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

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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.

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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? ›

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 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.

What can I add to canned beans? ›

It helps, of course, to use good olive oil (and don't be stingy with it—you want the beans really swimming). I also like to add a peeled, smashed clove of garlic, or maybe a bay leaf or a few sprigs of thyme.

What is the most delicious bean? ›

America's favorite bean is pinto beans, according to the U.S. Dry Beans Council, often used to make refried beans. Navy beans, Great Northern beans, red kidney beans and black beans round out the rest of the top five.

How to spice up a can of baked beans? ›

Caramelized Onion + Bacon + Espresso Powder

Mimic the flavor of barbecue-style beans by adding nice caramel undertones to the can. Slowly caramelize a chopped onion in a bit of oil, then add bacon and cook until crispy. Add the can of beans and stir, making sure to scrape up any tasty bits that have stuck to the pan.

How do you make beans more tasty? ›

Those aromatics in the pot will revolutionize the beans' final flavor. The aromatics I tend to use are onions, carrots, garlic, and celery, and then heartier, woodsy herbs, like rosemary, sage, and thyme, which marry beautifully with the earthy-sweet flavor of beans.

What to add to pinto beans for flavor without? ›

If you've ever wondered how to add flavor to canned pinto beans, here is the list of ingredients you'll need:
  1. Red Onion.
  2. Garlic Cloves.
  3. Garlic Salt.
  4. Chili Powder.
  5. Cumin.
  6. Cinnamon.
  7. Oregano.
  8. Salt.

Should you drain canned beans? ›

Many people wonder if they need to drain and rinse canned beans, and the answer is, “it depends.” 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.

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

What is a good meat to eat with beans? ›

It's a no-brainer to pair Great Northern beans with ham and pork, but try cooking your white beans with a little rosemary and putting them with grilled chicken for a smoky, delicious dish. Or add roasted tomatoes and serve them as a bed for a roast leg of lamb for a Greek-inspired dish everyone will love.

How do you eat beans as a meal? ›

Canned beans can be drained, rinsed and added to your pasta dishes along with other veggies. Beans also can be pureed and mixed into spaghetti sauce for a protein-packed dinner. And, even easier — you can find dried pasta made entirely out of beans.

Can you eat a can of beans for dinner? ›

A dried bean is for a slow Sunday project, for a day of wandering around and doing little chores and roasting a chicken; a canned bean is for every other day, for hunger, for rain, for a luxurious lunch alone or a quick weeknight dinner, for feeling sick or sad.

Can you freeze beans whole? ›

If you want, you can save yourself some prep work later and cut them into 1-inch pieces before freezing the beans. You can also leave the beans whole and freeze them, then chop them later if your green bean recipe calls for it.

Can you freeze leftover beans? ›

Cooked beans will keep in the freezer 2 to 3 months. After that time their flavor and texture will begin to deteriorate. Beans maintain their shape better if they are thawed slowly. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, for several hours at room temperature, or for about an hour in a pan of warm water.

What can I do with a bunch of dried beans? ›

Dried Beans Recipes
  1. 1 / 18. Cuban Black Bean Soup. ...
  2. 2 / 18. Slow Cooker Butter Bean Minestrone. ...
  3. 3 / 18. White Bean & Bacon Soup. ...
  4. 4 / 18. Slow Cooker Pasta e fa*gioli. ...
  5. 5 / 18. Legume (Noodle) Soup. ...
  6. 6 / 18. Slow-Cooker White Beans in Parmesan Broth. ...
  7. 7 / 18. Spanish Bean Soup (Potaje de Garbanzos) ...
  8. 8 / 18. White Bean & Chicken Sausage Stew.
Sep 29, 2023

How do you store large amounts of beans? ›

Like most stored foods, beans are best stored in the absence of oxygen and light. Oxygen can lead to rancidity of bean oils and light will quickly fade bean color. The packaging choices are #10 cans or Mylar-type bags. Canning jars are suitable for smaller quantities providing the jars are stored in a dark place.

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