Greek White Bean Salad

Bean salads don’t just have to be a side dish–they can be the star of your meal with the right ingredients and finesse. On a recent weekend when heating up the stove seemed like way too much work, I threw together a quick salad. The great northern white beans are filling enough that, when combined with a tangy dressing and some chunky fresh vegetables, it made a perfect lunch and made plenty to snack on throughout the weekend.

Greek White Bean Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 24 ounce jar Randall Beans Deluxe Great Northern White Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 English (seedless) cucumber, cut into chunks
• 1 container cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Slowly whisk olive oil into the balsamic vinegar, stirring constantly. Add garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and basil. Tip: lightly crush the red pepper flakes and basil in your hand to release the oils in the herbs. Toss the beans and the vegetables lightly to coat. Taste to adjust seasoning. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. The flavor of the salad will improve overnight as the beans marinate, and this dish is equally delicious room temperature or cold. Serve it as a side dish to grilled chicken or fish or eat as its own for a light meal.

What’s In Your Beans?

Randall Beans are a natural food that includes only the best ingredients we can find. Our beans include only four ingredients: fully cooked beans, water, sugar and salt. That’s it. No hidden preservatives, no gunky chemicals. Just delicious beans ready for you and your family to eat and enjoy.

Nutritional label for Randall Beans Deluxe Great Northern Beans

Nutritional label for Randall Beans Deluxe Pinto Beans

Nutritional label for Randall Beans Deluxe Mixed Beans

Mixed Beans Nutritional Information

Our mixed beans contain only the choicest beans, cooked simply and ready for your table. Find out more about the nutrition that’s included in every jar of Randall Beans Deluxe Mixed Beans:

Ingredients: Cooked beans, water, salt, sugar

Pinto Beans Nutritional Information

What’s in our delicious and healthy pinto beans? Only the best ingredients. Check out the nutrition that’s packed into ever jar of Randall Beans pinto beans:

Ingredients: Cooked beans, water, salt, sugar

Great Northern White Beans Nutritional Information

Just how healthy are our beans? Check out the full nutritional information on Randall Beans’ great northern white beans:

Ingredients: Cooked beans, water, salt, sugar

Light Lunches: Easy Salads with Beans

It’s a lazy weekend at home, and you need a light lunch to get you through the afternoon. Or maybe you want to pack something to eat at work that won’t leave you feeling heavy and tired all afternoon. Whatever the case, a light salad fortified with beans is just the thing you need. Dark, leafy greens spiced up with an interesting dressing and topped with your favorite Randall Beans are substantial enough to keep you full through the afternoon while light in your stomach and on your waistline. Here are just a few suggestions for how salads with beans can become your new go-to lunch:

Arugula Salad with White Beans and Roasted Red Peppers

Arugula is usually described as having a peppery or a light taste. It’s definitely a lot more interesting than your normal salad greens, especially when it’s paired with the soft nuttiness of great northern white beans and the smokiness of roasted red peppers. Dressed with a simple, classic combination of garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, a handful of flat leaf parsley added at the last moment adds an herbal pop.

Pinto Bean and Spinach Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette 

Lightly wilted spinach is combined with dense, hearty pinto beans and tossed in a surprisingly complex dressing of Dijon mustard, fresh cracked black pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Add a few capers for some sourness and a handful of scallions for a bit of crunch, and you have a meal that’s both surprising and satisfying. Enjoy warm or cold. If you’re looking to add a little decadence, why not add a handful of crumbled bacon on top?

Spinach, White Bean and Bacon Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette 

Whew, what a name, right? This dish is a mouthful of sweet, sour and salty flavors. Tender spinach leaves, creamy great northern beans, crunchy red peppers and of course, everyone’s favorite: bacon. Add even more flavor when you add the dressing, a thick, just-sweet-enough concoction of maple syrup, Dijon mustard and cider vinegar.

Salads with beans make a great easy lunch or simple supper. What’s your favorite recipe?

Why We Use Glass Jars for Our Beans

Randall Beans are known for their distinctive glass jars. While once common, today Randall Beans is one of the only brands of cooked beans to use glass jars. Why does a simple jar matter so much? Turns out, it can make a big difference.

It might sound crazy, but glass jars can be good for your health. Most  metal cans used for packaging food contain a chemical called Bisphenol-A, better known as BPA. It’s used to prevent corrosion on the inside of cans. Unfortunately, BPA can cause a range of health problems including developmental and neurological delays in fetuses and infants, thyroid issues in adults and even an increase in certain types of cancer. By using glass jars, we’re able to offer a product that’s 100 percent BPA-free. After all, we feed Randall Beans to our kids, too, and strongly believe in giving you a product that’s not just delicious, but is safe as well.

Metal cans can also impart a certain tinny flavor to foods, especially those with subtle flavor like great northern white beans, while glass jars truly let the taste of the food shine through. It’s also a fantastic choice for the environment, since glass is one of the most recyclable products on the planet. Unlike other materials, glass doesn’t degrade or break down in the recycling process–it’s simply melted and reformed into its new shape, with no waste.

