The Best Canned Beans To Buy On Your Next Trader Joe's Trip

Trader Joe's has a wonderful and delicious selection of store-brand goods, from snacks to prepared foods to pantry staples. The company's canned bean selection represents its penchant for quality as well as novelty. We ranked 10 Trader Joe's canned beans and crowned the Greek chickpeas with parsley and cumin as our No.1 choice. We found they had a complex flavor, well-balanced saltiness, and firm texture to form the trifecta of what we believe to be a winning can of beans. 

Trader Joe's Greek chickpeas check off all the boxes, starting with a plump and firm form that doesn't get mushy despite the canning process. Unlike many basic canned beans, the canning liquid is the component that imparts the complexity. Infused with tangy lemon juice, diced parsley, salt, and ultra savory cumin, the liquid acts as a delicious dressing that brings out the savory and subtle taste of the chickpeas. Plus you don't have to worry about draining and rinsing these legumes, or even heating them up for that matter. You can enjoy them straight out of the can for a flavorful snack, side dish, or protein-packed main course.

When it comes to praise for Trader Joe's Greek chickpeas with parsley and cumin, you don't have to just take our word for it. Many customers have shared online that they're just as enthusiastically obsessed as we are. Most reviewers started off as skeptics due to the novelty of seasoned canned chickpeas that you serve in their juices. However, after tasting them, they were instant fans. The main theme was about how flavorful the canning liquid was and how it opened doors for many different applications.

To that effect, you can do so much more with these chickpeas than simply eating them out of a can. Simply add fresh veggies to make a main-course salad — there's plenty of seasoned juice to dress anything you add to the mix. They would taste delicious with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, diced Mezzetta pepperoncini, kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese. You could mash them up and stir in some dill, capers, green onions, and diced cornichons for a meat-free alternative to tuna salad. Just add a scoop or two to a bed of iceberg lettuce or spread it into toasted rye bread. You could even drain them and throw them in your air fryer or oven, taking advantage of their seasoning to make a much more flavorful batch of roasted chickpeas with Za'atar.