Knowra Navy bean Navy bean Navy beans are small, oval white seeds of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). They cook to a creamy texture and are widely used in soups and baked beans.
Boston baked beans : A New England dish of beans slowly baked with molasses, salt pork, and seasonings. Navy beans are a traditional choice because they hold their shape during long baking.
Common bean : A domesticated legume species, Phaseolus vulgaris, that includes many dry and fresh bean varieties. Navy bean is one cultivated seed type within this highly varied species.
Bean soaking : The immersion of dried beans in water before cooking to hydrate them and often shorten cooking time. Soaking lets dry navy beans absorb water before heat softens their tissues.
Mesoamerican domestication of the common bean : The early cultivation and domestication of Phaseolus vulgaris in the Americas. Navy beans belong to a species domesticated in the Americas long before their modern name.
Cannellini bean : A large white variety of the common bean, especially associated with Italian cooking. Cannellini beans are larger and kidney-shaped, unlike the small oval navy bean.
Bean soup : A soup in which beans provide a substantial base, often with vegetables, broth, or meat. Navy beans soften into a creamy texture that thickens this familiar soup.
Legume : A plant in the family Fabaceae, whose fruits are typically pods and whose seeds include beans, peas, and lentils. The common bean belongs to this family, which defines the navy bean’s botanical kinship.
Starch gelatinization : The swelling and structural change of starch granules when heated with water. This process helps give cooked navy beans their soft, creamy interior.
United States Navy : The maritime military service of the United States. The bean’s English name is linked to its use as a staple food for sailors.
Lima bean : The edible seed of Phaseolus lunatus, commonly eaten fresh or dried. Despite sharing the word bean, it belongs to a different species and has a flatter shape.
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