Wikipedia Article About Cranberry bean on Wikipedia An Italian variety of medium-sized beans, are kidney shaped with pink or beige skins speckled in burgundy. They are available dried and precooked in cans. If borlotti beans are unavailable, pink kidney beans or pinto beans can be substituted. Dried beans require soaking to rehydrate them. A large, plump bean, pinkish brown in co lour with reddish brown streaks; rarely found fresh in this country but readily available dried, it is widely used in Italian cooking.