Tarwi (Andean lupini) substitutes

The same crop, sold under its Italian name, and available in almost every Italian deli and many supermarkets.

Best for

ceviche de chochos, solterito, salads, snacking, grain bowls

This is not really a substitute so much as the same ingredient with a different label, which makes it the obvious answer. Italian lupini are usually a different lupin species and are packed in a much saltier brine, sometimes with vinegar, so rinse them twice in cold water and taste before adding any salt to the dish. They tend to be firmer and slightly thicker-skinned than Andean chochos, and some people slip the skins off, which takes minutes and makes them creamier.

The best texture match among ordinary beans, being large, flat and firm rather than round and soft.

Best for

ceviche de chochos, solterito, salads, cold dishes

Peeled cooked favas have the same broad flat shape and a similar firm bite that holds up in a dressing without turning to mush, which is exactly what this style of salad needs. They taste greener, sweeter and more vegetal than tarwi's mild neutrality, so the dish comes out fresher and less savoury. Add an extra squeeze of lime and a little more salt to sharpen it back up. Frozen peeled favas are far less work than fresh.

The pantry answer, available everywhere, and serviceable if you adjust your expectations.

Best for

ceviche de chochos, solterito, salads, grain bowls

Chickpeas hold their shape beautifully in an acidic dressing and give the same satisfying firm bite, but they are rounder, denser and distinctly nutty, so a ceviche de chochos made with them tastes like a very good chickpea salad rather than an Ecuadorian one. Tarwi is nearly flavourless and lets the lime, onion and tomato lead, while chickpeas push forward and take up space. Use slightly more lime and onion to keep the dressing dominant.

The closest match in size and pale colour, and the creamiest option on the list.

Best for

solterito, warm salads, stews, purees

Visually these look most like tarwi on the plate, large, flat and ivory. The problem is structural: butter beans are soft and floury and break apart when tossed in a dressing, so a cold salad turns cloudy and starchy within an hour. Fold them in at the last minute rather than marinating them. In a warm dish or a stew, where a little breakdown thickens the sauce pleasantly, they are a better fit than they are in ceviche.

A mild, neutral white bean that stays reasonably intact and takes on dressing well.

Best for

solterito, salads, grain bowls, warm dishes

Neutrality is the strength here, since tarwi's job in these dishes is to be a bland, firm carrier for lime, chile and onion, and cannellini does that without asserting itself. It is considerably softer and creamier though, with thin skins that split, so the finished salad is looser and less crunchy. Rinse canned beans well and drain them thoroughly, because their packing liquid is starchy and will dull the dressing.

A firm, bright option when what you need most is beans that stay separate and keep some bite.

Best for

salads, cold bowls, modern versions, grain bowls

Shelled edamame stays firm and squeaky no matter how long it sits in dressing, which is genuinely useful, and it is easy to find frozen. It is also unmistakably green in both colour and flavour, grassy and slightly sweet, so the dish looks and tastes noticeably different from a plate of ivory chochos. Choose this when texture and convenience matter more to you than looking right.