7 Recipes from Joe Yonan’s ‘Cool Beans’ Cookbook

I've never met a bean I didn't like. As a child in west Texas, I ate them multiple times a week as a Tex-Mex side, and I relied on black, pinto, and kidney beans to see me through my penny-pinching college years. Now, as a longtime vegetarian, I'm even more committed to beans: They're some of the oldest foods on the planet, they're beloved in many cuisines around the world, and they're the only food categorized by the USDA as both a protein and a vegetable. Dare I declare beans the world's most important plant-based protein? My new book celebrates beans' diversity and versatility. I'll still gladly eat beans as a Tex-Mex side, but I'm as likely to roast them, bake them in a casserole, stir them into salads, or serve them at a dinner party.

On any given day, I have more than a dozen jars of dried beans in my pantry. I keep several cans of beans on hand, too, for those days when I'm crunched for time.

Beans to Try

You already know black beans, pintos, chickpeas, and cannellini. Try these varieties to broaden your range:

• Gigante (aka Giant Lima): A dramatically large, super-creamy, meaty ban; use in casseroles, stews, and dips.
• Black Chickpea: Often sold as ceci neri in Italian stores and kala chana in Indian markets; known for its nutty flavor and ink-color skin.
• Christmas Lima: It's lightly sweet flavor is reminiscent of chestnuts; use this purple-speckled bean in salads.
• Adzuki: Little red beans native to Asia; their smooth texture and sweet flavor suit desserts and sweets.

Mushroom-Kidney Bean Burgers

For a patty that's über-meatlike and won't crumble or dry out when cooked, I chop and mix the ingredients by hand (versus using a food processor) and parbake the patties. This burger isn't only for vegetarians. Nutritional yeast ($5, Target) is a deactivated yeast that delivers cheesy, umami-rich flavor.

Cumin-Roasted Carrots, Onions, and Lemons with Bean Spread

This Greek-inspired dish uses a garlicky puree of gigante beans ($1, Target) as the base for a colorful pile of honey-sweetened roasted veggies. (If you can't find gigante beans, use limas.) Serve on flatbread at your next party for an interactive app.

Falafel Fattoush

A Middle Eastern bread salad gets the sheet-pan treatment. And you get all the flavors of a falafel wrap; spiced chickpeas, creamy tahini sauce, and pita; without the frying.

Cuban-Style Orange-Scented Black Beans

Like many Latin American dishes, this pot of beans gets a big flavor bump from a sofrito, a sauté of onion, tomato, garlic, and aromatics. (My Cuban version includes bell peppers and chiles too.) I like to use my pressure cooker, but these citrusy black beans turn out just as well simmered on the stove top or baked in a low-temp oven

Ratatouille Cassoulet

Two iconic French dishes meet in one: Layer summer vegetables and crispy bread crumbs over white beans simmered in tomato sauce, and bake until the dish is bubbly and the top is browned and crusty. Your house has never smelled so good.

Enfrijoladas with Sweet Potatoes and Caramelized Onions

Years ago, I became enamored with Mexican enfrijoladas: tortillas smothered in pinto or black bean puree and covered with fresh, crunchy toppers. (Think of them as no-bake enchiladas for bean-lovers.) I like to fill mine with sweet potato chunks and caramelized onions, but feel free to add chicken, cheese, or ground beef.

Tacu Tacu (Peruvian Beans and Rice)

In Peru, this pancake of leftover rice and canary beans often is served in individual portions topped with meat or eggs. I prefer pan-frying one large cake that I cut into wedges. A fresh onion salsa is a spicy counterpoint to the beans' creaminess.

If these few recipes have you loving beans in almost every meal, get all 100+ recipes in Cool Beans: The Ultimate Guide to Cooking with the World's Most Versatile Plant-Based Protein, with 125 Recipes ($20, Amazon).