The Bean Book is the newest cookbook by Steve Sando of Rancho Gorda. Rancho Gordo is a company that sells heirloom, small-batch beans as well as other items such as spices, hot sauces and specialty vinegars. Rancho Gordo also features a quarterly bean club with a waitlist of over 20,000 people! (Disclaimer: I am a proud bean club member. Rancho Gordo’s beans far surpass anything I can find in my supermarket.)

The Bean Book is a wonderful cookbook whether you buy Rancho Gordo beans or you buy your beans elsewhere. The book gives a lot of basic information on the types of beans, the history of beans in the Americas, growing heirloom beans and cooking beans as well as Steve Sando’s story. The Bean Book features the basics of cooking dry beans from scratch using a pot, an oven, a slow cooker and a pressure cooker. There is a useful and illustrated list of 50 heirloom bean varieties such as anasazi, eye of the goat and good mother stalled.

This book features many recipes divided into the categories of: Bean Dips & Appetizers; Bean Salads; Bean Soups; Bean Braises, Stews & Other Stovetop Dishes; Beans & Grains; Baked Beans; Bean Patties, Fillings, Sauces & More; Sweets, Stocks, Salsas & More.

The master recipe for pot beans is a great recipe to start with to make a simple yet seasoned pot of beans. These beans were delicious on their own in a bowl though I also enjoyed them spooned over toast or made into tacos/burritos! The glorious refried beans recipe is so simple and so delicious. I have made this recipe using olive oil instead of lard. The recipes In this book are not all vegan or vegetarian but many of them are easily customizable for vegetarian diets. One more recipe that I loved is the recipe for the Gigandes Plaki (Greek baked beans). These beans are best made with a large white bean such as Royal Corona or Large white lima bean. In this recipe, the beans are baked in a delicious garlicky tomato sauce.

I am eager to continue to try out the recipes in this book! Thank you to the publisher and net galley for the digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was genuinely surprised by how lovely this ode to beans was--from the photos to the writing to the recipes themselves, the author's obvious love for legumes shines through. I do wish each recipe had a photo, but that's a small complaint in comparison to the huge volume of information and recipe ideas in this volume. I really enjoyed the library of beans that starts the book off; it includes photos and some info about many bean varieties. I'm really looking forward to trying some of the recipes out, but I was most surprised by how enticing Steve made just a simple pot of beans sound. And a bean broth shot? I will 100% be trying that ASAP. I expected to enjoy this book, but I'll admit I didn't expect to be so tempted to add the physical book to my collection.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

I so want beans now! This book is chock full of amazingly wonderful and yummy looking recipes. So many types of beans that you don't always see and the instructions on how to make them from the basics to more complex recipes. I look forward to enjoying many recipes from this book.

This is such an incredible book!

A wonderful selection of recipes, bean facts and cooking tips.

If you love consuming legumes like me, you'll love this book!

highly recommend this!

Thank you NetGalley, Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press, Ten Speed Press and Steve Sando for giving me an ARC of this amazing cookbook!

The Bean Book by Steve Sando is a delightful and inspiring compilation of bean recipes that had me eager to dive into the kitchen. From the moment I opened its pages, I was captivated by the creativity and versatility of the dishes presented.

What truly sets The Bean Book apart is the depth and detail with which Sando explores the world of beans. He covers everything from the various types of beans to growing heirloom varieties, harvesting them, and ultimately cooking them to perfection. This comprehensive approach makes the book not only a cookbook but also a valuable resource for bean enthusiasts.

The book's layout is both aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly, allowing for easy navigation and seamless execution of the recipes. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a novice, you'll find the instructions clear and concise, making the cooking process a joy.

I am excited to share these bean delights with my loved ones, and I am sure this cookbook will become a cherished addition to my kitchen library.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for generously providing me with an e-book copy of The Bean Book in exchange for an honest review.

Tired of opening a can of beans and not really enjoying them? In this fine cookbook, we learn about heirloom beans of varied colors and sizes and how to cook them for best flavor and texture as well as presentation. The recipes span the globe. I'm looking forward to trying many of the recipes in this cookbook. This was a Netgalley review book but I intend to put this on my cookbook shelf as soon as possible.

I love this book! I'm always trying to incorporate more beans into our diet and this book gives me great inspiration. I had to substitute different kinds of beans as I don't have quick access to the heirloom varieties.
While it does take more time to cook dried beans than just opening a can of beans, it's worth the time and energy and I hope this book converts more people to this way of cooking and enjoying beans!

This is a great cookbook filled with recipes for all kinds of cuisines using all kinds of beans. The author has a bean company but you can easily use similar beans if you don’t have the ones called for. There are photos for most of the recipes and plenty that are vegetarian, vegan and gluten free. There’s a lot of basic information on cooking beans all different ways and such too. No nutritional information is provided.

I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.

