Recipes — Vegan

Puerto Rican Habichuelas
Main Dishes Medium Beans Omnivore Soups & Stews Vegan Vegetarian
We've been following Illyanna Maisonet for years. She's an excellent food writer with a natural curiosity. Her articles for the San Francisco Chronicle were legendary. She's an odd and appealing mix of honesty, integrity, vulnerability, and maybe a touch of confidence now and then. She knows her subject, but...

Roasted Cabbage with Beans and Mushrooms
Dark Beans Main Dishes Omnivore Vegan Vegetarian
Allison Robicelli is a very provocative food writer and when she's not making me laugh on Twitter, she's offering solid advice for things like cabbage. This is her technique for cabbage wedges; I think they're an ideal buddy for a bowl of perfectly cooked heirloom beans. 1 pound whole white...

Runner Bean Salad with Radishes and Pomegranate
Dark Beans Omnivore Salads Vegan Vegetarian
Runner beans make a welcome component in a salad because they are thick-skinned and firm, but with a creamy interior. You can prepare all the components of this salad in advance, but wait until just before serving to combine everything, so all the ingredients stay crisp and fresh. ½ bunch fresh cilantro...

Nut-Dusted Beans and Sauteed Greens in Bean Broth
Main Dishes Medium Beans Omnivore soup of the day Soups & Stews Vegan Vegetarian
A big bowl of sauteed greens and heirloom beans always makes me happy. One lazy Sunday l used Italian green chard and King City Pinks, and something possessed me to add a handful of dust from the bottom of a bowl of mixed nuts. It was terrific. Who knew? —Steve 1 bunch chard ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil...

Roasted Pepper and Royal Corona Salad
Omnivore Salads Vegan Vegetarian White Beans
Lately, I've been indulging in jars of roasted red peppers from Trader Joe's. But I do roast fresh poblano chiles, often. If I have a couple, I will roast them over the gas flame on my stovetop, turning, until blistered all over. If I have more than a couple, I...

Valley Bar & Bottle Black Garbanzo Hummus
Gluten-Free Omnivore Other Legumes Snacks & Appetizers Vegan Vegetarian
Our original plans to celebrate our 20th anniversary were thwarted by the pandemic. We had planned a major shindig with lots of guests and even a cumbia band, but of course, things just weren't meant to be. Our friends at Valley Bar and Bottle, right on the square in Sonoma,...

Buckeye Beans with Roasted Peppers & Pumpkin Seeds
Gluten-Free Medium Beans Soups & Stews Vegan Vegetarian
After some noodling around in the kitchen, we came up with this dish featuring our fabulous Buckeye Beans (aka Yellow Indian Woman). Is it a stew? It's not a soup. It's just an incredible bowl of beans packed with flavor. The secret is to cook the beans simply and then top...

How to Cook Beans in the Rancho Gordo Manner
Dark Beans Medium Beans Omnivore Vegan White Beans
There is not one single method of cooking beans. At its most basic, you want to simmer the pot until the beans are soft. Soaking can speed up the process and vegetables or stock will make them more flavorful. It's really that simple. There's all kinds of fine tuning and...

Pasta with Cicerchia and Mushrooms
Main Dishes Omnivore Other Legumes Salads Vegan Vegetarian
In the Rancho Gordo library, we have a well-used copy of the book Fagioli: The Bean Cuisine of Italy (Rodale, 2014) by Judith Barrett. It includes a handful of recipes that feature cicerchia, Italy's unique, tooth-shaped legume. Barrett recommends fresh oyster mushrooms as a substitute for the cardoncelli mushrooms that...

Lentil and Carrot Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
Omnivore Other Legumes Salads Snacks & Appetizers Vegan Vegetarian
Lentils cook very quickly so you don’t have to make a huge batch and then figure out what to do with them. Unsoaked, they cook in about 20 minutes! That’s hard to beat. Obviously, they thrive in hot dishes like soups and stews, but a favorite winter salad has been a...
Marinated Royal Corona Beans
Holiday Snacks & Appetizers Vegan Vegetarian White Beans
This recipe is very flexible, so feel free to adjust it based on your tastes and what’s in your kitchen. Once you find your perfect bean marinade, you’ll be set! These beans make an unexpected but welcome addition to an appetizer spread. You can also toss them with sturdy greens...

Xoconostle Relish
Dark Beans Gluten-Free Omnivore Salsas & Sauces Vegan
This salsa is similar to a relish. I add a healthy plop to a bowl of good beans and call it a meal. The photo features Ayocote Morado, but any bean would love the company. 6 to 10 pieces of Rancho Gordo plain xoconostle, soaked for 6 hours in water,...