21 Tasty Recipes That Use a Can of Beans (2024)

These 21 Tasty Recipes that use a Can of Beans are filled with staple pantry ingredients. From red beans and rice to black bean brownies, so many creative uses for beans are revealed in this recipe roundup!

How many different ways can you use a can of beans?

Canned beans and legumes are such a great staple to have on hand in the kitchen. They can be used in a variety of ways, and last pretty much forever.

From Kidney beans to lentils to chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), each of these legumes has their own unique tast and are delicious in a variety of dishes.

Beans are packed with protein, fibre and essential nutrients, making them a great option to include in your cooking for a hearty and filling meal.

Enjoy these 21 recipes that use a can of beans, send some to a friend, and save your favorite ones to Pinterest for later!

1. Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

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These Black Bean Quinoa Burgers are completely vegan and gluten-free! They pack a big flavour for a veggie burger, loaded with protein and bold flavours of onion, garlic, bbq sauce and cumin.

2. Roasted Chickpeas 3 Ways

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These Roasted Chickpeas 3 Ways are perfect as a snack, or on top of your favourite salads, toasts, or veggie bowls! Choose between spicy, sweet and salty, and chilli lime flavours!

3. Instant Pot Vegan Chili

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This Instant Pot Vegan Chili has two types of beans, onions, and spices galore to make this hearty and filling meal. There’s also a secret trick in there to help create the perfect chili texture!

4. Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

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These Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice are filled with red beans cooked from scratch with veggies, flavorful cajun spices, and vegan sausage. Serve over rice and fresh herbs for a fresh and wholesome meal!

5. Middle Eastern Bean Salad

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Feeling like a trip to the Mediterranean? Satisfy your cravings with this bean salad, or Balela – filled with lots of fresh herbs, vegetables, sumac, olive oil, and freshly squeezed lemon juice!

6. White Beans with Tomatoes and Garlic

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These White Beans with Tomatoes and Garlic are so simple and delicious! Filled with cannellini beans cooked with tomatoes, garlic, and chicken broth, the flavour sounds too good to be true!

7.

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These Quick and Easy Maple Baked Beans come together in just 20 minutes, with simple sweet and savory ingredients you already have in your kitchen! A delicious breakfast item to enjoy with eggs, hashbrowns, or on toast!

8. Vegan Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

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We love a good slow cooker meal, like this Black Bean Soup! Combine black beans vegetables like onion, bell pepper, and jalapeños, and a ton of spices, top with avocado and sour cream, and let it simmer until eating time!

9. Lentil Bolognese

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This comforting Lentil Bolognese is the ultimate comfort food, loaded with veggies and lentils, and a sneaky helping of red wine to deepen the flavours from the spices!

10. Vegan Minestrone Soup

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This delicious Vegan Minestrone Soup is made with beans, potatoes, noodles, and vegetables for a healthy soup that will keep you feeling full!

11. The Best Chickpea Veggie Burgers

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If you’re looking for a veggie burger that’s loaded with spices and flavour, this is just what you need! This Chickpea Veggie Burger is packed with vegetables, whole grains, and has the perfect burger texture!

12. Quick & Easy Refried Beans

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These homemade Refried Beans use canned pinto beans, onion, garlic, cumin, and chili powder for a quick and easy to make side dish! This recipe is super versatile, and pairs perfectly with your favoriteMexican dishes!

13. Coconut Chickpea Curry

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This Coconut Chickpea Curry is light and can be as spicy as you choose! It’s loaded up with warm spices like ginger, garlic, and turmeric, and packed with flavour, protein, and fiber!

14. Vegan Lentil Loaf

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Vegan Lentil Loaf is made with a combination of green lentils, portobello mushrooms, quinoa and vegetables! It’s topped with a sweet and tangy balsamic ketchup sauce, and is perfect for a vegetarian/vegan meal!

15. Curried White Bean Dip

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Move over, hummus! This curried white bean dip is made with some madras curry powder for a bold flavour that is so smooth and easy to make!

16. Quinoa and Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema

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If you’re not drooling over your screen yet, maybe this will help. These plant-based Quinoa & Black Bean Tacoswith Cilantro Lime Crema areso simpleto make, and vegetarian too!

17. Tuscan White Bean Soup

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This Tuscan White Bean Soup is a healthy vegetarian recipe that comes together in less than 30 minutes! It’s made with white cannellini beans, veggies and kale for a delicious soup that is creamy and filled with flavour!

18. Sri Lankan Style Dal

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Sri Lankan Style Dal is made with coconut milk and curry leaves, which gives it a creamier texture, and a smoother softer flavour. It makes a delicious vegan and gluten-free meal that is high in protein.

19. Healthy Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip

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We’ll admit, we’re suckers for raw cookie dough – just without not the raw egg part. So, this Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip sounds like the perfect alternative for a healthy dessert or snack!