Steve Sando's Rancho Gordo bean company is legendary and this gorgeously illustrated cookbook provides numerous delicious recipes that can be used with heirloom varieties or supermarket beans with great success. There are recipes for both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

The book begins with a full photographic library of bean types which I found incredibly helpful, especially when thinking about substitute varieties for recipes.The number of recipes that follow is substantial, with sections on Bean Dips and Appetizers, Bean Salads, Bean Soups, and an additional section on Bean Stews and Stovetop DIshes, then Beans and Grains, Baked Beans, and Bean Patties and Fillings, and then a final chapter on Sweets, Stocks, Salsas and More.

Many of the ingredient suggestions add a real spark to more familiar dishes, such as the introduction of the salty punch of anchovies to a white bean dip or to a pinquito bean salad with celery and lemon, or the addition of a garlic confit (with recipe included) that really elevates an otherwise standard hummus recipe.

I had great luck with the recipes I tried. The Red Beans tossed with Arugula and Pumpkin Seeds made for a satisfying crunch of a salad and the Flageolet spring salad with roasted and raw vegetables successfully marries roasted garlic and tomatoes with beans, herbs and lemons, parsley and crisp red onion and radish. I will definitely be adding the Big White Beans with Roasted Red Peppers and Pepitas to my list of go-to salads.

I have many pages digitally flagged for future cooking adventures. I am particularly eager to try the Sauerkraut and Hearty White Bean soup and the Alubia Blanca with Clams and Spanish Chorizo when it cools down a bit more this Autumn, I also expect to also experiment with Sando's two versions of Cassoulet: The Classic French Cassoulet and the slightly simplified version Sarah Scott's Napa Valley Cassoulet. There are also two Italian recipes that look fantastic to me: the Italian Pasta e Fagioli and the Polenta with Borlotti Beans and Tomato Sauce.

There is no doubt in my mind that I will be purchasing for my home collection as soon as it is released. My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an opportunity to read and cook from an ARC copy.


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Wow I did not know there are so many varieties of beans in the west. I knew Mexican cuisine has a lot of beans but was surprised to see Italian and South American recipes. I cannot wait to try and make them. The recipes are very authentic as chana masala was described as it would be made in a normal household in India.

I love beans and I really love Rancho Gordo beans. I have ordered extensively from the company (was even a Bean Club member for a long time) and now buy them locally. This is a thorough bean cookbook. Most recipes can be made vegan and without oil, which is how I cook at home. Delightful ideas here!

The Bean Book by Steve Sando is so delicious. The book is a perfect collection of Beans recipes.
Anyone can make it and enjoy it
The directions are easy to follow

Steve Sando's The Bean Book is a great title, especially for beginners. Sando provides an overview of must-have pantry ingredients, and a comprehensive list of types of beans including heirloom varieties. The range of recipes include dishes from India, Greece, and more, and the type of courses covers appetizers to desserts, which is a nice addition for a typically savory ingredient. If you are a fan of legumes, or looking to get more protein and/or variety in your diet, this is a must-read!

Ich empfehle dieses Kochbuch allen, die ihren Fleischkonsum reduzieren, ihre Ernährung verbessern, ihre Gesundheit verbessern und die Belastung des Planeten durch tierische Produkte verringern wollen. Ich weiß, dass diese Behauptungen übertrieben klingen, aber das alles ist wissenschaftlich bewiesen. Und das alles kann man tun, während man Bohnen isst?!
Wenn man noch kein Bohnenliebhaber ist, wird dieses Buch einen dazu bringen, Bohnen zu schätzen. Wenn man bereits, wie ich, ein Bohnenliebhaber ist, wird dieses Buch mit Sicherheit die Fertigkeiten in der Zubereitung von Bohnen verbessern.

I highly recommend this cookbook to anyone who wants to decrease their meat intake, improve their diet, improve their health, and decrease the planet's burden on animal products. I realize these claims may sound exaggerated, but this has all been scientifically proven. And you can do all of that while eating delicious beans! If you are not a current bean lover, this book will make you appreciate beans. If you are a current bean lover, it will certainly improve your skill in cooking beans. I have been a Steve Sando and Rancho Gordo fan for quite some time, and while his beans are far superior to most others, these recipes will improve your knowledge and ability to cook all types of beans. I highly recommend this book because it is chock full of great information, and did I mention it is a beautiful book? My sincere thanks to Ten Speed Press for allowing me to see an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It was a pleasure.

I picked up this book as we are a huge fan of any beans. We have a variety of beans here and thought it would be great to add a few more varieties and recipes to the mix.
The introduction gives us a background on the beans, how to grow heirloom beans, the cooking process, the spices and herbs that will make the recipe glow, etc.
The 50 heirloom beans with the pictures and descriptions were useful in identifying them as they have different names here.
There are about 100 recipes under 8 categories. The recipes come with an introduction to the dish, a list of ingredients, serving size, cooking instructions, and variations, and some recipes have a substitution beans list and even a vegetarian variation. There are recipes from several cuisines that sound interesting.
The book has a lot of vibrant and colorful pictures of the ingredients as well as the recipes. It would have been nice if all the recipes had an accompanying pic of the dish so that people new to that cuisine would know what the final dish would look like.
Most of the recipes are made using heirloom beans, many of which are not available where I live. There are vegetarian recipes that I would like to try out but will use a substitution beans.
A good book if you like beans and would like to try out new recipes with them.

