Small, oval white beans with a mild flavor and smooth, dense texture, the classic choice for baked beans and hearty soups.
Substitutes
Cannellini Beans — 1:1. Cannellini beans are larger with a slightly creamier texture when cooked, and both share the same mild white-bean flavor. They work interchangeably in soups, baked beans, and purees. Cannellini may need a few extra minutes of cooking to reach comparable tenderness due to their larger size.
White Beans — 1:1. Navy beans are one of the most common white bean varieties — small and oval with a dense, creamy texture ideal for baked beans, soups, and purees. Any recipe calling for generic "white beans" accepts navy beans seamlessly with no adjustment needed to cooking time or seasoning.
Butter Beans — 1:1. Butter beans (lima beans) are larger with a creamier, more buttery texture than navy beans' smaller, firmer, starchier character. Both have mild, neutral flavors that absorb seasonings well. Butter beans work especially well in soups, stews, and casseroles.