navy bean

So called because the United States Navy has served the beans as a staple to its sailors since the mid-1800s.

navy bean (plural navy beans)

1. A white bean of a variety of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris); a haricot bean. [from 19th c.]
   • 1851 May 10, “The Markets”, in North Carolina Standard‎, volume 1, no. 53, Raleigh, N.C., archived from the original on 2016-09-25, page 3:

     Beans—Very scarce Navy Beans 112 a 115c.

   • 1937, Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Amistad, published 2013, page 132:

     Janie […] baked big pans of navy beans with plenty of sugar and hunks of bacon laying on top.

• (white common bean): haricot bean, white bean, pea bean