I am a huge fan of Rancho Gordo beans. I love how this book is categorized into different recipes you can make based on the meals you would like to make. Every few weeks I try to make 2 pounds of beans and this cookbook is handy in giving a lot of ideas on what to make. This is definitely a go to guide to make an appetizer, soup, sides, main course and more.

Recipes from Rancho Gordo's acclaimed kitchen are included in The Bean Book by Steve Sando. It is embarrassing and regrettable that I had no prior knowledge of Steve Sando and Rancho Gordo Beans until I read The Bean Book. Now I'm hooked. When I saw this book was up for review, I was so excited. My knowledge of beans has grown tremendously and I have found many delicious new recipes. It never occurred to me that there was a cult following for beans! There was a waiting list on Rancho Gordo's website for their Bean Club. Hey Gordo, want to hook me up?

Bean lovers won't be disappointed with this collection of delicious, nutritious, and delectable recipes.

It's the dog days of summer in Texas, so I'm excited to see recipes for: Bean Salads, Beans & Grains, Baked Beans, Bean Patties, Sweets, Salsas, and Dips & Appetizers. Other recipes, such as soups and stews, will have to wait until cooler weather returns.

This book contains the following contents:

Introduction

50 Heirloom Bean Varieties

Bean Dips & Appitizers

Bean Salads

Bean Soups

Bean Braises, Stews & Other StoveTop Dishes

Beans & Grains

Baked Beans

Bean Patties, Fillings, Sauces & More

Sweets, Stocks, Salsas & More

Acknowledments

Index

Unlike many crops that draw nutrients from the ground where they grow, bean plants do not function in this manner. Nitrogen from the atmosphere is transformed into a biological form in the bean plant, which is essential to plant growth.

When making beans, there are many variables to consider:

How old are the beans?

How hard is your water?

How do you store beans?

What pot will you use to cook your beans?

What is the weather like?

There is a Master Recipe for Pot Beans.

THE BEAN-LOVER'S PANTRY

Dried Herbs and Spices

Chilies and Chile Powders

Vinegars and Oils

Other Essentials

50 HEIRLOOM BEAN VARIETIES

Alubia Blanca

2. Anasazi

Bayo

Black turtle

Buckeye

For all 50 beans there is a picture of the beans along with a write up on the bean. I will share with you about the Black Turtle bean.

BLACK TURTLE

In some regions of the world,

"beans" means black beans.

Black turtle beans have a rich,

fudgy texture and inky bean

broth that needs little more to

make a soup. It's easy to think of

them for beans and rice, Brazillian

feijoada, or Oaxacan enfrijoladas,

but they're also delicious in

salads or chilis.

Rancho Gordo's Midnight

Black bean is a classic, versatile

black turtle bean that hold its

shape through lots of cooking

yet retains its famous creamy

interior.

RECIPES: Norman Rose Tavern's

Black Bean Burger, page 231,

Midnight Black Bean Soup,

page 122, or Moros y Cristianos,

Page 186

After making a large pot of beans who doesn't love refried beans or hummus! There are recipes for Glorious Refried Beans and Simple Hummus.

ALL of the recipes look amazing!

I would highly recommend this book.

As a Rancho Gordo Bean Club member, I am already a devotée of Steve Sando and the incredibleness of heirloom beans. You'll often find me gifting Rancho Gordo beans to anyone just to demonstrate how delicious a deceivingly simple bean can be. But now, I think I'll need to start adding a copy of this book to the mix as well. The beginning of the book gives a wonderful background on the beans themselves as well as excellent tips on what to keep handy in your pantry to make them sing. Best of all, the base bean recipe is a classic that folks should have at hand whenever they just want an excellent pot of beans. I also appreciated that the recipes included in the book aren't overly complex, making ideal options for quick recipes with the beans as the shining star. I can't wait to have an occasion to bring over one of the delicious bean salads to share with everyone. I highly recommend this cookbook whether you are just starting off in your bean journey or are a seasoned pro with beans.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Ten Speed Press for the advanced copy.

I love beans! I have always loved them, but since I began eating a whole food, plant-based diet, I eat them all the time. I immediately requested a review copy of The Bean Book when I saw it on NetGalley. Sadly, I was disappointed in its contents. Most of the recipes didn't excite me at all. The book also feels like a sales pitch for a certain bean company. I'm sure you could substitute with beans from a local grocery store, but it might be tricky to find a match with all of the recipes using heirloom varieties.