20. Easy Black Bean Brownies

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In case you’re a skeptic, you should know that Black Bean Brownies are absolutely delicious. Plus, the black beans make them fudgey and healthy, and they can be made with a blender and some cocoa powder!

21. White Bean Blondies

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This recipe for delicious White Bean Blondies is naturally sweetened, filled with protein, and so easy to make. Bonus, the white chocolate chips add that delicious melty texture we all know and love in a blondie!

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21 Tasty Recipes That Use a Can of Beans (2024)

FAQs

How to fancy up canned beans? ›

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 can I do with extra canned beans? ›

Here are a few delicious recipes you can try using leftover canned beans:
  1. Bean Salad: Simply mix drained and rinsed beans with diced vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and red onions. ...
  2. Bean Tacos: Mash the beans with spices and sautéed onions and garlic, then use as a filling for tacos.
Feb 4, 2023

What can I do with a lot of beans? ›

  1. Homemade Hummus. PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE. ...
  2. Creamy Tuscan Butter White Bean Skillet. ...
  3. Crispy Sheet-Pan Black Bean Tacos. ...
  4. Indian Butter Chickpeas. ...
  5. Sheet-Pan Harissa Chicken & Sweet Potatoes. ...
  6. Homemade Falafel. ...
  7. Louisiana-Style Red Beans & Rice. ...
  8. Bean & Cheese Taquitos.

How to make a can of beans good? ›

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. Add fat (olive oil, avocado oil, canola oil, butter - whatever you prefer to cook with) and natural flavor enhancers like garlic, onions, and tomatoes.

How to jazz up canned beans? ›

How To Make Doctored Up Baked Beans
  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Drain one-third to one-half of the juice from the baked bean cans. ...
  3. Season to taste with kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder.
  4. Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour; the beans will be bubbly + caramelized on the top.
Jun 6, 2022

How to make canned beans taste like restaurant? ›

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 canned beans tastier? ›

A few ideas:
  1. Rinse the beans.
  2. Spice (cumin, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder) and warm them up.
  3. Mix with other ingredients (add vegetables, cooked rice, pasta, or use them as a filling for wraps or tacos)
  4. Mix with your own sauce (onion+bell pepper+carrot+canned tomatoes)
Aug 3, 2023

Is it okay to eat 2 cans of beans a 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.

How do you incorporate beans into meals? ›

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.

Why do I feel tired after eating beans? ›

Foods rich in protein and carbohydrates can make people feel sleepier than other foods. Some researchers believe that a person feels tired after eating because their body is producing more serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical that plays a role in regulating mood and sleep cycles.

Why do I feel good after eating beans? ›

Here are a few reasons to eat beans:

Beans are high in fiber, B vitamins and minerals like iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and phosphorous. Beans have a very low glycemic index, meaning that the carbohydrates break down very slowly, leaving you feeling fuller for a longer period of time.

What to eat with beans for dinner? ›

Here are some side dishes that pair well with baked beans and sausages:
  • Grilled or roasted vegetables (e.g. corn, zucchini, bell peppers)
  • Coleslaw or potato salad.
  • Cornbread or garlic bread.
  • Grilled or roasted potatoes.
  • Baked macaroni and cheese.
  • Green salad with a tangy dressing.
  • Grilled or steamed corn on the cob.
Jan 29, 2023

Why you should always rinse canned beans? ›

It impacts the flavor of your food: "[Rinsing] gives the bean a cleaner mouthfeel and prevents the gel-like coating from altering the flavors of the surrounding ingredients." This is why you might want to rinse canned beans even if you are making a dish that calls for additional liquid, as tempting as it might be to ...

Why can't you boil canned beans? ›

2 Answers. Beans in the can are already well cooked--they are essentially pressure cooked as part of the canning process. While only a speculation, it is highly likely that they are now fragile and bringing them to a full boil would mar their appearance--fewer whole beans--from the agitation.

Why not to rinse canned beans? ›

"The packing liquid can sometimes muddy the final presentation, depending upon the packing liquid. If you are adding cooked canned beans to soup or chili, then you should not need to rinse them if you plan to allow the liquid to season the preparation."

How do you eat more beans when you don't like them? ›

Here are six creative ways you can enjoy beans:
  1. Start tiny. While dried beans can take a while to cook, lentils will give you a protein-packed meal in a flash. ...
  2. Blend them. You may have heard of hummus, a smooth chickpea dip. ...
  3. Crisp them. ...
  4. Bake them. ...
  5. Take a trip. ...
  6. Pair beans with pasta. ...
  7. What about side effects?
Oct 19, 2021

How to enhance canned chili beans? ›

You can also add sour cream and sliced avocado for a rich, creamy addition. Bring in some crunch with corn chips or tortilla strips. Freshly sliced tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño peppers, and cilantro are other great ways to dress up your serving of chili.

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