NIGELLA'S FAVOURITE JARRED BEANS LAND AT WOOLWORTHS, BUT ARE THEY WORTH $10?
If you have ever watched a British cooking show and wondered why everyone seems so excited about a jar of beans, you are about to find out.
Bold Bean Co, the premium jarred beans brand with a fan club that includes Nigella Lawson and Jamie Oliver, is launching in Australia this month.
According to food news site Crumbwire, four of the brand's best sellers are heading to the specialty section of Woolworths stores nationwide.
Each 570g glass jar will cost $10.
That is a big jump from the tins most of us grab without thinking, so we took a closer look at what you actually get.
What's in the range
The Australian launch is made up of four products from the brand's Queen range, which is the name it gives its top-quality beans.
There are butter beans, which the brand says are creamy enough to eat straight from the jar.
There are chickpeas, described as plump with a creamy centre and a delicate skin.
There are white beans, pitched for soups, stews, salads and smashed beans on toast.
And there are black beans, suggested for tacos, bowls and salads.
The beans are cooked low and slow and seasoned throughout, and the brand says each variety is sourced from wherever it grows best.
Crumbwire reports that batches are tested for texture, how little they split and how unnoticeable the skins are.
They are also sulphite free and the company is a certified B Corp.
Why chefs are so keen on these jarred beans
Bold Bean Co was founded in the UK in 2021 by Amelia Christie-Miller.
On the brand's own website, she explains that she used to dislike beans until a jar of heirloom butter beans saved her during a hangover in Spain.
After four years working at a food sustainability start-up, she became convinced beans were one of the healthiest and most sustainable foods around, yet were still treated as a boring side dish.
Her mission, as the company puts it, is to make people obsessed with beans.
It seems to be working.
In the UK the jars went national through Waitrose in 2022 and are now sold at a string of major supermarkets.
The brand has released two cookbooks, and Jamie Oliver and Yotam Ottolenghi have both created recipes for it, according to Yahoo Lifestyle Australia.
Nigella has told UK online grocer Ocado the chickpeas make "a wonderful quick supper pasta dish".
Is $10 a jar worth it?
Here is the honest bit.
Yahoo Lifestyle points out that a 425g tin of Woolworths Macro Organic chickpeas costs $1.50, which makes the Bold Bean Co jar roughly six times the price.
So this is a treat rather than a pantry staple for most households.
The difference fans talk about is texture and flavour.
Because the beans are seasoned and cooked slowly, they are designed to be the star of the meal rather than something you rinse and hide in a curry.
If you are feeding a crowd or bulking out a chilli, a budget tin will do the job perfectly well.
If you want a fast, special dinner for two, a jar could earn its keep.
Easy ways to make a jar go further
Tip butter beans and a splash of their liquid into a pan with garlic, olive oil, lemon zest and greens for a ten-minute supper.
Take a leaf out of Nigella's book and toss chickpeas through pasta with chilli, parmesan and plenty of black pepper.
Smash white beans onto sourdough with a drizzle of good oil and a pinch of salt for a weekend brunch.
Pile black beans into soft tacos with avocado, lime and a quick slaw.
Keep the jar liquid, as it adds body and seasoning to soups and sauces.
With summer entertaining around the corner, a jar of really good beans tossed with tomatoes, herbs and feta also makes a lovely, low-effort salad to take to a barbecue.
If you are curious, keep an eye on the specialty aisle at your local Woolworths over the coming weeks.
You can read more about the brand at boldbeanco.com.
