Are you looking for ways to use up extra beans? You’ve come to the right place! Make another tasty meal with those beans.
You made a tasty pot of pinto beans in the crockpot and now you have a lot left over. You might not think you can eat all of them. I know Ive been there before. What are you going to do with the extra beans? As a cheap eater, I strongly believe in not throwing away food, so let’s come up with some ideas for how to utilize extra beans. These beans can be used to make something new, so you don’t have to eat the same thing over and over again.
Mash beans and fill tortilla with beans, cheese, salsa, and rice if you wish. Heat in oven or microwave until heated through.
Cooked beans are incredibly versatile and make for easy, budget-friendly meals. But it’s not uncommon to end up with leftover beans after cooking up a big batch. If you’ve ever stared down a container of leftover beans and wondered “What do I do with these?”, this article is for you.
Below are 15 delicious ways to transform leftover beans into tasty new dishes so you can get the most out of your food and avoid waste.
1. Bean Burritos
Burritos are a perfect way to use up leftover beans. Simply warm up the beans and pile them into a tortilla along with shredded cheese, salsa rice etc. Fold up the tortilla and heat in the oven or microwave until the cheese melts. Customize the burritos with your favorite fillings.
2. Bean and Rice Burrito Bowls
For a quick veggie bowl, mix leftover beans with cooked rice and season with taco seasoning. Top with shredded cheese salsa, sour cream, diced avocado – whatever you like! The possibilities are endless.
3. Crispy Bean Tacos
Make bean tacos by heating up leftover beans and spooning them into crispy taco shells. Add taco toppings like lettuce, tomato, cheese, and sauce. The crunch of the shell pairs perfectly with the seasoned beans.
4. Pinto Bean Casserole
A hearty bean casserole is a tasty way to use up leftovers. Combine pinto beans, crushed tortilla chips, corn, tomatoes, cheese, and taco seasoning or spices. Bake until hot and bubbly for a satisfying one-dish meal.
5. Tostadas
Spread seasoned leftover beans over crisp fried corn tortillas to make easy open-faced tostadas. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, cheese, Greek yogurt, etc. Serve with lime wedges for a bright pop of flavor.
6. Bean Dip
Purée or mash leftover beans with garlic, spices, lemon juice and olive oil to make a hearty bean dip. Serve with tortilla chips, fresh veggies, or pita triangles. Add some kick with chopped jalapeños.
7. Mexican Layer Dip
Transform leftover beans into a cool layered Mexican dip with seasoned refried beans, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, cheese, olives, scallions, etc. Serve with tortilla chips for snacking or as an appetizer.
8. Chili
Add leftover beans to a pot of simmering chili during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking so the beans heat through without getting too mushy. The beans will soak up all the delicious chili flavor.
9. Beans and Greens Soup
Make a healthy one-pot soup with leftover beans and hearty greens like kale, spinach or escarole. Sauté aromatics, add broth and greens, cook until tender, then mix in beans. Season to taste and garnish with fresh herbs.
10. Taco Salad
Build a taco-inspired salad by topping crispy lettuce with leftover beans, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, corn, crushed tortilla chips, Greek yogurt, salsa, etc. The beans make it hearty and satisfying.
11. Breakfast Bean and Egg Tacos
Scramble some eggs with the leftover beans, then wrap in a warm corn tortilla with sliced avocado, cheese, salsa and other favorite taco fixings for an easy breakfast or lunch.
12. Refried Beans
Mash or blend leftover beans with onion, garlic, spices, and broth to make delicious homemade refried beans. Serve with tacos, burritos, tostadas, etc. Much tastier than canned!
13. Add to Soup
Stir leftover beans into many soups like chicken noodle, vegetable, minestrone, etc. for extra fiber, protein, and texture. The beans will soak up the broth flavors.
14. Use in Salad
Toss beans with mixed greens, chopped veggies, nuts or seeds, cheese, and vinaigrette. The beans make the salad more filling. Try black beans in a southwestern salad.
15. Freeze for Later
Portion leftover beans into freezer bags or containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost and use beans in any of the recipes above. Freezing ensures zero waste!
With a little creativity, leftover beans can be transformed into many quick and nutritious meals. They add fiber, protein, and texture to dishes like tacos, salads, soups, dips and more. Next time you make a bean-based dish, double the batch and use these leftovers ideas. Your future self will thank you!
Beans and rice burrito bowls
Season the beans with a little taco seasoning and pile those beans on cooked rice. Top with cheese, salsa, sour cream, avocado, olives, or any toppings you like. Simple and delicious!.
Follow the recipe as stated, but substitute pinto beans for the black beans. We love this simple bean taco recipe. That crispy shell makes it!.
Casseroles are a great way to stretch a buck and repurpose leftovers. Basically like a big Mexican casserole, this recipe uses pinto beans, tortilla chips, tomatoes, taco seasonings, corn and cheese to make a tasty leftover makeover.
Season beans with chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin and heat through. Fry corn tortillas in a skillet and top with beans and any toppings you like.
Epicurious has a great pinto bean dip recipe that you could totally make with leftover pinto beans. A can of pinto beans equals about 1 ½ cups of cooked beans. Otherwise, no substitutions needed. Great for a party or a snacky Friday night.
Gotta love the Pioneer Woman. Her Mexican layer dip is yummy and classic. Instead of a can of refried beans that she uses in her recipe, just mash up 1 ½ cups of your leftover pinto beans and proceed with the recipe as written. This would be awesome for a party.
Use the chili recipe as written and towards the end put in the beans. You dont want them to completely disintegrate.
Soup is another great way to stretch your dollar. This one is pretty versatile but Im leaving a link for the soup to give you some direction. Sauté onion and carrots in a pot, add broth, and whatever greens you like. Simmer until tender and add your beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Taco salad is pretty self explanatory. Load up your lettuce with your leftover beans and any other taco toppings you like.
Fry some eggs, heat up some beans that you have left over, and put them in a warm tortilla shell with your favorite toppings. Now you have breakfast tacos, which are great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Refried beans are so easy to make. They are perfect for a Mexican side dish.
If nothing else works, you can freeze the extra beans in 1½ cup portions and use them later for one of the ideas above. Use a quart-sized ziplock bag, press out the air, and write the date and contents on the bag. Now you have homemade cooked beans to use when you wish.
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FAQ
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