The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to beans:

A bean is the seed of any plant in the legume family (Fabaceae) used as a vegetable for human consumption or animal feed. The seeds are often preserved through drying, but fresh beans are also sold. Most beans are traditionally soaked and boiled, but they can be cooked in many different ways, including frying and baking, and are used in many traditional dishes throughout the world. The unripe seedpods of some varieties are also eaten whole as green beans or edamame (immature soybean), but fully ripened beans contain toxins like phytohemagglutinin and require cooking.

Beans can be described as all of the following:

• Edible seeds that are commonly used in various cuisines around the world.
  • A type of legume: seeds collected from certain flowering plants in the Fabaceae family.

• Adzuki bean – small red bean popular in East Asian cuisine.
• Anasazi bean – cream-colored kidney-shaped bean with red spots, often used in Mexican dishes.
• Black bean – widely used in Latin American cuisine, known for its high protein content.
• Black-eyed pea – legume native to West Africa, a staple in Southern U.S. cooking.
• Cannellini bean – large white kidney bean, often used in Italian dishes.
• Chickpea (Garbanzo bean) – used in Middle Eastern dishes like hummus and falafel.
• Cocoa bean – used to produce chocolate.
• Coffee bean – seeds from coffee plants, essential for coffee production.
• Cranberry bean – known for its use in Italian cuisine, has a nut-like flavor.
• Fava bean – also known as broad beans, used in Mediterranean cooking.
• Lima bean – flat-shaped beans often used in succotash and other dishes.
• Navy bean – small white beans commonly used in baked beans and soups.
• Pinto bean – commonly used in Mexican cuisine, known for its creamy texture when cooked.
• Soybean – high-protein legume used for oil, tofu, and other products.

History of beans

• Techniques for cooking different types of beans
  • Soaking
  • Boiling
  • Pressure cooking
• Popular dish types that may feature beans
  • Chili
  • Soup
  • Salad
  • Stew

• US Dry Bean Council
• Ontario Bean Growers
• Bean Institute

• The Bean Book – a comprehensive guide to growing and cooking with beans.
• Beans: A History – explores the cultural significance of beans throughout history.

• George Washington Carver – known for his work with peanuts and crop rotation that included legumes like beans.

• Legume
• Outline of agriculture
• List of legumes