Gluten-sensitive and Celiac disease require special dietary needs, and beans are a great option! But are beans gluten-free really? Find out the answers to the types of beans and legumes you should add to your gluten-free diet.
We answer questions you might have about why beans are gluten-free, and recipes to add them to your diet, from homemade baked beans to chickpea salad. Read on to discover why beans do not contain gluten and how they can help keep you healthy.
Quick Look
- 🔎 The Question: Are beans gluten-free?
- ✅ The Short Answer: Yes, beans are naturally gluten-free
- 🫘 Beans Covered: 14 common types plus lentils
- ⚠️ Watch For: canned beans with wheat-based additives and cross contamination
- 💪 Why Eat Them: one of the most nourishing vegetarian sources of protein and fiber
- 🍲 Best Uses: soups, salads, dips, baked beans and taco night
- ✋ Rule of Thumb: read the label; raw certified gluten-free beans are always safe, cooked first.
Quick Answer
Yes! Beans are naturally gluten-free and one of the most nourishing vegetarian sources of protein and fiber, including black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, navy beans, and legumes such as peanuts and chickpeas. The caution is with canned and processed beans: some carry wheat-based thickening agents or cross contamination from facilities that process wheat, so always read the packaging and choose beans that are certified gluten-free. Beans and lentils should always be eaten cooked, never raw.
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Yes! Beans are naturally gluten-free and one of the most nourishing vegetarian sources of protein and fiber. The types of beans that are most common include black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, navy beans, and legumes such as peanuts and chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
Be careful when choosing canned beans as some may have traces of additives and wheat or flour that has gluten. Always make sure to read packaging to see that both raw and any canned beans are certified gluten-free to ensure there is not wheat that may have cross contaminated into the beans. Beans and lentils should always be consumed cooked and not eaten raw.
Why Beans Belong in a Gluten-Free Diet
Click to see the technique science
- Beans are naturally gluten-free. Gluten lives in wheat, barley and rye; beans and legumes never contain it on their own.
- Protein and fiber in one food. Beans are one of the most nourishing vegetarian sources of both, plus iron.
- Most lentils are gluten-free too, and they cook even faster than beans.
- The risk is in processing, not the bean. Canned beans can carry wheat-based thickening agents or cross contamination from shared facilities.
- The label settles it. Certified gluten-free on the package means the beans are safe for Celiac and gluten-sensitive diets.
Why You'll Love Cooking With Beans
- 14+ varieties to rotate through, each naturally gluten-free.
- Budget-friendly protein for meatless meals like creamy taco soup and white bean soup.
- Pantry-stable. Raw beans keep in a cool dry pantry in a sealed container.
- Endlessly flexible: soups, dips, nachos, burrito bowls and even chickpea cookie dough.
- Full of nourishment, fiber, iron, and plant-based protein.
Types of Beans That Are Gluten-Free
- black beans
- kidney beans
- pinto beans
- chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- navy beans
- black-eyed peas
- cannellini beans
- great northern beans
- lima beans
- fava beans
- mung beans
- soybeans
- adzuki beans
- edamame soybeans
Are beans gluten-free? Yes, they are! Most lentils are gluten-free too. Be careful when choosing canned beans as some may have traces of additives and wheat or flour that has gluten.
Storing and Cooking Beans
Store raw beans in a cool dry place in a sealed bag or container. They should be kept in a pantry. Cooked beans such as black beans, chickpeas, and pinto beans should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within 3-5 days. The beans will start to have a strong rotten odor when they spoil.
You can easily cook raw beans on the stovetop and make your own chickpea salad, aquafaba, baked beans, white bean soup, and bean dip. Check out this recipe for how to cook black beans on the website here.
How to Keep Beans Gluten-Free
1Read the packaging on both raw and canned beans, and choose ones marked certified gluten-free to rule out wheat cross contamination from the facility.
2Watch canned and processed beans. Some canned beans like baked beans carry traces of wheat or flour added as thickening agents; check the ingredient list every time.
3Cook them fully. Beans and lentils should always be consumed cooked, never raw. Soak raw beans first to shorten the boiling time.
4When in doubt, make it homemade. Cooking raw beans on the stovetop or in the slow cooker means you control every ingredient.
Expert Tips
- Soak before cooking. Soaking beans cuts down on the lengthy amount of time it takes to boil them; a couple of hours makes a difference.
- Salt after cooking, not before, for tender beans.
- 3-5 day fridge rule for cooked beans; a strong rotten odor means they have spoiled.
- Pantry storage for raw beans: cool, dry, and sealed.
- Celiac shoppers: avoid wheat, barley, rye and non-certified oats, and check with the manufacturer when a label is unclear; beans and legumes are naturally gluten-free and typically safe.
- Taco night proof: beans carry my crockpot chicken taco chili and enchilada casserole.
Ways to Eat More Beans
Add black beans to vegetarian taco salad, pile chickpeas on a purple cabbage soup, or serve a pot of homemade baked beans at the next cookout with allergy-friendly snacks. Beans are a wonderful gluten-free food to add to your diet. They are full of nourishment, fiber, iron, and plant-based protein. Eating them cooked daily is a wonderful way to stay healthy!
Are Beans Gluten-Free FAQs
Beans are naturally gluten-free but canned beans like baked beans are likely to have traces of wheat added to them as thickening agents. Raw beans are always safe but must be cooked first before consuming.
Soaking beans before cooking cuts down on the lengthy amount of time it takes to boil the beans. For a shorter cooking time, soak raw beans and legumes first for a couple of hours before cooking and add salt after they are cooked.
Celiac disease is one where individuals should avoid wheat, certain grains, oats - unless they say certified gluten-free, barley, and rye. Some foods are processed in a factory where there is wheat so always check with a manufacturer. Beans and legumes are naturally a gluten-free food and typically safe to eat.
Certain baked beans are gluten-free, but always check with the manufacturer first. If you are afraid to buy store-bought baked beans you can always make our homemade gluten-free baked beans recipe. It is a super simple recipe and so delicious!
Certain Heinz baked beans are gluten-free with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Make sure to read the can to see if it says they are, as some variations may have cross contamination when made in the factories, depending on what country it is made in.
Most lentils are gluten-free too. Like beans, they should always be consumed cooked and not eaten raw, and it is best to choose packages marked certified gluten-free.
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