We’re all looking for good bean recipes right now, if you look at the store shelves. It’s hard to find canned or dried beans everywhere in Chicago. I don’t know about where you are. This may have meant that Jack and I had to go to a few more grocery stores, but I’m glad to see that people are still buying beans. They’re a fantastic source of plant-based protein, fiber, and other nutrients, they keep for weeks, and they’re delicious!.
What’s more, they’re incredibly versatile. Put them on the stove with salt and pepper to make a side dish. You can also blend them to make a creamy dip or pasta sauce, put them in tacos, or bake them into a hearty vegetarian pot pie. Your options are endless, but these 25 easy bean recipes are a great place to start.
White Bean Dip: This zesty dip is easy to make if you have white beans, olive oil, and lemons. I like to add rosemary and basil to make it extra fresh, but you can use any herbs you have on hand instead. It’ll be creamy and bright either way.
Hummus 7 ingredients. 5 minutes. 1. A big bowl of creamy, smooth dip! Hummus is hard to beat when it comes to taste, texture, and ease of use.
Beans are one of the most versatile, nutritious, and budget-friendly foods you can eat. From lentils to black beans, kidney beans to chickpeas, beans come in many forms and can be incorporated into a wide variety of dishes.
If you’re looking to add more beans into your diet there are plenty of delicious foods that contain these nutritional powerhouses. Here are 10 tasty ways to eat more beans.
1. Chili
Chili is a classic bean dish. Kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans and cannellini beans all make great additions to hearty chili. Try mixing up different varieties for flavor and texture. Beans give chili substance while adding fiber protein, and antioxidants. Make a big pot on the weekend so you have leftovers to enjoy all week.
2. Burritos and Tacos
What’s a burrito without beans? Refried beans, black beans, and pinto beans are standard fillings. Wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla with rice, veggies, avocado, and cheese, bean burritos make a balanced meal. For tacos, try meatless taco crumbles made from chopped walnuts and lentils for a twist. Beans give these Mexican favorites staying power.
3. Egg Scrambles
Wake up to a protein-packed scramble by adding beans! Black beans, chickpeas, and white beans all pair well with eggs. Cook them right into your morning scramble or use them to top omelets. Beans pump up the nutrition and keep you full all morning.
4. Bean Soups
What better home for beans than a steaming bowl of soup? Lentil soup, split pea soup, and white bean soup are just a few varieties. Make a big batch of minestrone with multiple types of beans and veggies. Ladle bean soups over whole grain bread or toast for a comforting winter meal.
5. Snacks
Beans make the perfect healthy high-protein snack. Roast chickpeas with spices for a crunchy snack. Stock up on portable packs of edamame. Try roasted or marinated lentils for an easy grab-and-go option. Use white bean dip and hummus for dipping crackers, carrots, bell peppers, and more.
6. Salads
From chickpea salad to bean sprout salad, the options are endless. Toss beans into leafy green salads for added nutrition. White beans, lentils, and kidney beans work well. You can also make bean salad entrées, like this easy 3-bean salad. Try swapping beans for croutons in your favorite salad recipes.
7. Rice and Grain Bowls
Beans are a tasty and nutritious addition to rice bowls, grain bowls, Buddha bowls, and more. Cook them right into the dish or use as a topping. Try black beans and quinoa, chickpeas and brown rice, or white beans and farro. Beans add protein, fiber, and texture to keep these bowls well-rounded.
8. Bean Pastas
Bean pastas, like those made from lentils, chickpeas, or black beans, are an excellent way to add nutrition to your favorite pasta dishes. Swap them into mac and cheese, pasta salad, or with your favorite sauce. You’ll pump up plant-based protein, fiber, and vitamins. Kids love the fun shapes of bean pastas too.
9. Baked Goods
Don’t forget dessert! Black beans and chickpeas can be blended into cake and brownie batters for extra nutrition and moisture. White bean blondies are a delicious treat. Swap chickpea flour or lentil flour into cookies, muffins, and bread recipes too. Beans add protein, fiber, and nutrients to sweets.
10. Veggie Burgers and Meatballs
Veggie burgers just aren’t complete without beans! Try black bean burgers, lentil-walnut burgers, or chickpea burgers. Blend beans into the mix or use them whole. Make bean meatballs with lentils or black beans for a hearty plant-based meal. Beans give these veggie dishes plenty of staying power.
