Pulses are the dried seeds of legumes, and come in a many different shapes and sizes. This guide will show you a visual reference, description and common names for some of the varieties of the four most common pulses: beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas. This guide will allow you to identify allowing you to identify them more easily and incorporate them into your lifestyle. Pulses are rich in protein, fibre and minerals and low in fat, making them a great addition to any diet.
Black lentils are very small and are sometimes called beluga lentils for their resemblance to beluga caviar. They are a versatile pulse, and can be used in many different dishes.
Brown lentils are the most common type of lentil, they range in colour from light brown to a very dark brown that is almost black. Brown lentils are smaller than green lentils and have a mild flavour.
French green lentils are a variation on green lentils, and are about 1/3 of the size. They have a peppery flavour, and stay very firm when cooked. They require a long cooking time compared to other lentils.
Green lentils are one of the most popular types of lentils. They hold their shape when cooked, and have a mild, earthy flavour which makes them versatile and suitable additions to many meals.
Red lentils are the fastest cooking lentil, but they lose their shape easily and become mushy, making them unsuitable for recipes that call for green or brown lentils. Red lentils are commonly used to thicken dishes.
Red lentils are the fastest cooking lentil, but they lose their shape easily and become mushy, making them unsuitable for recipes that call for green or brown lentils. Whole red lentils will require a longer cooking time than split red lentils.
Adzuki beans are small, dark red beans grown in East Asia and the Himalayas. Adzuki beans are very popular in Japan, where they are used to make both sweet and savoury recipes.
Anasazi beans were named for the Anasazi people who were indigenous to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Anasazi beans have a speckled red and white appearance, and look similar to appaloosa beans and Jacob's cattle trout beans.
Appaloosa beans have dark and white spots and are named after Appaloosa horses. They are longer than other types of beans, and look similar to anasazi beans and Jacob's cattle trout beans. They have a firm texture and hold their shape when cooked.
Baby lima beans are small, white and fairly flat beans. Although frequently pronounced differently, they are named after the capital of Peru.
Calypso beans are a hybrid kidney bean. They double in size after cooking, one cup of uncooked beans will yield two cups of cooked beans. They have a smooth texture and are black and white in appearance.
Black Turtle Beans are a variety of shiny black beans that are commonly used in Latin American cooking. They are also popular as vegetarian-friendly meat substitute because of their dense, meaty texture.
Dark red kidney beans were named for their similarities in both shape and colour to a kidney. They have a firm texture and a bold flavour, making them a great addition to soup and chili.
Great northern beans are larger than navy beans, and look similar to baby lima beans. They are a bit grainy in texture, and have a nutty, dense flavour.
Jacob's Cattle Trout Beans are very similar in appearance to both appaloosa and anasazi beans. They have a kidney shape and are white with spots.
Faba beans are broad and oval in shape and green in colour. They are popular in Latin America and parts of Asia, but are most popular in northern Africa. They are often dried and salted and eaten as a snack, or as a deep-fried ball, known as a falafel.
Large lima beans are sometimes called butter beans for their buttery flavour. They are off-white or yellow in colour. They can be seasoned and eaten by themselves, or used in soups or stews.
Light red kidney beans were named for their similarities in both shape and colour to a kidney. They have a firm texture and a bold flavour, making them a great addition to soup and chili.
Mungbeans are roughly oval shaped and green in colour. They are commonly used in Indian, Chinese and southeast Asian cuisine. Mung beans are versatile, and mung bean paste can be used to make desserts.
Pink beans are small, oval shaped and pink in colour. They have a smooth texture, and can be used as a substitiute for kidney beans or pinto beans.
Pinto beans are a variation on the common bean. They are one of the most popular beans in the United States and northwestern Mexico, and are also common in Brazilian cooking.
Romano beans are primarily light in colour and splatted with magenta or red, giving them a spotted appearance. Romano beans were first grown in Columbia, and became very popular in Italy.
Tongue of fire beans are an Italian heirloom bean. They are very similar to cranberry beans in appearance, and are similar to kidney beans in flavour and texture.
White kidney beans aren't as common as their red counterpart, and have a more subtle flavour. These beans are better suited to dishes with shorter cooking times than dark red kidney beans, or as toppings for salads.
White navy beans have a slightly flat, oval shape and are native to the Americas. They were a staple in the diets of U.S. Navy troops during the 20th century, giving them their name.
These medium-sized, ivory-colored beans are native to South America. They have thin skin, a buttery taste and a creamy texture that performs well on its own or as a component among other ingredients.
Black-eyed peas are asub-species of cow peas. They are off-white in colour with a black spot on the side, making each individual pea resemble an eye. They are a traditional food in the southern United States.
Green split peas are small, round and have a more earthy flavour than milder yellow split peas. Their most popular and common usage is in split pea soup.
Whole green peas are small and round. They are most commonly eaten boiled or steamed. They have a sweet flavour and starchy texture, and are very similar to yellow peas.
Marrowfat peas are green peas that were not harvested at the normal stage, but were instead left to dry out naturally in the field. Marrowfat peas are commonly used for making mushy peas and wasabi peas.
Pigeon peas are traditionally consumed dried and split. They were first cultivated in India over 3,000 years ago, and are common in Indian, Asian and caribbean cooking.
Yellow split peas are commonly used to make soups and purées and are popular in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and parts of Asia. Yellow split peas have a more neutral flavour than green split peas.
Yellow peas are small and round. They have a milder flavour and are less sweet than green peas, but are nearly identical in texture and require a similar cooking time.
Yellow-eyed peas are a sub-species of cow peas. They are similar looking to black-eyed peas, off-white in colour with a dark yellow spot on the side. Yellow-eyed peas are slightly larger than black-eyed peas.
Desi chickpeas are smaller and darker than kabulis. They are grown mainly in India, Ethiopia, Mexico, and Iran. Desi means 'country' or 'local'.
Chickpeas are a round, beige pulse that are popular across the globe. Many people consume chickpeas in the form of hummus, a type of dip made from mashed chickpeas and tahini.
These gray-black beans are similar to mung beans in terms of size and texture. They are widely eaten in Southeast Asia as a puree or daal.
West African cowpeas traveled relatively early on to Asia, sometime in the third millennium BC. They are grown and consumed all over Asia, Africa, Southern Europe and Central and South America. Cowpeas are an essential ingredient in creole cuisine and Indian curries.
Lupins are widely grown in Australia, Russia, Europe and South America. They are a popular snack usually preserved in brine or prickled.
