The Best Canned Beans Brand You Should Buy Is Actually Not Goya

When it comes to canned beans, your mind may first think of Goya, a reliable brand that can be found at just about any supermarket. If you've ever had Goya beans, then you know that they're plenty tasty — but you may be surprised to learn that when Tasting Table ranked 10 canned bean brands, Goya did not finish first. Instead, Goya ranked at number two — with Heyday Canning Co. taking the top spot. What stands out about Heyday — and why we ranked it at number one — is the beans are already seasoned. Flavors include Kimchi Sesame Navy Beans, Enchilada Black Beans, Apricot Glazed Baked Beans, Tomato Alla Vodka Cannellini Beans, Coconut Curry Chickpeas, and Harissa Lemon Chickpeas.

The brand prides itself on using "only the best, tastiest ingredients," according to its website. Further, CEO and Co-Founder Kat Kavner confirmed in an interview with Forbes that its products do not contain any added salt for preservation, but instead are naturally preserved using just heat, which sets it apart from other brands. Most canned beans contain salt, and some brands, such as Signature Select and Good & Gather, contain calcium chloride, an inorganic compound that is considered a form of salt that acts as a preserving agent. Finally, all the Heyday products are vegan, gluten-free, and use non-GMO ingredients. Heyday is not yet certified organic but specifies on its website that this is a goal it's working toward.

The biggest selling point of Heyday beans — besides the brand's attention to quality ingredients — is the fact that the cans are already packed full of flavor. In fact, you may just want to scoop a heaping of the Kimchi Sesame Navy Beans over a bowl of white rice and call it a day. It'll make for a simple yet flavorful meal. Meanwhile, the Apricot Glazed Baked Beans are the perfect ready-to-go side dish to take to a summer BBQ with no prep necessary on your part. But you can also use them to incorporate extra flavor into more complicated dishes. 

The Enchilada Black Beans — which contain enchilada sauce flavored with chilis, tomato paste, and a variety of spices — would work well in a number of Mexican cuisine dishes. You could use them to add a bit of spice to Tasting Table's limey black bean couscous salad or simply add them to the top of an easy baked nachos recipe. Or, maybe you want to use the Tomato Alla Vodka Cannellini Beans to make a flavor-packed chili that is reminiscent of a bowl of pasta thanks to the vodka sauce that the canned beans are soaking in. It would pair well with homemade garlic bread.