s easy to build them all at once. Then just grab one each day as you head out the door.
4. When you’re ready to eat, simply unscrew the mason jar, turn it upside down over a bowl, and pour out. You’ll end up with a healthy, delicious, portion-controlled meal, and the dressing will be right on top, just as it should be.

Three Easy Mason Jar Meal Ideas

Try these great combinations for a variety of flavors, ingredients, and healthy protein.

1. Southwestern-Style Black Bean Salad: Start with a delicious, homemade Avocado Cilantro dressing, and add it to the bottom of a jar. Next, add corn, black or pinto beans, brown rice, sliced grape tomatoes, avocado chunks, and lettuce.
2. Quinoa Lentil Salad: Shake up a bright, lemony dressing right inside a mason jar — made from lemon juice, olive oil, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Top dressing with lentils, broccoli florets, chopped green onions, shredded chicken, and quinoa.
3. Spinach, Artichoke & White Bean Salad: Add your favorite Italian dressing to the bottom of a mason jar. Top with navy or great northern beans, chopped artichokes, orzo pasta, chopped tomatoes, and fresh baby spinach.

Now get creative — it’s all about mixing it up!

Kid-Friendly Pasta & White Bean Salad

An easy-to-throw-together, colorful pasta salad that can be eaten warm, chilled, or room-temperature, this Kid-Friendly Pasta & White Bean Salad features their favorites (yep, fun-shaped pasta and cheese) as well as sliced grape tomatoes, bits of broccoli, and cooked, creamy Great Northern Beans or Navy (Pea) Beans. To keep things simple and kid-palette-approved, the pasta salad gets tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Get the recipe.

Cheesy Bean Quesadilla

An always-welcome treat, this Cheesy Bean Quesadilla is made with shredded sharp Cheddar, whole Pinto Beans (or refried beans), and a sprinkling of chopped red onion. Serve with a small side container of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for dipping, and you’ll get smiles and requests to repeat this favorite later in the week. Get the recipe.

Flourless Black Bean Brownies

Shh. There’s really no need to tell the kids that these flourless brownies are made with cooked Black Beans. Fudgy and delicious, they’ll provide a sweet end to their lunchtime meal and some healthy fiber and protein to boot. Got a kid who’s gluten-free? This recipe is right up your alley. In fact, you’ll have trouble resisting these brownies yourself.

Crispy Cinnamon Garbanzo Beans

Roasted garbanzo beans are a super crunchy, tasty snack that you’ve probably started to see on the healthy snack food aisle at your local grocery store. Well, save yourself some money, and make them at home in your own oven with this kid-friendly recipe that incorporates cinnamon and sugar. A great mid-morning or afternoon snack, they’re an awesome lunchbox addition that tastes good and is good for them.

Cowboy Caviar

One of our most popular recipes, Cowboy Caviar is a refreshing dip that combines cooked Camellia Brand Blackeye Peas, tomatoes, peppers, red onion, and cilantro in a tangy red wine vinaigrette. Great as an appetizer served with tortilla or corn chips, it also works well as a cool summer side to chicken, beef, or seafood. It’s a versatile recipe that’s often changed to please the palates of Texans, Californians, Mississippians and more. Some add corn or avocado, and some use pinto beans, black beans, or red kidney beans. Any which way you tweak it, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Field Pea Salsa

A different take on a cool bean salad, this salsa is made with cooked Camellia Brand Field Peas, corn, red onion, red bell pepper, cilantro, olive oil, and lime juice. Light and flavorful, it pairs well with chips and crackers, adds protein, fiber, and flavor to a green salad, and complements both grilled fish and chicken.

Lima Bean Spread

Made with cooked, buttery Camellia Brand Large Lima Beans, this creamy spread gets puréed in a food processor and spiked with lemon juice, garlic, red onion, fresh parsley, cumin, and cayenne. Serve spread on toasted baguette slices, your favorite crackers, or on a sandwich wrap.

Navy Bean Salad

A refreshing combination of cooked Camellia Brand Navy Beans, julienned carrots, red onion, and corn kernels tossed in a rice vinegar dressing with fresh parsley, this dish is sure to cool things off in a hurry. Serve alongside grilled sausage or burgers, and get ready to dig in to summer.

