Cranberry beans may be known by several names. In Italy they are called borlotti, and New Englanders may refer to them as shell beans. Every now and again they pick up other names like French horticultural beans. These beans get their name from their varicolored appearance. They are usually white or cream in color with deep red or cranberry marks that are distributed in different patterns on the bean. In the US, cranberry beans are a fall crop.

Color can be the least of considerations when cooks choose to use cranberry beans. They have a mild flavor that is somewhat comparable to nuts, particularly chestnut-like. People may be able to find fresh beans, which have the advantage of not requiring soaking prior to use. The fresh beans may need to be shelled. The exterior shell or pod of the bean may turn brown, but this is usually fine provided the beans inside are green or have the typical white and cranberry color markings.

Others content themselves with the dried beans, sold at most of the times during the year. Dried beans should exhibit good color and have no visible deformations. They should be carefully washed and soaked via an approved soaking method prior to use.

As pretty as cranberry beans are when dried or fresh, they don’t keep their color when cooked, a point many cooks regret. They tend to turn light brown after cooking. If looking for redder beans for extra color, cooks are better off choosing those like the kidney bean, which retains its color during the cooking process.

When color is not a concern, cranberry beans can be an excellent choice for lots of recipes calling for legumes. They can be used in a variety of bean stews, baked beans, or bean salads. Adding them to soups provides great nutrition and extra protein, and many really enjoy their nut-like flavor, which does not preclude them from taking on flavors of things with which they’re cooked.

Like many beans, cranberry beans provide excellent nutrition. They are high in fiber; half a cup (113.4 grams) has 36% of the US Recommend Daily Allowance (RDA) of fiber. They’re also low in calories, only about 90 calories for that same size serving. Half a cup of the beans offers 8 grams of protein, which is about 16% of the US RDA. They are also a fat free food.

Most people will be able to locate dried beans at health food stores, natural foods stores, or in some grocery stores.. Another place to look is Italian grocers or delis, which may sell the beans as borlotti. When they are unavailable, pinto beans are the most likely substitute in flavor, size, and taste.