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What to eat in France? Top 6 French Legumes

Last update: Wed Apr 23 2025
Top 6 French Legumes
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best French Legumes Types

01
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Lentille verte du Puy are commonly known as Puy lentils, grown in the French region of Haute-Loire and are considered superior in their texture and have a unique, peppery taste. The lentil seeds are dark green, with blue marbling and must belong to the Lens Esculenta Puyensis variety.


The climate in the region - dry summers and big differences in day and night temperatures provide firmness to the lentils, once they are cooked. They have been around in the region since the early 19th century, which has been proven with the discovery of a Gallo-Roman vase containing the tasty seeds. 
02
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Coco de Paimpol is a half-dry haricot bean produced in the Côtes d'Armor region in France. The beans come in pale yellow pods so they must be shelled. They are white and cook very rapidly. Their season is from late summer to early autumn, making them a rarity in the bean world.


When cooked, their flavor is uniquely nutty and flowery, with a melt-in-the-mouth, creamy quality. Because they are half-dry, they are softer and easily digestible. It is recommended to boil them for about 30 minutes and add them to salads, pasta, soups or prepare them with meat, tomatoes, garlic and sage for a traditional bean stew.

03
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Lentiles vertes du Berry are dark green lentils, whole seeds of the Lens culinaris variety that have been dried and are intended mostly for cooking. The maximum cooking time is 30 minutes and they have been grown in the Indre and Cher regions in France since the year 1950.


The favorable climate in the region helps the lentils to achieve their best qualities, from the dry periods in March to the rainy periods in April and May, they help the lentils germinate and prevent the development of diseases. The taste is nutty when cooked, reminiscent to that of chestnuts and they provide four times more fiber than potatoes, rice or pasta. 
04
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Mogette de Vendée are white beans of the Phaseolus vulgaris species, produced in the Vendée region in France since the 16th century. When dry, the beans have delicate skin with accentuated veins, which melts in the mouth once cooked, their flesh becoming soft and creamy and the taste slightly salty and sweet with unique hints of chestnuts and leeks.


Mogette beans are expertly harvested by the producers, they can't be harvested too early because the beans will have a raw taste, nor too late when the beans lose their flavor. Instead, they are harvested at the right time when they are yellow and semi-dry. 
05
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Haricot Tarbais are fresh, dried or processed beans produced on the plots of four French regions since the 16th century. Beans are harvested exclusively by hand and dried in their pods before threshing. When fresh, they are green-yellow in color and might become purple when fully mature.


Dried beans are white and kidney-shaped and processed beans can be either canned or frozen. They grow for a long time on healthy soil with favorable water retention, providing the beans' top quality in both their organoleptic and culinary characteristics. 
06

White Beans

NORD-PAS-DE-CALAIS, France
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Lingot du Nord are white, oval beans of the Lingot variety, grown in the Lys valley in France, including the regions of Nord and Pas de Calais. What differentiates these beans from other beans is the fact that they are dried on conical wooden frames and do not have to be soaked before they are cooked, as is the case with most other beans.


They have a fine, smooth, creamy texture with melt-in-the-mouth qualities, a fine, delicate skin and a non-floury flavor. There are usually five to six beans per one pod. Their creaminess makes them a perfect fit for Cassoulet de Toulouse, a great winter dish made with beans, lamb and sausages.

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French Legumes