13 Canned Beans From Aldi, Ranked Worst To Best

Today, the Eastern half of the U.S. is decorated with Aldis, where we East Coasters rejoice in the venerable chain's low prices, surprisingly decent quality, and shockingly fast check-out speed (if you know, you know). A typical Aldi store offers all the basics — from canned goods and frozen staples to fresh meats and produce — and eschews more specific items, like brand-named processed foods and anything considered obscure to the American diet. One thing that Aldi certainly doesn't lack is canned beans. 

You'll find just about any bean you can fathom here. Considerably the best canned food to add to an emergency stockpile and incredibly versatile for a wide variety of vegetarian meals, it would be smart to stock up on a few inexpensive cans from Aldi. I myself — an avid plant-based food enthusiast and, therefore, earnest bean fan — took home 13 different bean varieties from the German grocery juggernaut, from baked to garbanzo to pinto and everything in between, and ranked them so you can discover which beans are worth stocking up on during your next Aldi run and which lackluster legumes should be left on the shelf.

Great Northern beans are slightly more obscure than the more popular bean varieties we tend to use in America, but they're one of — if not the — most versatile beans you can find on store shelves. They're known for their soft, creamy texture and very mild taste; they can usually be substitutes for other white beans, like butter beans, thanks to their mellow taste and consistency. In the case of Dakota's Pride — Aldi's primary bean brand, the creamy texture and mild flavor aren't enough to make these beans palatable.

Dakota's Pride Great Northern beans were covered in a thick, white goop that was beyond unappetizing. A quick wash removed most of the gunk, but the memory was still fresh in my mind, which made me want to toss the beans and never look back. But, for the sake of the ranking, I tried them and wasn't shocked to discover that they were just as gross as the mystery goop implied they would be. They were incredibly mushy, perhaps from being overcooked, which might be the culprit behind the weird liquid. They were also very heavily salted, which would make cooking with them more difficult — not that you'd want to anyway since Great Northern beans are more delicate.

Black beans are one of the most popular bean varieties in the U.S. They're usually associated with Mexican cuisine and spicy recipes, thanks to their intensely earthy and slightly meat-like flavor, which pairs well with spicy ingredients. This meaty taste makes them great candidates for hearty bean-based veggie burgers, providing a hefty dose of fiber to boot.

I noticed that Dakota's Pride's black beans were a little larger than most black bean brands that I use regularly. As soon as I opened the can, I also noticed a distinctly metallic smell from the can or from the beans themselves; I couldn't say for sure, but the beans did take on a strong, coppery taste. They lacked the iconic slight sweetness and fragrant earthiness that black beans are known for and instead tasted much more neutral. They didn't taste as egregiously salty as the brand's Great Northern beans, despite containing about the same amount of salt, but their bland, metallic taste still made them completely undesirable.

To the naked eye, cannellini beans — otherwise known as white kidney beans — might look indistinguishable from Great Northern beans, but they're quite different. Cannellini beans are a much heartier, denser white variety, and while they're still mild in flavor, they offer more nuttiness and a more intense classic bean taste than Great Northern beans. Their sturdiness and nuttiness make them great for blending into soups as a thickener or making bean-based casseroles, where beans are responsible for keeping their shape when topped with loads of other ingredients.

Aldi's Dakota's Pride cannellini beans had a particularly earthy flavor in a shockingly large bean. Like the Great Northerns, these beans were overly salty, making cooking with them a dangerous game. Despite looking plump and delectable, these beans were very frail and mushy and didn't hold their shape the way dense white kidney beans usually do. You could probably get away with blending these beans into a soup, as long as you're mindful of the saltiness, but they wouldn't hold up well in a casserole or stir-fry.

Along with its plain, undressed beans, Dakota's Pride also offers baked beans — an American cookout classic. Baked beans consist of white beans cooked in a sweet, smoky sauce, the flavors of which pair well with barbeque staples like burgers, coleslaw, and smoked meats. Although baked beans have a very particular flavor profile, they're a surprisingly useful pantry staple when the craving for a sweet-and-salty snack hits.

Dakota's Pride's original baked beans are made with a pretty standard recipe; the sauce that the beans float in consists primarily of brown sugar with a little bit of bacon for added savoriness and heartiness. I noticed a lack of smoky flavors in these beans, which is strange considering baked beans are always characterized by their bold smokiness. But that wasn't the most conspicuous aspect of these baked beans. The can — which is larger than a traditional can at 28 ounces — was only about ¾ full of beans. A significant portion of the can was full of just the sweet but otherwise bland sauce, which I promptly had to dump down the drain to get to the little golden morsels below.

