Need a great meal starter?
Randall Great Northern Beans are a must to keep stocked in your pantry! Our white beans are a perfect blank canvas to build any kind of meal around. Their full-bodied, rich, nutty and creamy flavors absorb most flavors and make them a great compliment in just about every dish you put them in.
That’s not to say white beans don’t play favorites though. Great northern beans have a slightly more delicate flavor than say kidney beans or pinto beans, which typically pair well with beef. Because of their delicacy and subtlety, white beans are an excellent pairing with lighter meats like pork, chicken and even fish.
Great northern beans are also very sturdy and resilient against prolonged cooking, like kidney beans, making them a great ingredient in soups, stews and chili. Because the base flavors of white beans are so nutty and subdued, they also pair well in dishes that utilize vibrant and aromatic spices and herbs. They nicely balance herbs like thyme and rosemary, that can often overpower a dish.
With these few pointers, you should be able to use our great northern beans to cook up something truly delicious! But, if you don’t know where to start, allow us to offer a couple suggestions. We love using white beans in a variety of recipes from soups and stews to burgers and salads. Here’s a little sampling of some of our absolute favorite great northern bean for you to try out!
Ham, Great Northern Bean and Collard Green Soup
There’s no more iconic duo than ham and beans, everyone knows that. While any kind of bean can be used to make a good ham and beans recipe, white beans are the top choice for purists. With so many ham and bean recipes in our collection, it’s hard to pick a favorite. It’s kind of like having to pick your favorite child! But, we decided to share this one with you because of its simplicity and heartiness. This recipe is great for a chilly evening but the addition of collard greens (or kale if you prefer) gives it some freshness that makes it more appealing during the warmer months too.
White Bean Chicken Chili
Kidney beans may be a common pick for traditional chili recipes, but white beans are the foundation for white chilis that don’t use tomatoes and often use chicken as the meat choice. White chili is typically creamier and allows herbs and spices like oregano to really shine through. This recipe checks all these boxes and is a hearty fill-up recipe for game day or feeding a crowd.
White Bean and Kale Burgers
Veggie burgers aren’t just black bean territory. White beans’ hearty and nutty flavors make them a strong component for bean burgers. Bean burgers are a much healthier and equally delicious alternative to beef patties because they are packed full of more vitamins and protein than a regular patty. They also have a much better calorie by weight ratio, so they will satisfy your hunger without totally stuffing you sick.
Vegetable White Bean Hash with Tahini Sauce
Like we said, white beans aren’t just great for hearty dishes. They are also a great ingredient for delicate and refined dishes like this tasty summer vegetable hash. This light, healthy and vegan-friendly recipe brings together asparagus, carrots, turnips, onions and Randall Great Northern Beans together all in one fresh vegetable hash. Serve it over rice for a full meal or as a side dish, thanks to beans this dish is extremely flexible!
Want more recipes and inspiration on how to use white beans and all our other variety of Randall Beans? Head over to our recipe page!
