What Are Lupini Beans?

I didn’t suppose I wanted one other bean in my life, to be completely trustworthy. My pantry is stacked excessive with cans of chickpeas, white beans, baggage of heirloom pinto beans, and past. Between all of them, I barely have time to let lentils into my coronary heart, not to mention a complete new bean selection. And but, over the previous couple of years, lupini beans have been taunting me a bit. I saved seeing them in numerous types at my native Entire Meals, whether or not as pasta, a hummus-like dip, or just in jars sandwiched between marinated artichokes and pepperoncini.

I lastly gave into my curiosity and picked up a jar of lupini beans—and now I ponder why I waited so lengthy.

What are Lupini Beans?

These flat, spherical, yellow legumes are in the identical household as peas, lentils, and peanuts. They’ve a naturally bitter taste so, to counter this, they’re most historically soaked in brine and bought in a pickled type. Whereas well-liked in Mediterranean, North African, and Latin American cuisines, the place they’re loved as a snack, they’ve actually solely made their means into mainstream grocery shops stateside lately. Apparently, like fava beans, they’re wrapped in a thick pores and skin that whereas edible, is greatest peeled away earlier than the beans are loved. As a snack, lupini beans may be eaten by breaking this outer pores and skin together with your enamel then popping the internal beans proper into your mouth; you too can use your fingers to push the internal beans by means of their pores and skin. Nevertheless, if I’m being completely trustworthy, the method is just a little finicky for these, like myself, who’re lupini bean first-timers.

Fortunately, there are peeled lupini beans to avoid wasting you the trouble. To me, they’ve the feel of edamame with a extra complicated salty, briny taste that comes from the pickling course of. Their firmness is stunning at first chunk, however then pleasantly satisfying—a standout characteristic amongst all the opposite beans on grocery retailer cabinets.

How Can I Use Lupini Beans?

Lupini beans have been loved for hundreds of years as a snack, so there’s little doubt they’re tasty on their very own. In case you like munching on olives together with your pre-dinner cocktail or glass of wine, you’ll rapidly fall for his or her briny, barely crunchy chunk. I like to empty them effectively and toss them with just a little olive oil and thyme leaves or chopped rosemary earlier than serving them this fashion, however you should buy lupini beans pre-seasoned if you’d like snacktime to be even simpler. That’s simply the beginning, although:

• As a snack: If you’d like them crunchier, à la roasted chickpeas, drain and pat dry, toss with olive oil, and roast in a 400°F oven. Don’t simply snack on these; sprinkle them on salads and grain bowls, too.
• As a dip: Drain and mix with olive oil, tahini, and a pinch of smoked paprika for a smoky tackle hummus.
• As a salad topper: Make a marinated lupini bean salad by grabbing a few of its neighboring canned items on the grocery retailer, like roasted crimson peppers and marinated artichokes, draining and tossing altogether with olive oil, no matter chopped contemporary herbs you have got, and a few lemon juice or crimson wine vinegar for added brightness.
• As a pasta accompaniment: Drain and toss into pasta for a lift of protein and salty taste.

Sheela Prakash is a meals and wine author, recipe developer, and the writer of Salad Seasons: Vegetable-Ahead Dishes All 12 months and Mediterranean Each Day: Easy, Impressed Recipes for Really feel-Good Meals. Her writing and recipes may be present in quite a few on-line and print publications, together with Kitchn, Epicurious, Food52, Critical Eats, Tasting Desk, The Splendid Desk, Merely Recipes, Tradition Cheese Journal, Clear Plates, and Gradual Meals USA. She acquired her grasp’s diploma from the College of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy, holds Degree 2 and Degree 3 Awards in Wines from the Wine & Spirit Schooling Belief (WSET), graduated from New York College’s Division of Diet and Meals Research, and can be a Registered Dietitian.