Red kidney beans are the most quintessential of beans. They're acceptable for any bean dish while maintaining a unique flavor profile. They're large, plump, and colorful, and ultimately, no pantry is complete without red kidney beans, but Dakota's Pride's version might not be your best bet.

Dark red kidney beans are known for their mild, earthy flavor and intense color. The red kidney beans from Dakota's Pride taste as mildly nutty and off-the-earth as any red kidney bean (despite the disturbing fact that they contain corn syrup), but their presentation was lacking. They were packed in a clear, viscous liquid, unlike any canned bean liquid I'd ever seen. It was unappealing, but it easily washed off, and then I pretended it never happened. The beans didn't look as vibrantly red as most dark red kidney beans I've experienced, but they were at least noticeably plump. After biting into one, I found it to be a little undercooked, which could be desirable for some applications, like if you planned to stew them in a slow-cooked chili and ensure that they retained their shape and didn't break down.

Pinto beans — everyone's favorite, so it seems. Just the sight of a pinto bean is enough to make one squeal with delight. The cute, tiny beans are associated with some of our favorite bean creations: bean dip, tacos, refried beans, and chile con carne, to name a few. I had high hopes for Aldi's pinto beans because I planned to stock up on a bunch of these extra-large cans, and fortunately, they didn't let me down — but they didn't impress me, either.

These little morsels were extra plump and not mushy whatsoever. Their texture struck a good balance: firm enough to hold their shape in stews and soups but soft enough to easily be mashed into a dip or refried beans. They weren't as flavorful as other popular pinto bean brands, but their bland taste could make an excellent vehicle for bold seasonings. The hint of classic nuttiness could lend itself well to spicy, meat-based dishes, but I wouldn't recommend dumping these pintos in a bowl and going to town — you'd be in for a boring snack.

In addition to Dakota's Pride's classic baked beans, I also got the brand's brown sugar and hickory baked variety. The bean's deeply savory, woody aroma and flavor come from torula yeast and seasonings, while tiny navy beans float in a brown sugar base that's not too thin but not excessively thick and gelatinous. They're the ideal consistency to use as a unique veggie burger topping, especially considering they're vegan-friendly — a claim many baked beans can't make.

The brown sugar and hickory baked beans taste like a warm hug. They're super sweet — albeit a little too sweet — without tasting artificial and syrupy, and the hickory flavor provided the perfect amount of contrast to the sugariness. I find that some baked bean brands go too hard with the smoky flavors in the recipe that all other nuances in the dish are compromised, but this certainly wasn't the case with these Dakota's Pride beans. A rich molasses flavor coated my mouth with every bite, and genuine woody smokiness swooped in for the finishing aftertaste to tame the brown sugar. I also appreciate that these baked beans contain no caramel color or artificial colors like plenty of other canned baked bean brands.

If you're a lover of simple, wholesome, preservative-free, and added sugar-free ingredients for your home cooking, then organic canned beans are a must-have in your pantry. Most of Aldi's bean offerings are Dakota's Pride brand, and while some of those beans are pure and simple, some have added corn syrup and funky preservatives that seem a little sketchy. The Simply Nature brand is Aldi's in-house organic brand (but you can also find its products at large retailers like Walmart and Amazon), and it offers a few organic canned beans for those who like to keep it simple in the kitchen.

Simply Nature's dark red kidney beans consist of only organic beans, water, and salt. The beans are extra plump and soft without being too mushy and have a vibrant, earthy flavor and bright red color that could make any dish come to life. These beans aren't salty at all and contain only 85 milligrams of salt per half cup of serving. While they could definitely use a heavier dose of salt, I don't hold it too much against them since adding salt is easy enough for anyone to do, and beans are better off being under-salted than too salty.

Despite popular belief, refried beans aren't actually beans that are fried twice — they're just very fried. They're a delicious, scoopable mash of seasoned, baked pinto beans, and in America, we usually associate them with Mexican cuisine. Enter Casa Mamita, Aldi's house brand for all things Mexican. This brand's take on refried beans is a classic and worth keeping on hand in case the mood for tacos strikes.

These refried beans are crafted simply and traditionally with just beans, lard, and spices. Chili pepper, garlic powder, paprika, tomato paste, and some mystery spices give these beans their classic flavor. I wished the spices were a little more apparent, but it doesn't hurt that these refried beans aren't potent with spice, so they're more customizable. I appreciate the addition of lard because refried beans don't have their iconic luscious taste without it. At 520 milligrams of sodium for only half a cup, these beans are quite salty, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't make them all the more delectable. Surprisingly, Casa Mamita's refried beans contain only half a gram of fat per serving even though they contain lard, and you wouldn't know it based on how rich they are.

