This thick-skinned runner bean is pretty and very large. It's starchy but goes from dense to creamy with continued cooking. 

Suggestions: Pot beans, soups, salads, chilis, casseroles 

The staff here often refers to Ayocote Morado as a "gateway bean." Once you start, you get hooked. The Ayocote Morado's big, beefy texture is perfect for those trying to cut out meat and eat a more plant-based diet, or for vegetarians who are cooking dinner for their omnivore friends. No one will miss the meat when you toss them with good fruity olive oil, sauteed wild mushrooms, and a little too much garlic. Having said that, they'd be great as a side dish for a classic steak! 

Originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, the Ayocote family was one of the first cultivated crops of the New World. They are grown all over central and northern Mexico but seem to have lost favor with Mexicans except in specific indigenous communities. If you plant them, you can enjoy the flowers, eat the pods as a broad bean, or shell them fresh for shelling beans. But we think the best way to enjoy their fully developed flavor is by cooking the dried beans.  

We like to cook Ayocote Morados with garlic, onion, and our Oregano Indio; if you're patient, the texture will go from starchy to creamy with a long, slow simmer. Along with the beans, Ayocote Morados provide a deep, bouillon-flavored bean broth, making them ideal for soups. 

Please note that the density of the purple color varies from season to season. Your beans may be a little darker or lighter. 

Recipes and more information on Ayocote Morado Bean at Rancho Gordo.

Latin name: Phaseolus coccineus