Substitutes For Navy Beans
Originating in the Americas, Navy beans are a different version of the common beans and it is also known as white pea bean or Boston bean or haricot bean or pea bean or pearl haricot bean.Â
Navy bean is known to be a bit small in size and also having a white-cream color. It has a mildly nutty flavor with a velvety texture when it is eaten. Over the years, Navy beans has been used as a common ingredient in different recipes like bean burgers, tacos, pasta, chili, soup, and many more. They are good at absorbing the flavor of other seasonings and ingredients they are cooked with. This is a great thing as the beans can taste different depending on what other recipes used to make. Substitutes for navy beans in any of your favorite recipe is what we would discussing in this article.
Navy beans are also high in crucial nutrients and minerals that the human body needs so it is a nice ingredient to add to your meals.
There are times when you’d want to make a recipe that lists navy beans as one of its ingredients, only to sadly discover you have none left at home. The next question would be can you still go on to make the recipe substituting navy beans? Well, the answer is YES, in this article, I will be sharing with you a list of 11 navy beans substitutes that would ensure your meal comes out just as great.
Substitution For Navy Beans
When making any recipe that ordinarily would require navy beans, below are some of the very best substitutes for navy beans you should consider replace navy beans.
 Butter Beans
Originating in America, butter beans are also known as Lima beans or Madagascar beans or wax beans, or chad beans. They are quite large in size and have a cream color. Also, butter beans have a similar feel to navy beans as they both have a velvety texture when eaten. It has a sweet, rich, savory, and buttery flavor when cooked.
As for nutrition, butter beans are high in dietary and high-quality protein from a fat-free source. It is also high in minerals like potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. Apart from this, butter beans are known to help regulate blood sugar levels as well as reduce the cholesterol in the body. It also helps to improve digestive health due to its high fibre content. Some studies even show that butter beans are a good choice for people who have diabetes or suffer from insulin resistance. This makes it one of the replacement for navy beans
If a recipe calls for navy beans, butter beans are quite good to replace them without any issues. It has a 1:1 ratio with navy beans, so you are to use the same amount of butter beans in place of navy beans when making the recipe.
Mayocoba Beans
Originated in Peru, Mayocoba beans are a variety of common beans that are also known as canary beans or Mexican yellow beans. Mayocoba beans have a yellow to ivory color with a slightly sweet taste and a creamy texture. It is also great at absorbing flavor from ingredients that it is cooked with which makes it a great substitute for navy beans. It is also as nutritious as navy beans so there is no nutritional trade-off.
If you do not have navy beans, mayocoba beans are a great alternative for you to consider using.
Red Kidney Bean
Red kidney beans are another variation of the common bean and it has similar looks to the human kidney which it gets its name from. This may not have come to mind as navy beans and red kidney beans are not similar when you have a look at them but they have the same mildly sweet, smooth, and creamy taste when eaten.
If you have red kidney beans lying around, it is a great substitute for navy beans and it works well in different recipes like salads, chili, stews, etc. The only thing going to be different is just the color. Nutrient-wise, red kidney beans are high in important nutrients and minerals needed by the human body. It is high in dietary fiber and protein. It has Vitamin C and Vitamin B6 and other minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium.Â
When making that recipe, you can use red kidney beans in place of navy beans in a 1:1 ratio so the quantity needed does not change.
 Pinto Beans
Pinto beans are another variation of common beans and it is one of the most popular beans planted in many parts of the USA and Mexico. When looking for a replacement for navy beans, pinto beans is a top choice even though they don’t have that creamy color. Pinto beans are known to have a creamy and nutty flavor when eaten which is still kind of similar to navy beans. It can also absorb flavors from other ingredients it is cooked with. Pinto beans are readily available in grocery stores to consumers who may need them. Over the years, pinto beans have been one of the ingredients used for the fillings in tacos and burritos.
As for nutritional value, pinto beans are known to be high in protein, dietary fiber, manganese, folate, and phosphorus which are essential nutrients that the body needs. It is also said to help reduce the levels of cholesterol in the body. If a recipe calls for navy beans, pinto beans will work well in place of it so you can get on with making the delicious recipe.
 Black Beans
Black beans are another variety of common beans that serve as a great substitute that can be used in place of navy beans when making a recipe. Black beans have a mildly sweet and creamy taste with a meaty and soft texture when cooked and eaten. As the name says, black beans have a black color which is not similar to the creamy color of navy beans. If the color of the bean is not a priority, you can use black beans instead of navy beans when making salads, chili, rice, soups, and more. Don’t forget to use a 1 to 1 ratio of black beans to navy beans when making your meal.
