Kidney Bean Recipes

Kidney beans are incredibly versatile when it comes to recipes. Their mild nuttiness and smooth texture make them a great addition to the likes of salads, soups, stews and wraps.

To prepare raw kidney beans, soak them for at least eight hours (alternatively, you can use a quick soak method by boiling for one minute and letting the beans sit for one hour). After soaking, drain, rinse, and boil the beans in fresh water for 10 minutes to get rid of the toxins, then simmer for 45-60 minutes until creamy. Remember that raw kidney beans should never be consumed raw —for more information on this, see our kidney bean recipe FAQs section.

In all of the HelloFresh kidney bean recipes, as well as in most quick recipes that you can find online, pre-prepared kidney beans in a can are used. To cook these, simply rinse thoroughly to remove excess salt or sugar before using.

To store your kidney beans properly and prolong their shelf life, place the beans in an air-tight container and refrigerate them as soon as they've cooled. Alternatively, you can freeze them, too. Kidney beans can last up to six months when frozen. To freeze kidney beans, simply drain and rinse your beans, then place them inside a freezer bag or a freezer-safe, air-tight container. Fill the container with cold water until all of the beans are covered, then seal the bag or container and pop them in your freezer. If you want to cook using your frozen veggies, simply remove them from the freezer. Then, leave them to thaw, drain the excess water, and use the beans as you wish.