What Are Ranch Style Beans?

What are Ranch Style beans? Let’s start with what they are not. They are not beans covered in ranch dressing or even ranch seasoning. Ranch Style beans are a whole different thing altogether with their own distinct flavors that have nothing to do with Hidden Valley. So, what are Ranch Style beans? What kind of bean are they? Let’s open up a can of ranch style answers.

What are Ranch Style beans?

We all know what a ranch style house is—it’s a single story house with an open floor plan that first appeared in the 1920s. Unfortunately, that doesn’t help us very much here. 

But when it comes to beans, “Ranch Style” is a brand owned by the folks at Conagra. The “Ranch Style” umbrella covers a few different bean products, including ones that include jalapeños or chopped sweet onions. In terms of the classic Ranch Style beans, though, it’s pretty simple: They’re canned beans with a mix of spices giving them a flavor profile reminiscent of the West. 

Today, other brands have offered their own version of Ranch Beans. It’s also possible to make your own version of the Ranch Style beans with lots of recipes available online. 

What kind of beans are ranch style beans?

Again, the “Ranch Style” brand covers a number of different bean products that are made with pinto beans, black beans, and even black eyed peas. However, the original Ranch Style beans are made with pinto beans, and that’s usually what people mean when they refer to “Ranch Style.” 

Are Ranch Style beans vegan?

According to the back of the can, classic Ranch Style beans contain “Prepared Pinto Beans (Water, Pinto Beans), Water, Tomato Puree (Water, Tomato Paste), Less Than 2% of: Canola Oil, Salt, Sugar, Spices, Hydroxylated Soy Lecithin, Onion Powder, Distilled Vinegar, Garlic Powder, Oleoresin Paprika, Natural Flavor.” These ingredients should all be vegan. But keep in mind that some homemade Ranch Style beans may include bacon or other pork products, so be sure to double check before consuming.

Are ranch style beans gluten free?

While it’s a touch difficult to get a fully definitive answer to this question, it seems that Ranch Style beans are generally gluten free. At the very least, there are no wheat products listed amongst the ingredients and from some browsing around on message boards, it seems like those suffering from celiac don’t have any issues eating Ranch Style beans.

Who makes Ranch Style beans?

Ranch Style beans are owned by the conglomerate Conagra, whose portfolio also includes Slim Jim, Reddi Whip, and Vlasic among many, many others.