Great northern bean
Phaseolus vulgaris · Legume
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The great northern bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) is a medium-sized, flattened-oval, ivory-white common bean — a North American haricot type that sits between the small navy bean and the large cannellini. Mild, faintly nutty and a touch sweet, it cooks to a tender, creamy interior while holding its shape better than the smaller navy bean, which makes it the all-purpose white bean for soups, stews, baked beans, cassoulet and purées.
Picking a good onedrag
New crop, soaks and softens fastOld and hard, never fully softens
Shop stockEveryday bestThe ordinary bag, for white bean soup, chili and cassoulet. Soak five hours or overnight, drain, boil hard in fresh water 30 minutes, then simmer until soft.
Colour of the beansWarm cream to pale ivory, still even
Coats and splitsA few slipped skins and chipped edges
Date on the packetA year or so back, well inside its date
Smell of the dry beansNeutral and papery, a plain dry-store note
What you get from one
100%
Edible part
no refuse, all edible · 1 cup dry → about 2½–3 cups cooked