Rio Zape Bean

The classic heirloom bean that inspired the birth of Rancho Gordo. Suggestions of chocolate and coffee make this pinto-family rarity one of our favorite and most requested beans. 

Suggestions: Pot beans, soup, dips, refried beans, casseroles

This is the bean that started the whole thing! I was eating a bowl of simply cooked Rio Zapes and I was just bowled over. The flavor was reminiscent of pintos but there was so much more going on. I could detect traces of coffee and chocolate and the velvety texture was like nothing else. I was sold on heirloom varieties after just one bite.

If you garden, the immature pods make excellent string beans.
Latin name: Phaseolus vulgaris
Country of production: USA