11 Canned Black Bean Brands, Ranked

Black beans are one of the most delicious, most versatile foods you can keep stocked in your pantry. They can be used to make everything from flavorful bean fajitas to black bean burgers – not to mention the many creative ways to use them in your daily cooking. If you ask me, black beans taste best when they're cooked from dry, but let's be honest — you may not always have the time (or the forethought) to make beans this way. That's why I always keep a few cans of beans, like black beans, on hand for use in my favorite bean-centric recipes.

But if the grocery stores you frequent are like mine, then you're probably also faced with seemingly endless black bean choices. Even though this is an arguably humble ingredient, you still want to make sure you're getting your money's worth, which is why you should take a closer look at this ranking of black bean brands. I've ranked these brands according to both flavor and texture. 

Generally speaking, I ranked beans with saltier, more complex flavor profiles toward the top of the list, and I also prioritized beans that had textures that weren't too soft or too hard, but rather had a delicious al dente bite. No matter what recipe you're planning to make that puts black beans in the spotlight, this ranking should help you get closer to choosing the best brand.

I primarily think of Progresso as a soup brand, but it sells a wide variety of canned beans as well. But unfortunately, it doesn't have the most delicious beans of the bunch — not by a long shot. The first thing I noticed when I took a bite of these canned beans was their texture. They were incredibly soft, with a mushiness that was immediately unappealing. Of course, you don't need to work with perfectly intact beans in every recipe. If you're mashing beans for a veggie burger, for example, that mushiness might not really matter. However, it's not ideal for most other recipes where the beans are meant to be kept intact.

But it's not just texture where these fell short. I also found the flavor to be quite lacking. Lots of beans are prepared simply, but these don't even seem to have enough salt. The result is a bite that tastes way too bland to be pleasant. Combine that with the mushiness of these beans, and it's clear why they took the last spot in this ranking.

I'm not too familiar with the Iberia brand, so I was looking forward to trying its black beans. These beans aren't bad, but they're quite far from being my favorites of the bunch. They had the opposite problem from Progresso's on the texture front. Instead of being too mushy, they were too firm. I appreciate that these beans have a nice structure and bite, but I felt like they offered none of the softness I usually expect.

There's not too much to complain about or celebrate, either. These beans have some saltiness, but not enough to keep things interesting — the flavor doesn't overcome the drawbacks from the texture. If you like firm beans, then Iberia's offering may be worth checking out. I can see where this specific texture may work in recipes like dense bean salads. But if you just want a basic can of beans with the best possible flavor, then skip this brand entirely.

O Organics falls into the lower-middle end of the ranking. These black beans are just fine, and they'll get the job done if you need a simple can of beans. Is the texture a bit too soft for my taste? Sure. And are they lacking some of the flavor complexity you find in better-ranked brands? Also yes. Apart from a slightly salty note (that's not salty enough, if you ask me), there's not much going on here.

But, ultimately, I don't think I'd have a problem with these beans at all if I hadn't tasted them alongside so many others. If you care about getting an organic product and need to snag an affordable pantry staple, O Organics has you covered. But yes, there are plenty of more delicious black bean brands out there.

S&W's beans didn't wow me, but I don't dislike them. In other words, these beans are about as basic as they come. I will say that they're a step up from O Organics in terms of texture — they don't have any of the unfortunate softness or squishiness I found in some of the worst-ranked brands, with a nice, almost al dente texture that's also not too hard. But when it comes to flavor, I don't find this brand to be particularly exciting. It's lacking in salt, with a somewhat bland flavor. And while there is some granulated onion in the recipe, I couldn't pick up on that onion-forward, savory note like I wanted to.

It may do the job when you're just looking for a simple can of beans. Is it going to blow you away with its deliciousness? Maybe not. But it's a solid standby that's not going to ruin any dish you incorporate it into.

I had a hard time deciding where to place Trader Joe's on this list. When I ranked Trader Joe's canned beans from worst to best, the brand's organic black beans were among my least favorite. I still stand by that assessment: The beans are too soft and mushy, and while there's some saltiness, they don't deliver the sort of flavor I'm looking for.

That being said, Trader Joe's standard, non-organic black beans are actually quite good. For some reason, the texture is very different — the normal version holds its shape a lot better without succumbing to that soft and mushy texture. They're also a lot more flavorful, delivering that intense dose of saltiness I crave in black beans. Additionally, I found that these beans have a nice saucy base, while the liquid in the organic version looked basically clear and lacked flavor.

Whether it's worth buying black beans from Trader Joe's depends on your preferences. If you're trying to snag yourself a can of organic black beans, there are probably better brands out there to try. But if all you care about is getting a standard can of black beans that will deliver the flavor you're looking for, then Trader Joe's standard black bean offering is a good choice.

When I ranked 10 brands of canned beans, Goya black beans came in the No. 2 slot. However, that can of beans came up against a much different lineup than these. On the black bean front specifically, I don't think Goya performs quite as well, since there are other brands that lean into more interesting flavors. That being said, you'll still get some solid beans from this brand. The beans themselves have a nice, smooth texture, and they're quite well salted, with a flavor bold enough to eat them on their own. There aren't many other flavors at play, but when you're working with black beans, you often want them to taste pretty plain so you can have more control over the dish.