Tips for Adding Beans to Your Diet
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Start slow if beans cause gas. Gradually increase your portions.
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Pair beans with vitamin C foods to increase iron absorption.
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Rinse canned beans to remove excess sodium. Or cook from scratch.
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Use beans to replace half the ground meat in dishes like tacos.
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Mash or puree beans into dips, spreads, dressings, and sauces.
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Roast beans for a tasty crunchy snack or salad topping.
With endless possibilities, there are so many ways to enjoy beans! They can be used in everything from breakfast to snacks to entrées and desserts. Beans are affordable, convenient, and delicious. Add more of these nutritional powerhouses to your diet today.
Pasta & Bean Recipes
If you like creamy pasta, forget about mac and cheese. A can of white beans makes a bright, nutty sauce that is just as rich and creamy as one made with cheese, cream, or butter.
Vegan Pasta Salad: This bright and salty pasta salad with little navy beans is filling enough to eat by itself.
Spaghetti and Meatballs Sometimes, nothing but a homey bowl of spaghetti and meatballs will do. Smoky black bean and mushroom balls are my go-to veggie dish. I serve them over pasta with a big scoop of my own tomato sauce. Trust me, you won’t miss the meat!.
The tagliatelle with tomatoes and greens is made with canned tomatoes, pasta, carrots, shallots, and cannellini beans. It’s tangy, rich, and filling, even though it only uses a few pantry items. It’s also on page 95 of The Love & Lemons Cookbook.
Fruit and Ginger Rice Bowl: In this recipe, I change up the traditional mix of beans and rice in a big way. I dress them up with crisp veggies, creamy avocado, diced mango, and a tangy tamari-lime sauce. A scoop of pickled ginger takes it all over the top.
My favorite way to make this colorful bowl is with mung beans, but French green lentils will do in a pinch. They give this vegetable and brown rice dish some weight, and the turmeric tahini sauce gives it a big flavor.
Adzuki beans are small red beans that taste rich, nutty, and slightly sweet. They go well with brown rice and adzuki beans. You can use black beans instead of red beans if you can’t find them. They make this healthy mix of crisp vegetables, red beans, and rice stand out.
The best way to make a portobello burrito bowl is to mix black or pinto beans with chopped chipotles from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I love to accent their smoky flavor with a scoop of sweet and spicy pineapple salsa.
Just make sure you have a grain, a vegetable, and canned or dried beans on hand at all times. They make for a quick and easy grain bowl. For a simple weeknight dinner, I mix quinoa, chickpeas, and roasted sweet potatoes together. But you could use almost any mix of grains, legumes, or vegetables. Just add a big squeeze of lemon, and enjoy!.
Bean Soups and Stews
Easy Vegetarian Chili: A classic chili made with kidney beans and tomatoes is always on my list of bean recipes. I spice mine up with adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo. It’s smoky, savory, and so. darn. good!.
Creamy Potato Soup There’s no cream or dairy in this plant-based potato soup. Instead, it gets its comforting creamy texture from blended potatoes and white beans!.
Creamy Wild Rice Soup: I use white beans in this healthy soup in two different ways. I leave some whole to give the soup a hearty texture, and I blend the rest with cashews, miso paste, and Dijon mustard to make the soup’s deliciously light and creamy base.
Curried Parsnip & White Bean Soup, page 223 of The Love and Lemons Cookbook, Can you guess how this soup gets its velvety texture? Blended white beans, of course! Curried spices and apples highlight the sweet, nutty flavor of the parsnips in this simple, comforting soup.
Tomatillo Zucchini White Bean Chili, page 99 of Love and Lemons Every Day This tangy tomatillo chili is one of my all-time favorite bean recipes! It’s the ultimate white bean chili, featuring a creamy, veggie-packed broth that’s bright with lime juice.
Vertically sliced zucchini and sweet potatoes are used instead of pasta in this fun take on the classic minestrone soup. If you don’t have a spiralizer, go ahead and dice the veggies. It’ll still taste delicious!.
If you have a piece of stale bread sitting on your counter, don’t throw it away! Instead, add it to a pot of brothy white bean soup to make ribollita, an easy and healthy Italian classic.
My Delicious Trick for Eating More Beans
FAQ
What food do beans belong to?