Dry vs. Canned Beans: Which is Better For What?

Photo by Milada Vigerova on Unsplash

When it comes to deciding between canned and dried beans, there are benefits to both; canned beans are already cooked and can be eaten straight away, while dried beans take a lot of time and preparation to make. However, some recipes turn out better with one rather than the other, so use this guide to determine which you need next time you go to the grocery store.

Hummus

If youā€™re making hummus, go for canned. Since you need the chickpeas super soft, itā€™s often easier to just take them from the can. If you donā€™t cook your chickpeas enough, youā€™ll end up with a chalky hummus.

Stews

Most Italian stews like pasta e fagoli, or beans and pasta, use dried beans. Anytime you are making something that you want to cook for a while, using dried beans will make sure the flavor is absorbed but that the beans donā€™t turn out too mushy.

Falafel

Making falafel at home is a great skill to have, and for most recipes, you really need to use dried. The reason is because falafel needs to hold its shape when fried, and using canned chickpeas will make the mixture too soft and your falafel simply wonā€™t hold up.