Spicy Soybeans with Kimchi MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 11/2 hours A wonderful way to incorporate kimchi into a main dish. The kimchis pungency and spice are absorbed by the soybeans, creating a deeply flavored and warming onepot meal. Other beans you can use: pinto,...

Black-Eyed Peas with Smoked Tofu MAKES: 6 to 8 servings TIME: About 21/2 hours, largely unattended In all good conscience I can't call this hoppin John, the classic southern bean and rice dish, because it doesn't have a ham hock. And since I'm not a fan of faux meats,...

White Bean Pure MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 10 minutes with cooked beans One of the most useful bean preparations there is, this pure can serve as a side dish, sauce, spread, or dip (and is great as an appetizer served with bread or pita chips and carrot and celery sticks...

Refried Bean Dip MAKES: At least 8 servings TIME: 10 minutes with cooked beans A basic bean dip that's great with tortilla chips, though you could serve it with almost anything: raw sliced vegetables; grilled, broiled, or fried tofu cubes; pita, toast, or crackers you...

Hummus MAKES: 4 to 6 servings TIME: 15 minutes with cooked chickpeas A Middle Eastern classic that's become a standby dip or spread in many homes in the United States, hummus has that distinctive chickpea flavor mixed with the nuttiness of tahini. Make it as nutty,...

Chickpea Fondue MAKES: 6 to 8 servings TIME: 20 minutes with cooked chickpeas Throughout the Mediterranean, chickpeas are often pured to make rich sauces, and that's the idea behind this wonderful spin on fondue. When you cook chick-peas yourself (which is what I...

Roasted Chickpeas MAKES: 4 servings TIME: 25 minutes, with cooked chickpeas Roasting cooked chickpeas in a little oil first briefly on the stove and later in the oven leaves their insides tender while adding crunch to their exterior; they make both a great side dish...