Canned pinto beans are the ideal ingredient for this because of their tender, buttery quality. Plus, using canned beans means that you don't have to spend hours soaking and cooking dried beans.

Werner says pinto beans are native to North and Central America. "Pintos have a slightly nutty, creamy texture when cooked," Werner adds. Canned and dry pinto beans are available at the grocery store.

That’s a lot of variables for a taste test, but as ever, our test kitchen was up to the challenge. For our latest blind taste test, we tried 11 brands of refried beans to find the ultimate winner.

Canned chickpeas and beans are usually a bit too firm for some preparations, like dips and braises; this rapid-tenderization method is the perfect fix. However, some recipes require really soft ...

Eating a few servings of beans a day can help you reach your recommended daily fiber intake of 21 to 25 grams for women and 30 to 38 grams for men. Markus Guhl via Getty Images Beans are one of ...