BBQ baked beans are an essential side dish at the best summer backyard barbecues. Here, you’ll find 6 stand-out, homemade versions that’ll round out any menu and make you ditch any notion of going the canned route. Plus, you get way more bang for you buck using dried beans vs. canned. Featuring a variety of beans, these easy-to-make, pinnable recipes go for deep, distinctive flavor – whether smoky, tangy, slightly sweet, or spicy – and are perfectly seasoned to bring out the best in grilled, smoked, or slow-cooked meats. And a couple are made in the slow cooker, so you can’t get any easier than that. Add one to your line up or bring it to a potluck — along with this incredible Buttermilk Cornbread recipe that complements them all — and guests will keep coming back for more.

Slow Cooker Bourbon Maple BBQ Beans

The key ingredients in this delicious vegetarian recipe are Camellia Brand Great Northern Beans (you can also use Navy Beans or Pintos), bourbon, molasses, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, mustard powder, ketchup, dark brown sugar, and barbecue rub. And because it’s made in a slow cooker, it’s simple to throw together. The bourbon gives the dish richness, maple syrup and brown sugar give it sweetness, and even though it takes 10 hours to cook, it’s totally worth the wait. So set it, and forget it! Just be sure to sauté the veggies before adding them to the slow cooker. (You can skip this step if you must, but the deep flavor won’t be the same). Pair the finished dish with savory mains like barbecue chicken and ribs.

Slow Cooker Charro Beans

Flavored with bacon, garlic, tomatoes, green chiles, cilantro, spices and a bottle of amber beer, frijoles charros (cowboy beans) made with Camellia Brand Pinto Beans are served warm and soupy. A traditional dish named for Mexican horsemen, or charros, this recipe is an amazing accompaniment to pulled pork sandwiches with crunchy coleslaw. Smoky and tangy, it’s a cinch to make because the slow cooker does all the work, and it’s a fantastic way to feed a crowd.

Chipotle Baked Beans

Featuring Camellia Navy (Pea) Beans, bacon, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, red onion, dark brown sugar, ketchup and mustard, this smoky dish comes together quickly. Cook the navy beans ahead of time and refrigerate (a day or two ahead is fine), then when you’re ready, mix all the ingredients together, pour into a casserole dish, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbling. So fast and easy, the dish goes great with hot dogs, brats, and more.

Cowboy Beans & Rice

This effortless, hearty casserole — when paired with our Buttermilk Cornbread — can be a meal all by itself, or you can serve it along side your other backyard BBQ favorites. Simply cook ground beef, chopped onion, and chopped green bell pepper together on the stovetop, and then combine in a baking dish with rice, seasonings, water, cooked Camellia Brand Pinto Beans, tomato juice, and green chiles. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, and enjoy!

Colonel Vincent’s Southern-Style Baked Beans

In this super tasty baked bean dish, Camellia Brand Navy (Pea) Beans are slowly simmered with a hambone, onion, bell pepper, and seasonings until tender. Then the hambone is removed, and the beans get spiked with ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar, and layered in a casserole dish with strips of bacon. Baked for 1 1/2 – 2 hours in a 350 degree oven, they come out both sweet and savory. Made the true southern way – low and slow!

Elizabeth’s Perfectly Pink BBQ Beans

Talk about a rich, delicious recipe with a kick! This dish features Camellia Brand Pink Beans (similar to Pintos, but smaller and rounder), salt pork or ham hock, chili powder, dry mustard, sugar, molasses and onion. Simmered to perfection and lip-smacking good, these BBQ beans offer big flavor and pair well with everything from ribs to burgers. An old family recipe of Elizabeth Hayward’s (a matriarch of the Hayward family), it has been enjoyed at family get-togethers for generations.

Buttermilk Cornbread

What would BBQ baked beans be without sweet cornbread to sop up the goodness? That’s why you need this Buttermilk Cornbread recipe baked in what else, but a cast iron skillet, of course. Taking a few extra moments to brown the butter gives the recipe depth, and the end result is delightful for breakfast and as the perfect complement to your baked beans. Like it sweeter? Add a bit more maple, honey, or agave to suit your palate.

