Bean

A bean is the edible seed of leguminous plants, typically oval or kidney-shaped with a thin skin. It tastes mildly earthy and nutty with a soft, creamy interior when cooked, holding shape in soups and stews. Cooks commonly soak and simmer, pressure-cook, bake, or mash beans for spreads, and they are widely sold dried or canned.\n\nBeans were domesticated in multiple regions; common beans arose in the Americas, while fava and mung varieties developed in the Old World. They spread globally as staple foods and remain central to Latin American, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, South Asian, and East Asian cuisines.