20 Recipes You Can Make with a Can of Beans | foodiecrush.com (2024)

Canned beans are one of those pantry staples we always have on hand. They’re cheap, easy, fuss-free, and filling, and their versatility makes them an awesome standby for tacos, salads, soups, enchiladas, and more. To get more meal prep inspiration from your pantry, check out this list of favorite dinners made with all different types of beans.

No matter how depressingly barren our pantries may get, we can always find at least one can of beans lurking in there somewhere. Beans are the cornerstone of a well-stocked pantry.

Canned beans have saved our meal making when we’ve lapsed on the grocery shopping, meal planning, and budgeting. They’re inexpensive and efficient, and they give us protein and fiber. And beans are the building block to so many recipes, where you can get a lot of mileage out of beans as a main or co-starring ingredients, incorporating them into soups and chilis, enchiladas and burritos, stuffed peppers, casseroles, salads, and more.

Check out this of meals to make with a can of beans below, and use your bean!

This easy Mediterranean chickpea salad is infused with flavor thanks to a heaping helping of fresh herbs with a garlicky lemon dressing that ups the crunch from red bell pepper, celery and red onion for a simple side dish or topping for greens from FoodieCrush.

Soups are the star of most of our cooler weather meals, though this one’s good enough to eat all year-round. With roasted cauliflower and chickpeas, it’s deliciously velvety, nutty, and hearty from Floating Kitchen.

Roasted veggies, black beans, and a homemade chipotle-spiked enchilada sauce make this incredibly easy, healthy vegetarian casserolea weeknight winner from Ambitious Kitchen.

Mac and cheese + chili = comfort food bliss in this ridiculously easy one pot meal that also comes together in just 20 minutes from RecipeTin Eats. Seriously, what’s not to love?

Classic Southwestern flavors, corn, rice, black beans, and lean ground beef make these rainbows of stuffed bell peppers a favorite, healthy dinner that comes mostly from the pantry that your whole family will enjoy.

Confession: We’re obsessed with soups that have pasta in themand this one boasts chickpeas and whole wheat shells in a garlicky, tomato broth with lots of Parmesan (fuhgettaboutit) from How Sweet Eats.

This Tuscan tuna salad with white beans makes a quick and easy-to-make lunch or even a light dinner, and puts high protein front and center with chunks of albacore tuna and white beans tossed with arugula and more Mediterranean flavors coming from FoodieCrush.

Fragrant spices, butternut squash, and chickpeas make up this Moroccan stewmade easy in the slow cooker from Simply Quinoa.

Skillet meals are our saving grace on weeknights when we don’t feel like cooking. This onefeatures cannellini beans, salmon, and cherry tomatoes, and gets a boost of of smoky flavor from charred lemons from Bev Cooks.

Whether you’re vegetarian or just taking a night off from meat, these sweet potato taco bowlshit the spot. They’re loaded up with spicy roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, fire-roasted corn, cilantro lime quinoa, and are full of awesome flavor from Chelsea’s Messy Apron.

They say chicken soup soothes the soul, but we’re pretty sure this rustic Italian soup made with leafy kale, cannellini beans, lots of veggies, and chunks of sourdough bread gives it a run for its money from A Couple Cooks.

All you need are 5 ingredients to make this comforting sweet potato turkey chili studded with black beans from Pinch of Yum.

Using a store-bought rotisserie chicken makes these creamy white bean and salsa verde enchiladas a breeze any night of the week from Skinnytaste.

Coconut milk, chickpeas, and tons of aromatic spices make for an irresistible vegan curry that easily beats any takeout version from Jessica in the Kitchen.

Chicken breasts, butternut squash, and red onion all get roasted on one sheet pan and then served up in a bowl, with black beans, rice, and guacamole in this healthy, easy weeknight dinner from FoodieCrush.

More Building Block Ingredient Recipes to Try Now

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  • 21 Recipes to Make with Leftover Ham

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20 Recipes You Can Make with a Can of Beans | foodiecrush.com (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with a lot of beans? ›

So, how do we get these magical beans into those who don't like them?
  • Hummus. A lot of kids seem to like blended beans more than whole beans. ...
  • Bean Quesadilla. ...
  • Make nachos with refried beans. ...
  • Rice and Bean Taquitos. ...
  • Salsa Verde Soup. ...
  • Black Bean Burgers. ...
  • Legume Pasta is an easy way to eat beans. ...
  • Bean Energy Balls.
Feb 22, 2024

How to fancy up canned beans? ›

I like to sprinkle in some taco seasoning, but you could add whatever spices you like — garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder are all good calls. Then, you mash the beans up directly in the pan and add just a little bit of vinegar at the end to really make the beans sing.

