Buy now
We've teamed up with Hodmedod on shipping of our orders - click above to order. If you opt in to marketing when ordering you will also be subscribed to the Heirloom Bean Co newsletter.
The gorgeous markings of these Vaquita Negro beans stay vivid even after cooking. Their flavour is mildly sweet, with a lightness that suits brothy dishes, vegetables and citrus‑bright preparations. They hold their shape well, absorbing seasoning gently.
KITCHEN SUGGESTIONS
They’re excellent simmered with onions, tomato and a little bay for a clean pot that shows off their contrasting colours, or brightened with coriander stems, lime and wilted greens. Try them with slow‑cooked leeks, garlic and olive oil for a gentler dish, or folded into a broth with sweetcorn, courgettes and a splash of vinegar for lift. They also work well alongside roasted peppers with a touch of cumin, and hold up beautifully in warm salads with herbs, citrus and grilled vegetables. For something simpler, serve them warm with butter, black pepper and fresh herbs to let their clear flavour and distinctive pattern stand out.
COOKING THESE BEANS
Look over the beans to remove any stray bits, then rinse well. In a heavy pot, gently cook your base vegetables - onion, garlic, celery, carrot - in a little olive oil until fragrant. Add the beans and pour in enough water to cover them by roughly 5 cm. Bring to a strong boil for 10–15 minutes. Lower the heat to maintain a slow, steady simmer, partially covering the pot to keep the temperature even, and cook until the beans are fully tender, usually 1–3 hours. Add salt once the beans begin to soften. A short soak of 2–6 hours will help reduce the total cooking time.
Our tasting notes: Dark, grain‑leaning flavour with a quiet mineral lift
Similar to: Orca, Calypso, Zaragoza, black turtle beans
Latin name: Phaseolus vulgaris
Country of origin: Mexico
Sold in resealable 500g bags
We’re pleased to announce that all our Mexican beans are fairly traded, following an agreement signed during The Heirloom Bean Co’s tour of the farms that grow them last year.
Farmers are increasingly reluctant to plant heirloom varieties: they have a longer growing period (things can/do go wrong with the weather), and local consumers are reluctant to pay more.
Advance payments (as on offer from our supplier) are only half the story: we met one farmer whose field and its bean crop was simply washed away in a freak storm, which made repaying an advance hard.
Under our agreement, The Heirloom Bean Co pays 15% on top of the farmgate price for beans. This money goes into a separate bank account and acts as an ‘insurance’ for crop losses which are no fault of the farmers.
Buy now
We've teamed up with Hodmedod on shipping of our orders - click above to order. If you opt in to marketing when ordering you will also be subscribed to the Heirloom Bean Co newsletter.
The gorgeous markings of these Vaquita Negro beans stay vivid even after cooking. Their flavour is mildly sweet, with a lightness that suits brothy dishes, vegetables and citrus‑bright preparations. They hold their shape well, absorbing seasoning gently.
KITCHEN SUGGESTIONS
They’re excellent simmered with onions, tomato and a little bay for a clean pot that shows off their contrasting colours, or brightened with coriander stems, lime and wilted greens. Try them with slow‑cooked leeks, garlic and olive oil for a gentler dish, or folded into a broth with sweetcorn, courgettes and a splash of vinegar for lift. They also work well alongside roasted peppers with a touch of cumin, and hold up beautifully in warm salads with herbs, citrus and grilled vegetables. For something simpler, serve them warm with butter, black pepper and fresh herbs to let their clear flavour and distinctive pattern stand out.
COOKING THESE BEANS
Look over the beans to remove any stray bits, then rinse well. In a heavy pot, gently cook your base vegetables - onion, garlic, celery, carrot - in a little olive oil until fragrant. Add the beans and pour in enough water to cover them by roughly 5 cm. Bring to a strong boil for 10–15 minutes. Lower the heat to maintain a slow, steady simmer, partially covering the pot to keep the temperature even, and cook until the beans are fully tender, usually 1–3 hours. Add salt once the beans begin to soften. A short soak of 2–6 hours will help reduce the total cooking time.
Our tasting notes: Dark, grain‑leaning flavour with a quiet mineral lift
Similar to: Orca, Calypso, Zaragoza, black turtle beans
Latin name: Phaseolus vulgaris
Country of origin: Mexico
Sold in resealable 500g bags
We’re pleased to announce that all our Mexican beans are fairly traded, following an agreement signed during The Heirloom Bean Co’s tour of the farms that grow them last year.
Farmers are increasingly reluctant to plant heirloom varieties: they have a longer growing period (things can/do go wrong with the weather), and local consumers are reluctant to pay more.
Advance payments (as on offer from our supplier) are only half the story: we met one farmer whose field and its bean crop was simply washed away in a freak storm, which made repaying an advance hard.
Under our agreement, The Heirloom Bean Co pays 15% on top of the farmgate price for beans. This money goes into a separate bank account and acts as an ‘insurance’ for crop losses which are no fault of the farmers.
