Baked beans as we know them, though, are made with the same type of beans as those used in the indigenous American recipes: a type of haricot beans known as navy beans. These are native to South America and weren’t introduced to Europe until the 16th century. Cassoulet, on the other hand, is widely believed to date back to the medieval period. So, while the dishes share plenty of delicious similarities, the French connection is largely dismissed.