{{short description|Variety of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)}}thumb|Dried kidney beans
The '''kidney bean''' is a variety of the common bean (''Phaseolus vulgaris''); it has such a common name owing to its resemblance to a human kidney.{{cn|date=May 2026}}
==Classification== There are different classifications of kidney beans:{{cn|date=January 2026}}
*Red kidney bean (also known as common kidney bean, ''rajma'' in India, ''surkh/laal'' (red) ''lobia'' in Pakistan). *Light speckled kidney bean (and long shape light speckled kidney bean). *Red speckled kidney bean (and long shape red speckled kidney bean). *White kidney bean (also known as '''cannellini''' in Italy, the UK and the US; ''lobia'' in India; or ''safaid'' (white) ''lobia'' in Pakistan). {{nutritional value | image= | caption = | name=Kidney beans, boiled | kJ=532 | water=67 g | protein=8.7 g | fat = 0.50 g | carbs=22.8 g | fiber=7.4 g | sugars=0.3 g | iron_mg=2.9 | calcium_mg=28 | magnesium_mg=45 | phosphorus_mg=142 | potassium_mg=403 | sodium_mg= 2 | zinc_mg=1.07 | copper_mg=0.24 | thiamin_mg=0.16 | riboflavin_mg=0.06 | pantothenic_mg=0.22 | niacin_mg= 0.58 | vitB6_mg= 0.12 | folate_ug= 130 | vitC_mg= 1.2 | vitE_mg= 0.03 | vitK_ug= 8.4 | note=[https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/175194/nutrients Link to USDA Database entry] }}
==Nutrition== Kidney beans, cooked by boiling, are 67% water, 23% carbohydrates, 9% protein, and contain negligible fat (table). In a reference amount of {{cvt|100|g}}, cooked kidney beans provide 127 calories of food energy, and are a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of protein, folate and copper, with moderate amounts of thiamine and several dietary minerals (10–16% DV, table).
==Dishes== thumb|''Rajma Chawal''—a common dish in north India—comes with rice, and often a side of raw vegetables Red kidney beans are used in the cuisine of India, where the beans are known as ''rajma'', and Pakistan, where they are called ''surkh lobia''. Red kidney beans are commonly used in chili con carne and used in southern Louisiana for the classic Monday Creole dish of red beans and rice. The smaller, darker red beans are also used, particularly in Louisiana families with a recent Caribbean heritage. In Jamaica, they are referred to as "red peas". Small kidney beans used in La Rioja, Spain, are called ''caparrones''. In the Netherlands and Indonesia, kidney beans are usually served as a soup called ''brenebon''.<ref name="FAO">{{cite web | title = Recipe: Soup Brenebon | work = FAO | url = http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/c38f8b37-352b-4d80-9d33-bfc0e9b6ccdd/}}</ref> In the Levant, a common dish consisting of kidney bean stew usually served with rice is known as ''fasoulia''. To make bean paste, kidney beans are generally prepared from dried beans and boiled until they are soft, at which point the dark red beans are pulverized into a dry paste.
==Toxicity== {{seealso|Phaseolus vulgaris#Toxicity}} Raw red kidney beans contain relatively high amounts of phytohemagglutinin and thus are more toxic than most other bean varieties if not soaked and then boiled for at least 10 minutes. The US Food and Drug Administration recommends boiling for 30 minutes to ensure they reach a sufficient temperature long enough to completely destroy the toxin.<ref name="badbugbook">{{cite web |date=2012 |title=Bad Bug Book (2012) |url=https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/UCM297627.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130418013247/http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/UCM297627.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 18, 2013 |access-date=26 December 2013 |work=Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins Handbook: Phytohaemagglutinin |publisher=Food and Drug Administration |quote=Consumers should boil the beans for at least 30 minutes to ensure that the product reaches sufficient temperature}}</ref> Cooking at the lower temperature of {{convert|80|°C|°F}}, such as in a slow cooker, is insufficient to denature the toxin and has been reported to cause food poisoning.<ref name="badbugbook" /> As few as five raw beans or a single undercooked kidney bean (as cooking them at insufficient temperatures increases the level of toxic compounds) can cause severe nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pains. Canned red kidney beans, though, are safe to eat straight from the can, as they are cooked prior to being shipped.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/be-careful-with-red-kidney-beans-in-the-slow-cooker.aspx|title=Be Careful With Red Kidney Beans in The Slow Cooker|work=Mother Earth News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foodsmart.govt.nz/elibrary/cooking_safely_with.htm|title=Cooking safely with slow cookers and crock pots|work=foodsmart.govt.nz|access-date=2015-03-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102081731/http://www.foodsmart.govt.nz/elibrary/cooking_safely_with.htm|archive-date=2016-01-02|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://extension.psu.edu/food/preservation/faq/raw-kidney-beans|title=Raw Kidney Beans|work=Home Food Preservation (Penn State Extension)}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Phaseolus}}
Category:Phaseolus Category:Edible legumes