The kidney bean is a large, glossy, deep-red, kidney-shaped variety of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), the New World species that also gives us black, pinto and navy beans. Meaty and faintly sweet, it turns creamy yet holds its shape through long simmering, which makes it the defining bean of chili con carne, Louisiana red beans and rice, and North Indian rajma. Sold dried or pre-cooked in cans, it is cheap, shelf-stable and rich in plant protein and fibre — but the dried seed is genuinely toxic raw and must be boiled hard before eating.