Shelling beans (a.k.a. soup beans), as opposed to pole beans like green beans and wax beans, can be dried and stored for later use. Fresh shelling beans, however, are one of the great treats of local eating. Shell them and cook them in soups or simply braised as a side dish—they have an extra creamy texture and wonderful clean but earthy flavor.
What Are Shelling Beans?
Photo © Molly Watson
Shelling beans come in pods, much like the more commonly available pole beans. Their pods are thicker and drier, however, since the beans inside tend to be quite a bit bigger. Cranberry beans, pictured here and so named for their brilliant scarlet pods (the beans cook up a dull brown color), are the most commonly available shelling beans.
Shelling beans can be shelled, dried, and stored for later use or shelled and cooked fresh for a truly seasonal treat. Technically, fava beans are shelling beans since they can be grown to maturity, shelled, and dried.
Shelling Bean Season
Photo © Molly Watson
Fresh shelling beans, like the Italian butter beans pictured here, are in season and available anytime from July in warmer climates into September or October in colder areas.
How to Chose and Shell Shelling Beans
Photo © Molly Watson
Shelling beans, unlike most produce, should be just a bit dried out when you buy them. Too green and too fresh and the beans inside aren't mature enough. Look for pods that while starting to dry a bit look freshly picked with a fresh and green stem end. As with most produce, chose shelling beans that feel heavy for their size. Bumpy pods with plump, fat beans inside are the ones to chose and will be the easiest to rip or pull open and then pop the beans out.
How to Store Shelling Beans
Store shelling beans in a paper bag or loosely wrapped in plastic in the fridge until ready to use. You can store the shelled beans covered and chilled for up to three days before using.Note that shelled fresh shelling beans freeze beautifully. Lay shelled beans in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until frozen through. Transfer to a sealable plastic bag and freeze up to six months.
How to Use Shelling Beans
Photo © Molly Watson
Shelling beans are great in soups and stews. Unlike their dried counterparts, there is no need to soak them before using. Most fresh shelling beans require 20 to 30 minutes to cook, so add them to recipes accordingly.
Fresh shelling beans are also delicious braised, as in Savory Shelling Beans & Greens.
