While multicolored beans steal the show with their attractive color variations, solid-colored beans also have a place on stage.
Beans of one color have their own particular charm. Read on to learn more about solid-colored beans.
A Look at Solid Bean Colors
Nearly every color of the rainbow is seen in solid-colored beans. Beans of one color, as if dropped from a painter's pallet, come in hues ranging from delicate white to cream, from bold pink to robust red, from green to black and nearly every other color in between.
A Bean is a Bean . . . or is it?
While solid-colored beans may not sport eye-grabbing stripes, swirls or spots, as is seen in multicolored beans, beans of one color can grow into unique shapes and sizes.
Solid-Colored Beans: Colors, Shapes, Sizes
- Amethyst Beans--Amethyst beans are a rich dark purplish color. Their creamy texture makes them good in salsa.
- Black Turtle Beans--Cute looking roundish black beans, turtle beans offer a rich flavor and are used in a variety of dishes. They are also called Turtle Soup Beans.
- Brown Rice Beans--Rice beans bear an uncanny resemblance to brown rice, with their narrow oblong shape and beige color. With their mild flavor, they are a good salad choice.
- Fava Beans--Strange looking and oddly shaped, Fava beans resemble large flattish stones that would be at home in a creek bottom. These brownish beans are popular in Europe and are considered an Old World variety.
- Garbanzo Beans--This popular bean looks more like a yellow-colored pea with its roundish shape and somewhat shriveled appearance. Garbanzo beans have a rich nutty flavor and are a favorite in salad or soups. These solid-colored beans are a popular ingredient in dips such as Hummus.
- Gigandas Beans--Gigandas beans resemble large flat, ivory-colored pebbles. Gigandas are an impressive 1" in length and have been popular in different cultures for centuries. A creamy texture makes this bean suited to pureeing.
- Green Mung Dal Beans--It's hard to think of a bean being a dark green color but exotic-looking Mung Dal beans are just that. They are most often used in sprouted form in Chinese dishes.
- Green Rice Beans--Green rice beans also contend for a rice-like shape. These are delicate, single-colored beans that look like rice grains and range from a white color to a light green.
- Pebble Beans--Sturdy looking pebble beans resemble their rock-like counterparts, ranging in color from brown to grey to white. While some pebble beans show striation, perhaps most interesting of all is that different solid-colored pebble beans grow on the same plant!
- Soy Beans--Soy beans are different-looking beans of one color: small, round, and light. Their nutritional and protein content more than makes up for their diminutive size. In recent years, soy beans have been discovered for the wealth they bring to the table.
- Yellow Mung Dal Beans--Dal are cheerful looking small and delicate yellow-colored legumes.
Certainly, it can be seen that solid-colored beans come in an incredible variety. Beans of one color are not just a healthful food choice, solid-colored legumes add interest to the table.
Further Reading
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
