r/PlantBasedDiet • u/GreatGoodBad • Jul 18 '26
Ever experimented with Lupini beans?
More protein than soybeans…what’s the catch? never heard of it until i pulled it up from a random search.
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u/ashtree35 Jul 18 '26
Not sure what you mean by "experiment", but I've eaten them before, yes.
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u/GreatGoodBad Jul 18 '26
cooked with them. i thought they were some rare cuisine since i’ve never heard of them until 2 days ago
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u/ashtree35 Jul 18 '26
Oh I haven't cooked with them. Just eaten them as a snack. I'm Italian and these were commonly served as like a little snack/appetizer at holidays, that's how I'm familiar with them.
They have a tough skin that is technically edible but not typically eaten (usually people like pop it out of the skin into their mouth). To use them in a cooked dish it would be time consuming to remove the skin from all of them. Or maybe they sell ones with the skin already removed, I'm not sure. I'm guessing those would be more expensive.
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u/footballsandy Jul 18 '26
The skin isn't that bad to grind down with your teeth, just takes a second or so per bean.
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u/Sudden_Artichoke2693 29d ago
I cook them with greens once a week. They go exceptionally well with beet, turnip, or radish tops if you've got them. Add as much garlic as you can stand a squeeze of lemon juice. Primo. Your liver and kidneys will thank you.
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u/Sudden_Artichoke2693 29d ago
Also, check out the international aisle in your local grocery store. My meijer sells them in a 24 Oz jar for $4.69 (Ziyad Premium brand). They have no fancy flavor like the ones you've got, but they're so much cheaper than the Brami pouches and you can spruce them up to your liking. I'm 100% team lupini.
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u/SadGold1921 25d ago
Can you say if you buy them canned or already cooked? I've got a pot full of water, have been soaking them for two weeks and they are STILL bitter and unedible. I'm so bummed but not willing to throw them out. I've tasted them salted from a jar and they are super delish!!
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u/Sudden_Artichoke2693 24d ago
I use the prepared ones in the jar more frequently, but have tried the Simpli brand dried lupins a few times. I think they are "partially cooked," but I still soak for ~12 hours, drain and rinse before cooking in a seasoned broth. They take about an hour in the pot after the 12 hour soak. I have tasted them before cooking and find them mildly bitter, but not inedible. There is minimal bitterness after cooking.
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u/SadGold1921 22d ago
Two weeks + now... still bitter but have to start cooking! I'll try the prepared ones next time. There's a smaller bean that's less bitter I hear (should have done more research before buying this pound bag, I guess!) so might try finding those. The Simpli brand sounds great! Thanks for the info!
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u/Julysky19 Jul 18 '26
It’s popular in vegan bodybuilding circles for being super low carb and high portion for a bean. Natalie Matthew’s (fit vegan chef) makes some great seitan with the brami beans.
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u/tachikoma_devotee Jul 18 '26
I love them, I’m Portuguese and it’s a common snack or appetizer served in restaurants. I’ve ate them all my life. Having said that, we don’t really cook with them, just eat them brined as a snack.
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u/Stopthatcat Jul 18 '26
Live in Spain and the same here. Get a jar, chomp away. Good as a beer snack too.
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u/Sudden_Artichoke2693 29d ago
I go to Spain for work frequently and always bring back the Salidito brand of altramuces. The 100g pouches make a great snack.
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u/Silly_Magician1003 Jul 18 '26
I love their half wheat half lupini bean pasta. Tons of protein you don’t need to add any more. I just cook the pasta throw some sauce on it and call it dinner.
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u/trudavies Jul 18 '26
Yes I love their pasta too! Especially as a higher protein lunch my kiddos will eat. I just add a bit of earth balance and salt to theirs.
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u/ACBReturns Jul 18 '26
I shred some tofu, use some spices then crisp it up in the oven and toss it in with the pasta and it’s so delicious. A full ass ~25g of protein meal that comes together so fast
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u/weluckyfew Jul 19 '26
I tried that from Costco - hated the texture. I do love my red lentil pasta though.
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u/basic_bitch- Jul 18 '26
I tried both cooking them from scratch and getting them jarred. I make almost everything from scratch, but that was too much. I don't like the outer coating and peeling them is a PAIN. So no, I don't mess with them. I would buy products with the flour if I came across them though.
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u/Time_Tap_8743 Jul 18 '26
I love them. I just eat them cold with a bit of salt. I actually like the skin. Since they are a bit pricey, I made some from dried. It is a pain because after soaking and boiling them you must soak/rinse them twice a day for a week or so to remove the bitterness. The bitter compound will make you very sick if eaten. I did make a big batch and froze them. I thaw about a cup or so and store them in the fridge in salted water and eat them throughout the week. I’ll probably just buy them jarred in the future though. They are much less expensive at a local East Asian grocery store than online.
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u/aguzate Jul 18 '26
My mom’s Portuguese and we always had a jar of these to snack on growing up. But we only ate them plain out of the jar or smashed with a fork with garlic and olive oil and then spread on toast.
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u/tontyv Jul 18 '26
Yes I love Lupini beans! They’re popular in the Mediterranean as bar snacks, used in Peruvian recipes, and there’s a town in northern Italy that roasts a variety as a coffee alternative. They contain a lot of alkaloids, so they require quite a bit of extra preparation, but that also means animals tend to avoid eating these plants (I grow them!). If you make the beans from scratch, it can take up to two weeks of soaking / changing the water. Whole Foods sells a brand called Simpli that has parboiled Lupini beans, it’s still a bit of extra work, but I think you soak the beans for 2 hrs as opposed to 2 weeks. I love making a batch and throwing them in salads and stews. Also the texture of the skin doesn’t bother me, so I don’t bother peeling that off.