Your summer backyard barbecues are about to get a whole lot tastier!

The Reveillon Tradition and History
The sharing of an opulent repast following the holiday Mass on Christmas Eve and again on New Year’s Eve was a custom inherited by Louisiana’s Creoles from their European ancestors. Though guests were invited for New Year’s Eve, the Christmas Reveillon was strictly a family affair with grandparents given places of honor at the table, the choicest selections from the meal, and the attention and adoration of the younger members of the family. Only the most exceptional foods would suffice for these feasts. While their European relatives dined on escargots, foie gras and turkey stuffed with chestnuts, the south Louisiana celebrant would have enjoyed a regionally adapted menu of oyster stew or turtle soup; rich puddings and custards; cold beef daube glace; and fragrant roast game or sausage, perhaps braised in a savory pie or casserole with beans or legumes. Copious amounts of wine, brandy and cordials would have loosened things up for participants on either continent and candied fruits and fanciful desserts like bûche de Noël or croquembouche would have completed the meal and sent the devout tottering off to bed stuffed and satiated, probably as the sun came up.

Reveillon’s Rebirth
By the 1930s, the tradition of the old Creole Reveillon dinner had largely disappeared from the roster of holiday celebrations. However, by the 1980s, the Creoles’ descendants embraced anew those historic customs that distinguished them from everyone everywhere else. The custom of lavish holiday dinners was resurrected. Restaurants started offering multi-course “Reveillon” dinner menus during conventional dining hours throughout the holiday season, and ambitious home cooks eager to show off their talents (and their fine china) re-adopted the practice as well.

The Contemporary Reveillon Dinner
The contemporary Reveillon dinner can take virtually any form so long as the foods bear an air of luxury in either their composition or execution. This is the time to trot out the delicacies or slave over something complicated and impressive. Being at the peak of their season, oysters are often chosen to start the meal, followed by a rich bisque or hearty gumbo. A course of roast game or a lavish cut of meat might follow along with a rich savory pie or casserole. A once-a-year showstopper dessert should round out the meal.

Cassoulet, a rich white bean casserole, is perfect for the Holiday Table
This cassoulet of fresh Gulf shrimp, Louisiana’s famous smoked andouille sausage, and creamy white beans is a rich and fragrant one-pot dish that can simmer away on the stove as you work on other parts of your celebratory meal. It pairs beautifully with roasted meats and game as well as fish. The regionally-adapted stew would have been familiar to our French ancestors. Though traditional European cassoulets vary by region, they were historically built upon a base of white beans and cooked in a sealed crock with slanting sides, known as a cassole, from which the dish takes its name.

Camellia’s Shrimp, Andouille and White Bean Cassoulet

1 (1-pound) Camellia navy beans soaked overnight
5 bay leaves, in all
Creole seasoning
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (another smoked sausage or bacon may be substituted)
1 medium onion, diced
4 ribs celery, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 28-ounce can whole peeled Roma tomatoes
2 bay leaves
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 bunch green onions, chopped
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 cups Panko breadcrumbs
1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 pounds medium Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined
Hot French bread

Add the navy beans, three bay leaves, and Creole seasoning to taste to a large saucepot. Add enough water to cover the beans by 3 inches. Bring to a boil and cook, adding additional water as necessary, until beans are soft, about 1 hour. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Add the Andouille and cook until brown, about 10 minutes. Add the onion, celery, garlic, oregano, and Creole seasoning to taste; cook until the vegetables are tender and translucent, about 7 minutes.

Crush the tomatoes with your hands over the contents of the Dutch oven before adding them to the pot. Add the 2 remaining bay leaves, Worcestershire, reserved navy beans, thyme, and green onions. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the beans have absorbed the broth, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile set a low broiler. Combine the Panko, Parmesan, oregano or thyme leaves, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Add the shrimp to the Dutch oven, and cook until they are thoroughly pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Top the contents of the Dutch oven with the Panko mixture. Place under the broiler and cook until the Panko is lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

Alternatively, the cassoulets may be broiled and served in individual ramekins.

Makes 8 servings.