Like the brand's organic red kidney beans, the canned pinto beans from Simply Nature are made up of just organic beans, water, and salt. Unlike most canned beans sitting in a murky, questionable liquid, these beans are packed into the can with just a little bit of plain, clear liquid. They don't need to be rinsed to be tasty, but you might as well give them a quick once-over just for good measure.

These beans were much brighter and bolder in flavor than most canned pinto bean varieties on the market, which are usually mild and bland with a prominent metallic taste from being stowed away in a metal container. The pinto beans from Simply Nature tasted freshly cooked; all they needed was an extra pinch of salt to come to life because, like the kidney beans, these beans only contain 85 milligrams of sodium per serving. These pintos would make a particularly delicious batch of home-cooked refried beans or work well in any other dish featuring pinto beans as the main attraction.

As a former long-time vegan and refried bean lover, I've had my fair share of lard-free refried beans. Most of the time, they don't taste like their fat-laden counterparts, and then I'm left with a half-eaten bowl full of goopy disappointment and regret. Casa Mamita's fat-free and completely plant-based refried beans are some of the best lard-free refried beans I've ever had the pleasure of smearing on a tortilla and drenching in hot sauce.

I've ranked the can of fat-free refried beans from Casa Mamita higher than the full-fat version, not because they taste better but because they taste just as good while being free of animal products and fat, which is quite the feat. I had the opportunity to compare the two side-by-side and found the fat-free beans to be only slightly less rich than the full-fat beans. They contain just about the same ingredients as the traditional refried beans, although the fat-free beans have a little extra salt for the lack of lard, which takes them into overly-salted territory and likely won't appeal to those who prefer moderately-salted dishes. The spices are apparent but not overpowering, and the silky smooth texture of the beans coats your mouth and implores you to start cranking out some vegan tostadas.

Garbanzo beans, otherwise known as chickpeas, are in a bean class of their own. They're dense yet delicate and have a very particular flavor. Garbanzo beans can vary very significantly from brand to brand. I'm picky with my chickpeas, so I was a little anxious to try Aldi's house brand version because I find most brands — especially the more inexpensive ones — usually miss the mark and mask chickpeas' natural, delicious flavor and texture. Fortunately, Dakota's Pride hit the nail on the head with their bright and flavorful chickpeas.

Garbanzo beans are much less earthy and significantly more buttery than most other beans. In the case of the Dakota's Pride garbanzos, a metallic can taste and excessive salt didn't mask their innate sweet, buttery flavor; they were perfectly salted to enhance the beans' natural essence. Chickpeas also have a very particular texture that's simultaneously firm and solid yet soft and luscious, and while some canned versions yield a mushy product, the Dakota's Pride chickpeas were particularly firm. In fact, most of the beans in the can were completely intact, which any regular chickpea enjoyer knows is a rare occurrence. These particularly tiny garbanzos would hold up beautifully in a crispy chickpea recipe. Toss them in za'atar spice and serve alongside roasted cauliflower for a bright and zesty healthy meal.

Finally, we reach Aldi's cream of the bean crop: Dakota's Pride mild chili beans. Unlike baked beans, chili beans are in a much lighter, less sloppy sauce flavored with spices rather than sugar and bacon. Some people prefer to forgo chili beans for unseasoned beans so that they can flavor a pot of chili however they like, and normally, I'd encourage this. However, when it comes to Dakota's Pride chili beans, you might want to let them do most of the heavy lifting for the flavor in your next batch of chili.

These mild chili beans don't look like much in the can — they look like regular old pinto beans. As the can states, this flavor is subtle, mild, and not too spicy but perfectly balanced to create a harmonious, savory taste that pairs perfectly with the natural earthiness of pinto beans. They're very cumin-heavy, giving the beans a fragrant, almost floral quality that accentuates the pepper-based spice. These delicate yet firm beans would be bold and delicious if used for their intended purpose, but they'd also make a tasty treat on their own, as I had to stop myself from eating them all directly out of the can. I'd even go as far as to say that they'd make a bold, unique pizza topping.

To rank these canned beans from Aldi, I set aside any personal preferences in order to judge the beans solely on their quality and flavor. I focused largely on freshness and vibrancy, with a preference for beans that lacked the dreaded metallic can taste. I considered the bean's texture, which is nearly as important as their taste; beans that are too hard result in an unpleasant crunch, and mushy beans leave a chalky residue on the palate. I also considered whether the beans were overly salted — a common grievance when it comes to canned beans.

For those beans that contained special seasonings, I judged them based on how well the seasonings complemented the bean's natural taste and the quality in which they were prepared. The taste test was conducted by trying the beans on their own, both at room temperature and warmed up, without any added seasonings or any other ingredients to muddle their straight-from-the-can flavor. Price and value were not factored into this ranking since Aldi products are all known for their affordability.