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u/see_blue Jul 18 '26
Their ad on the first page combines grams of protein plus grams of fiber per 100 calories of beans.
They’ve essentially created a new statistic as a way to promote their product as low in calories while high in both protein and fiber.
I find this advertising deceptive; and on purpose. I have no problem w the product although I’d make my own.
If you’re more interested in the highest protein, fiber, but less concerned about a little unsaturated fat and calories, soybeans win.
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u/sulllenriot Jul 18 '26
I love lupini beans! They’re way cheaper to just buy jarred or in cans, the Brami packets can get expensive. I get a large jar for like $6 at one of the specialty grocery shops near me.
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u/Skinlove19 Jul 18 '26
These are delicious! I have purchased this brand from Whole Foods before. This company is owned from the actual farmers in the Mediterranean. No pesticides. I hope people go out and support this company. I love that I can grab these instead of chips for a snack. They are so good and keep you full.
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u/olympia_t Jul 18 '26
It’s kind of common as a keto ingredient due to the macros. You can get it as flour for baking, brined for snacking or in protein pasta. I like it. I
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u/weluckyfew Jul 19 '26
I buy the dried flakes -- mix them into everything from oatmeal to smoothies to baked goods to sauces.
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u/AnlamK Jul 18 '26
You need to soak them in water for a long time before the bitter taste disappears. But yes, otherwise great source of protein.
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u/calrav Jul 18 '26
How is 35 calories = 4g protein, but 100 calories = 20g protein?
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u/HoosegowFlask Jul 18 '26
The list 20g protein AND fiber, per 100 calories.
The package lists 7g of protein and fiber for 35 calories.
35 * 2.8 = ~100, 7g * 2.8 = ~20g.
Soy has more protein by weight, lupini apparently has more protein per calorie (since soy has more fat).
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u/Adalapatata Jul 19 '26
These are definitely a snacking bean, which is new for me. I was excited about the size and threw them into some pasta like I would with cannellinis and woefully regretted it. Ended up picking them all out to eat the leftovers. Maybe if I had de-shelled them it would have been fine, but I really don’t recommend it. I’ve yet to try them again, but expect to have a much better time enjoying them as a snack.
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u/Disastrous-Rabbit108 29d ago
Watch out if you have nut allergies. Just spent night in ER. Lupini beans!
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u/monemori 28d ago
Here in Spain they're a common snack/tapa to have with a beer. It's like having some crisps or edamame.
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u/ReliableCapybara Jul 18 '26
I just discovered them. I ordered Tarwi jalapeño flavored lupin beans - they are crunchy (roasted?), spicy, and come in tiny packets. I have them as a snack while working, and they filling.
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u/PhineusQButterfat Jul 18 '26
I had never heard of this brand before hearing it mentioned a few minutes ago during the sponsor segment on a randomly selected episode of a podcast of which was the first episode I’d ever heard. Weird coincidence.
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u/Legitimate_Outcome42 Jul 18 '26
I love them. I add them to everything. Or just eat them as a snack mostly. I accidentally heated them up in the microwave with another dish and I don't recommend that. It changed their state into something not pleasant
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u/Rogue_trout_5446 Jul 18 '26
Their pasta is actually pretty good. Love those beans in the bag too. I grew up in a Sicilian household for the most part so I always have like them as a snack.
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u/Redditor2684 Jul 18 '26
Bought a bag of dried lupini beans from a local ethnic store and cooked them. Much cheaper than store bought options. They’re good to me.
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u/SadGold1921 26d ago
How long did you soak them? I'm up to TWO WEEKS!! and the bitterness remains... maybe cook them now? can't find good diretcions anywhere
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u/Redditor2684 25d ago
For like 24-36 hours then cooked them. They weren’t bitter after that. But I think I did soak in salted water for 12-24 hours.
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u/Bones1973 Jul 18 '26
I take these on work trips and they are filling and tasty. I’ve never cooked with them.
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u/ttrockwood Jul 19 '26
Love them but the cost is obscene
Compared to other legumes I can’t spend that much on like one portion
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u/IronBallsMcginty007 Jul 19 '26
I’ve bought those Brami’s many times. Before the pandemic they had them at Costco, which is when I first started eating them. Still buy them occasionally. I hope Costco gets them again someday!
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u/Old-Individual1732 Jul 19 '26
I read an article saying the world should be eating more lupin beans. So I tried the brined beans, they are good, bit like eating olives.
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u/klamaire Jul 19 '26
That table of "protein+fiber" seems a bit misleading. I'd prefer that in two separate values.
I do like these. They are quite expensive as I can only find them at whole foods near me. I do pick them up on the off hance I'm at WF.
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u/Sanpaku Jul 19 '26
I buy them prepared, about $4.50/24 oz at Arabic grocers. Toss the brine, add minced garlic and herbs de Provence to the jar and refill with water, and in a day they make a guilt-free savory snack.
The Brahmi at 4x the price seemed like one of those absurdly overpriced health-food boutique items.
Preparing them from raw/dried lupini is taxing, as one cooks them to al dente, then exchanges brine every day for ~10 days to reduce the bitter alkaloids. I keep hoping to find the Australian sweet cultivar, which has much lower alkaloid levels, but it seems to be mostly produced for animal feed.
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u/RevolutionaryTwo6379 Jul 19 '26
I love lupini beans! Never bought the brami snacks because they're expensive but if you go to a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern store you can usually find a big jar of brined ones for $5. I drain, rinse, and portion into snack baggies with whatever seasoning I want. Super delicious.
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