As for the nutrients, black beans are a great source of dietary fiber, calcium, iron, protein, manganese, and other essential nutrients needed by the body.Â
 Flageolet Beans
Originating in France, Flageolet beans are a variety of common beans that have a small size and a kidney-like shape with a light green color. In recent years, it has been commonly cultivated in many lands across California, USA. Flageolet beans have a mild and delicate flavor with a firm and creamy texture that is similar to that of the original navy beans.
One thing to note is that flageolet beans are quite expensive when compared to other varieties of common beans due to their availability issues in many places. However, if you happen to have it at home, you can use it in place of navy beans when you are making any recipe like soups, salads, and more.
It is very nutritious also as it is high in dietary fiber, protein, and other useful minerals needed by the body. When used in place of navy beans, flageolet beans do not require more or fewer amounts as the substitute ratio is 1:1.
 White Tepary Beans
White Tepary beans are a variety of common beans that have a small to medium size with a white color similar to that of navy beans. When cooked and eaten, white tepary beans have a mildly sweet taste with a meaty, dense, and creamy texture in the mouth. It is also high in useful nutrients like protein, dietary fiber, and many more.
Due to its color and taste, white tepary beans seem to be another great substitute for navy beans when making any recipe. It will fit into different meals like stew, casseroles, dips, and soups.
 Cannellini Beans
Cannellini beans originate from Italy and it is a variety of common kidney beans that are also known as white kidney beans or fasolia beans. It is kidney-shaped with squared ends and creamy white color. It has a slightly sweet taste with a nutty and earthy flavor. It also has a fluffy texture as opposed to the velvety texture of navy beans.Â
Nutrients-wise, cannellini beans are said to be a good source of dietary fiber, iron, protein, sodium, and calcium. They also help to lower blood pressure or reduce blood sugar levels. If a recipe calls for navy beans, you can easily use cannellini beans instead as they are one of the best substitutes.
 Great Northern Beans
Great Northern beans are also known as common beans and they have a slightly large size with a whitish cream color. When compared to navy beans, Great Northern beans are a bit larger but it has a similar taste with both of them being mildly sweet with a nutty flavor. It has a more grainy texture as opposed to the velvety texture of the navy beans.
As for nutrition, Great Northern beans are high in protein with low fat and dietary fiber. It is a great source of useful minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, and zinc. These beans also help to enhance digestive health and also lower blood sugar levels. Great Northern beans are a great substitute for navy beans so you should consider using them if you run out of navy beans and need to make that recipe.
That’s all the alternatives and replacements we have for navy beans we think should fit perfectly with most recipes that include navy beans. In the next section I’ll be answering some of the popular frequently asked questions about Navy Beans Substitutes.
FAQs About Navy Beans Substitutes
Can you use cannellini beans instead of navy beans?
Yes you can use cannellini beans instead of navy beans, cannellini beans has so many similarities but nutrient wise and physical and size-wise. All these make cannellini beans a great substitute to use instead of navy beans in your recipe.
What beans are similar to white navy beans?
Some beans that are similar to white navy beans cannellini beans, white kidney beans, red kidney beans, great northern beans, white tapery beans, falgeolet beans. These beans are similar in nutrients and some in texture and that makes them perfect replacement for white navy beans in your recipe.
Can I use pinto beans in place of navy beans?
Yes you can use pinto beans in place of navy beans because they are some of the most similar beans. Pinto beans is one of our replacement for navy beans in recipe due to the textural, flavor and nutritious similarities they both share.
Are navy beans and cannellini beans the same?
Navy beans and cannellini beans are not the same but they can each be used as a replacement or substitute for each other in recipes. This makes people to sometimes mistake one for the other.
Can I substitute small white beans for navy beans?
Yes you can substitute small white beans for navy beans because they both share a lot of similarities. Small white beans just like navy beans comes in small size that makes it a lot similar in quantity to the navy beans you are already used to. You can use small white beans to substitute navy beans in most recipes.
Can you substitute Great Northern beans for navy beans in soup?
Yes great northern beans is a good substitute for navy beans in soup because they both are not just in the same family of beans but also share similarity in size and texture. Great northern beans is used as a substitute for navy beans in many cultures around the world.
Are pinto and navy beans the same?
Pinto beans and navy beans though share a lot of similarities in size are not the same beans at all. They are equally small/medium in size and somewhat roundish/oval in shape but they do not have same colors and that makes them different. But that notwithstanding, pinto beans serves as a great substitute for navy beans in most recipes.
Are navy beans and great Northern beans the same thing?
Navy beans and great northern beans are not the same, even though they share a lot nutritious similarities they are actually different especially physically. Navy beans are usually small and have thick skin while Great northern beans are typically larger and oval in shape.
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