How to make cook beans from a can? ›

Canned Beans On The Stove Top

Since they are already cooked, you just need to heat them up, which takes all but 5-minutes. Add a few flavor enhancers and dinner is served! Drain and rinse the beans (remember, that's optional). Place a pot on the stove and set to low or medium heat.

How to make a can of beans good? ›

Toss drained/rinsed/dried beans with a bit of olive oil (or avocado oil) and your favorite seasonings. You can add crushed whole seeds (coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, etc.), woodsy herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage), red pepper flakes, crushed garlic cloves, and of course salt and pepper.

What is the most delicious bean? ›

What Are The Best Beans To Eat
  • Kidney Beans.
  • Chickpeas Or Garbanzo Beans.
  • Black Beans.
  • Pinto Beans.
  • Navy Beans.
  • Lentils.
  • Peas.
  • Soybeans.
Jun 25, 2020

How to make beans more interesting? ›

Stir through your favourite chilli sauce, crushed chilli flakes or sliced red chilli for a spicy kick, add a few spoonfuls of barbecue sauce for a sweet, smoky finish, or try a little bit of Worcestershire sauce and horseradish for some bloody Mary flavour.

What can you add to can beans? ›

Add the garlic, oregano, chili powder, and cumin and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add in the drained beans, bay leaves, and broth or water. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the beans are warmed through, then remove the bay leaves.

How do you make beans more appealing? ›

Add olive oil and other herbs and spices such as oregano or cumin to help make beans more appealing.

Should you drain canned beans? ›

"It's fine to add the bean liquid to many recipes, but if you want to reduce the amount of sodium, it's best to drain and rinse canned beans," the website states. "A 2009 study conducted at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, showed that draining beans removes, on average, 36 percent of the sodium in canned beans.

How do you cut gas out of canned beans? ›

Soak them until; you begin to sprout your beans, actually let them begin to unfold and this will diminish gas. Soak the beans overnight, rinse the beans before cooking, and use fresh water when cooking the beans. A navy cook of 30 years told me add a little baking soda the last half hour of cooking.

What beans take the longest to cook? ›

Cooking Times
Bean TypeSoaking TimeCooking Time
Green Split Peasnone35 to 45 minutes
Kidney Beans, dark red6 to 8 hours*1 ½ to 2 hours
Navy Beans6 to 8 hours*1 to 1 1/2 hours
Pinto Beans6 to 8 hours*1 to 1 ½ hours
6 more rows

Why can't you boil canned beans? ›

Boiling it can ruining the flavour that is why when making things on the stove it can be left to simmer but all recipes tell you to turn the heat down.

How good are canned beans good for? ›

Canned beans can help you meet your protein needs. For example, 1 cup (171 grams) of canned pinto beans provides 15.4 grams of protein ( 7 ). Furthermore, plant-based diets have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome and may also improve brain function ( 8 , 9 , 10 ).

Can of beans a day? ›

Is it healthy to eat beans every day? Yes! "Eating beans, including canned beans, every day is one of the best things you can do to help increase nutrients [that you may fall short on] and substantially improve the quality of your diet," says Papanikolaou.

What can I do with excess fresh beans? ›

What to Do With an Excess of Runner Beans
  1. Freeze Your Runner Beans. ...
  2. Pickle Your Runner Beans. ...
  3. Salting Runner Beans. ...
  4. Pressure Can Your Runner Beans. ...
  5. Leave Them to Mature, Shell and Dry the Beans. ...
  6. Feed Family and Friends, or Others in Your Community.
Aug 13, 2021

How do I use more beans? ›

Here are some suggestions for how to incorporate more beans into your diet:
  1. Batch cook beans. ...
  2. Make big one-pot meals. ...
  3. Roast them as snacks. ...
  4. Toss them in a salad. ...
  5. Make bean dips. ...
  6. Think breakfast! ...
  7. And dessert!

What to do if you eat too many beans? ›

Drinking plenty of water after eating high-fiber foods, like beans, can aid in digestion and help reduce bloating.

Is 1 cup of beans a day too much? ›

Adding a cup of beans to your daily diet is one of the cheapest, easiest and tastiest ways to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels and boost good gut bacteria. Just follow these simple strategies, try our recipes or experiment on your own, then add your favorites to your go-to meal repertoire.

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