Most recipes that use canned beans tell you to drain and rinse them before adding the beans to the dish. I’ve noticed that the great chef and teacher Jacques Pépin might drain the beans, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen him rinse them and then more times than not he ends up adding the drained liquid back to the pot anyway. What is the thinking behind draining and rinsing beans?

Nutrition aside, the other main consideration is texture. For soups, stews and anything else liquidy, feel free to use the whole can — just keep in mind that you’ll be adding more liquid than if the recipe calls for drained and rinsed beans. On the flip side, drier is always better when you’re trying to make something crispy or crunchy, such as Crispy Spiced Roasted Chickpeas, and bean burgers, cakes and croquettes would likely be too wet if you include the liquid. It’s also a good idea to drain and rinse beans when you’re adding them to a salad. Somewhere in the middle are dips, which would work fine with the extra liquid, though they will definitely be looser than intended.

Lastly, if the beans you’re draining are chickpeas, don’t toss the liquid! Known as aquafaba, that liquid can be used as a vegan replacement for egg whites in cocktails and desserts.

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