Finally, using glass jars is a tradition at Randall Beans. Maybe it reminds you of that jar of beans you used to see in your grandmother’s pantry, or maybe your family uses them to store buttons or to dye Easter eggs. We’re always surprised at the innovative ways people find to reuse our jars.

Using glass in this day and age is unusual, but we wouldn’t have it any other way at Randall Beans.

Put Beans on Your Easter Table

The Easter baskets are ready. The eggs are hidden. You’re ready for Easter. But what’s going to go on that Easter supper table? Whether you favor a traditional dinner with lamb or ham and have your own unique Easter traditions, great northern white beans make the perfect accompaniment. Mash them, bake them, or serve them as a bed for a perfectly roasted leg of lamb:

Cheesy White Bean and Onion Bake

Caramelized onions are a sweet counterpoint to savory white beans. Smother it all in gooey cheese for a side dish that’s a little crunchy, a little creamy and with tons of flavor. A hint of fresh thyme adds an interesting herbal note. This is a fantastic side dish to serve with your sweet honey ham on Easter Sunday.

Mashed White Beans with Cauliflower and Leeks

Everyone loves mashed potatoes, but they can be so heavy and fattening. Get the same thick, satisfying taste with a fraction of the calories with these mashed white beans. The flavor comes from nutty white beans and slow-cooked leeks. This is also a vegan recipe, so it’s perfect if you have guests with dietary restrictions. And your thighs will thank you for leaving out the fattening butter and cream!

Roast Lamb with White Beans

Still not sure about a main course for the big day? You’ll be surprised at how easy this leg of lamb lamb over white beans is. Cut a few slits in the leg of lamb and insert cloves of garlic and sprigs of rosemary. Roast for an hour, then add white beans, tomatoes and wine. It’s a rustic but stunning dish.

What are your favorite Easter bean recipes?

When to Use Great Northern White Beans

You’ve found an awesome bean salad recipe or clipped a killer recipe for baked beans. But when you scan down the list of ingredients, it just calls for “white beans.” What does that mean? What kind of beans should you be using?

The three most common types of white beans available in America are great northern white beans, cannellini beans and navy beans. To the untrained eye, they look pretty darn similar. Cannellinis are the largest of the bunch, while navy beans are the smallest. Cannellinis hold their shape well, while navy beans tend to lose their form when cooked. And somewhere in the middle you find great northern beans, which is why they’re the go-to bean for most pantries.

They’re a medium size, which means they still heat through quickly, but aren’t so small you need to use a spoon to eat them. They keep their shape, but cook them long enough and they become soft, silky and perfect for purees. Their flavor is nutty, but not overpowering. They can be a starring attraction in a salad or a backup singer in soup with equal ease, depending on what you pair with them.

Great northern beans are versatile, and when you use Randall Beans’ pre-cooked great northern white beans, you’ll always be just minutes away from a great dinner. Throw some great northern beans into a pot with a little ham for a stellar and classic soup, or dress them up with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts for a classy, delicious bean salad.

Don’t let the phrase “white beans” confuse you. There’s really only one kind of white bean you need to keep on your shelf. Find where you can purchase Randall Beans great northern white beans near you, or order online.

No Meat, No Problem: Vegan Bean Recipes

Being a vegan means you don’t eat any product that comes from an animal, including meat, fish, dairy, eggs and even honey. For many it’s a lifestyle choice, but eating vegan occasionally can be great for your waistline and your wallet. Meat and cheese are expensive, and include fats that can clog your arteries and cling to your hips.

Beans make a fantastic addition to vegan meals. They’re high in protein and leave you feeling full. Whether you’re a committed vegan or just interested in trying something new, give these vegan bean recipes a try:

Pinto Bean and Kale Thibka

There’s so much flavor in this spicy North African dish you’ll forget there isn’t a scrap of meat in it. Thibka is a delicacy that pairs pinto beans with dark green kale, spicy jalapenos, bunches of fresh herbs and smoked paprika. Serve this treat drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice for a hearty, filling meal that’ll transport you to an entirely different world.

White Bean Potato Burgers with Basil

Everyone loves a thick, juicy burger, and this meatless version is sure to satisfy. Mashed great northern white beans are combined with steamed potatoes and nutritional yeast and formed into patties. Grill ‘em and serve on whole wheat buns with leaves of fresh basil on top. The patties are crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside, and the fresh basil gives this burger a definite “wow!” factor.

Pinto Bean Pueblo Corn Pie

All right, it’s really more of a casserole than a pie, but this tasty southwestern dish proves that vegan food can still have tons of flavor–and even cheese! Combine pinto beans and corn with your favorite chili seasonings. Top it with cornmeal and bake until it’s golden brown and bubbling. Top with a vegan cheese substitute and you’ll  have an incredible dish everyone will love.

Vegan bean recipes are anything  but boring–what are your favorites?