These beans also really deliver when it comes to texture, with that not-too-soft, not-too-firm bite that makes for a maximally pleasant experience. There are a lot of cans on this list that I enjoy more and have more flavor, but this brand provides the basics of what I'm looking for in black beans. It helps that it is widely available, so I think this can is worth seeking out.

Signature Select is a store brand found in retailers like Star Market and Safeway, and honestly, I've found that many of its products aren't particularly good. Yes, it tends to be on the less expensive end of the spectrum, but with some products, you know you're also getting a lower level of quality. However, I don't think that's true when it comes to the two Signature Select's black beans I tried. One of them was just a simple, basic can of black beans, while the other was seasoned with garlic, onion, and spices.

The basic version of Signature Select's black beans isn't the most flavorful I've tried, but they get the job done. They have a nice texture and just enough saltiness to highlight the natural flavor of the beans. However, I think the seasoned variety really shines. Those garlic and onion notes are prominent, and they seem much saltier than their unseasoned counterpart, but with the same solid texture. Once you take the low price of these beans into account, I think they're one of the better brands on this list. When you're looking for delicious canned black beans that'll help keep your grocery costs low, Signature Select is where it's at.

Now, we're starting to get into some of the best black beans. DeLallo's version are some of the priciest on this list, but honestly, that extra money might be worth paying if you're looking for excellent quality. The beans have a bold, earthy flavor that isn't present in many other beans on this list. It's their saltiness, though, that takes them to a new level for me. These are some of the saltiest beans I tried, and that's just how I like them. The saltiness might be too much for some people, but I prefer saltier foods, and I really think it enhances the bean's natural flavor.

Texture-wise, DeLallo's beans are excellent, with a nice, firm consistency without being hard — they almost pop when you bite into them. So, if these beans are so good, why don't they take the top spot on this list? It mostly comes down to the extra, more interesting flavors that you'll find from other brands. But when you need a basic can of plain but very delicious black beans, DeLallo has you covered.

Bush's might be best known for its variety of baked beans, but the brand sells many other beans as well. I've tried some of the brand's plain beans before and didn't particularly enjoy them, but the two black bean varieties I tried for this ranking are actually very good. I selected plain beans along with a seasoned variety, which I think is the superior of the two — both are excellent, though. The plain flavor is all-around solid, with a compelling al dente-ish texture and a bold saltiness that makes every bite that much more delicious. And the seasoned beans feature that same texture, just with a flavor profile that takes center stage. They're seasoned with garlic and onion powder, which come across more intensely on the palate than any of the worse-ranked varieties on this list.

Not everyone is looking for super-seasoned beans, but I love this seasoned variety because you don't have to do anything to it to make it taste good. Therefore, when you're trying to get dinner on the table quickly, these beans make things a lot easier. However, the plain variety is the way to go for simpler presentations or for recipes where you want to have more control over the seasoning.

You're seriously missing out if you haven't gotten your hands on some Siete beans. This is one of my all-time favorite bean brands out there, but don't expect the basic presentations you'll get from other brands. Its line of beans, including several different refried varieties, is packed with flavor and spices, elevating a supposedly simple food into a pantry staple that really feels gourmet. So, having experience with these beans in the past, I wasn't surprised to discover that Siete has some of the best black beans of the brands I tried. That being said, they are refried, not the standard, whole beans that I got from every other brand on this list.

Because of the format of this can of beans, I can't speak to the texture in the traditional firm/mushy sense here. However, I found the texture nice and creamy with enough chunkiness, which is what I look for with refried beans. It's their flavor, though, that really wowed me. Prepared with avocado oil, onion and garlic powders, and paprika, you're getting both a lot of flavor and a bit of fattiness in this product. When those two elements come together, you get an ultra-flavorful can of refried beans — you're going to want to spread them on everything.

As good as a lot of these brands' black beans are, there's one brand that's absolutely the uncontested winner in this lineup, if you ask me. It's La Costeña, and it literally has the most scrumptious canned black beans I've ever tried. First of all, the texture is excellent. I'd say that these beans skew toward the firmer end of the spectrum, but they're still pretty soft without being mushy. It's the flavor base for this item that really makes it the best performer on the list, though. They're made with a mixture of tomato paste, onion, soybean oil, and spices, along with the expected salt. But when I first took a bite of these beans, there was one flavor that especially jumped out to me with a peppery, vegetal note. So, when I looked at the ingredients list, I wasn't surprised to find jalapeño listed there.

Now, these beans aren't spicy at all, so you don't have to worry about any heat if you're not usually into that. However, both the onion and jalapeño work together to make for a savory flavor base. And when you add in that sweetness from the tomato paste, you're getting a can of beans that's so deeply tasty, you'll want to eat it all on its own.

These beans were selected based on availability at a couple of my closest local grocery stores. When possible, I selected more than one style of canned black beans from the selection provided. Let's be honest: A lot of black bean brands taste pretty similar, and ranking them was difficult. There were a few bean brands I didn't enjoy on this list, and a few others I adored. 

The criteria I used for this ranking are flavor and texture. I particularly liked the black beans that tasted saltier or otherwise more flavorful than the blandest options on this list, and I also prized an al dente-like firmness over mushiness (although in one case, I felt like a particular brand's beans were too firm).