Try these bean recipes if you’re looking for your next easy dinner. They make quick, affordable, and healthy meals.
For more recipes with legumes, see our easy lentil recipes, chickpea recipes, and vegetarian protein ideas.
Beans are a staple in our kitchen! They’re affordable and sustainable, and they’re incredibly versatile and nourishing.
Louise and I love how a can of beans can transform a salad into a nourishing Mediterranean salad, and leftovers vegetables turns into a minestrone or vegetarian chili.
This roundup includes black, white, kidney, butter, and pinto beans, and they are packed with protein, fiber, and essential nutrients.
If you are exploring budget meals and more plant-based cooking options, there’s a satisfying recipe waiting for you here!
1. Black bean salad
Black beans add a hearty and savory depth to roasted sweet potato and avocado in this colorful bean salad. It’s a 5-star rated reader favorite, and a great way to eat beans.
2. White bean aglio e olio
How do you make white beans tasty? Add a simple can of white beans to your aglio e olio pasta and you will see. This is a quick dinner idea with beans.
3. Black bean soup
Black beans are rich in plant-based protein and folate and iron, making them a fantastic choice for supporting overall well-being. Try them in this Mexican black bean soup.
4. Pasta e Fagioli
Kidney and pinto beans lend a hearty texture to this one-pot Pasta e Fagioli. This is a family-friendly bean recipe with Italian herbs.
5. Bean stew
Italian bean stew is a rich and healthy bean recipe that pairs well with couscous, rice, focaccia, and polenta.
6. Mango quinoa salad
Try this black bean mango salad, where ripe and juicy mangoes pair with black beans and nutrient-packed quinoa.
7. White bean dip
This 5-minute bean recipe is a creamy appetizer and side dish. White beans are great as they are nutrient-rich in dietary fiber and provide around 8 grams per half-cup serving.
8. Tuscan bean soup
In this Tuscan soup, we blend half a cup of cannellini beans to infuse the soup with velvety texture. White beans have a nutty undertone that adds satisfying creaminess to soups.
9. Marry me butter beans
Marry Me Butter Beans is a Tuscan-inspired recipe ready in 20 minutes in one pot. Make it with butter beans as an easy meatless dinner recipe.
10. Sweet potato chili
Kidney beans are a healthy addition to this meatless chili. They are rich in plant-based protein, fiber, and essential nutrients like folate and iron.
11. Red cabbage salad
Crunchy red cabbage, juicy orange wedges, mixed greens, and nutty pinto beans make a colorful and vibrant salad.
12. Easy pasta salad
Cannellini beans are an excellent choice for pasta salads when you wanna add more fiber to your meals.
13. Breakfast burrito
Black beans are an excellent plant-based choice for breakfast recipes as they are smaller and have thinner skin than other beans.
14. Creamy pasta salad
If you want an easy, budget-friendly meal with beans, try this creamy pasta salad with white beans. The cannellini beans add creaminess to this salad with mayonnaise dressing.
15. Sweet potato hash
We are inspired by Mexican cuisine for this potato hash, which makes black beans an excellent protein choice.
16. Kale soup
Creamy and healthy, this delicious kale soup is a 30-minute recipe packed with white beans, veggies, and tomato flavor.
17. Mediterranean salad
Our Mediterran bean salad combines the textures of fresh veggies, chickpeas, black beans, and sun-dried tomatoes to create a protein-rich salad.
18. Vegetable soup
White beans such as cannellini beans, navy beans, and great northern beans are excellent in this soup because of their nutty flavor and creamy texture.
19. Lentil chili
Lentil and kidney bean chili is an make-ahead meal, as the beans and lentils become even more flavourful the day after.
20. Chickpea pasta salad
You can make this chickpea pasta salad in about the time it takes to boil the pasta. It’s packed with veggies, mustard dressing, and plenty of fiber from beans to nourish you.
21. Mung bean soup
This vegetarian dinner idea is ready in about 40 minutes and offers a comforting blend of earthy mung beans and curry’s warm, spicy notes.
22. Piyaz
Piyaz is a traditional Turkish white bean salad with tahini and red onions.
23. Refried beans
Refried beans or frijoles refritos are a creamy Mexican dip or spread often served with tortilla, tacos, and burrito.
24. Cabbage soup
Chopped cabbage simmers with vegetables, tomatoes, white beans, and herbs in a flavorful broth. This recipe is easy to make in one pot with simple and affordable everyday staples.
25. Broccoli soup
You can serve broccoli soup as a quick lunch or a healthy dinner. We blend in white beans to make it creamy, fulfilling, and protein-rich.
26. Vegetarian chili
Vegetarian chili combines protein-rich beans, aromatic spices, and a rich, bold, flavorful tomato sauce.
27. White bean salad
White bean salad features cannellini beans, fresh herbs, and veggies tossed in a delicious Mediterranean olive oil and lemon dressing.
It is perfect for a light dinner with pita bread and tahini sauce.
28. Split pea soup
Split pea soup is an easy one-pot dinner made with protein-rich dried split peas and a few other simple ingredients.
29. Black bean burger
Black bean burger is a tasty vegetarian recipe packed with feta, vegetables, and beans that even meat eaters will love.
30. Quinoa salad
This quinoa salad combines crunchy vegetables, black beans, protein-rich quinoa, and bold cilantro lime dressing into a colorful, bright, and nutritious recipe.
How to store cooked beans
For these bean recipes, you can use canned beans or dry beans.
If you use dry beans, you must first soak them for 8 hours and then boil them in plenty of salted water until tender.
A batch of cooked beans can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and it is best to store it in an airtight container.
You can freeze them for up to three months and thaw them in the microwave or stovetop at your convenience.
More bean recipes
If you tried these Bean Recipes or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!
30 Bean Recipes: Bean pasta
Ingredients
White bean aglio olio sauce
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small red chili finely chopped, or 1 – 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes. Adjust to your liking.
- 2 handfuls parsley finely chopped
- 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Pasta
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- ¾ gallon boiling water to cook the pasta
- 1½ tablespoon salt for the pasta water
Instructions
- Finely chop 3 cloves garlic, 2 handfuls parsley, and 1 small red chili (if you use red pepper flakes, you don't have to chop them).Warm up ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet, add garlic and chili, and fry them on low heat for 30 seconds.
- Add the chopped parsley, 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans (drained and rinsed), ¼ teaspoon salt, and cook them in the oil on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, cook 12 ounces spaghetti in a large pot with ¾ gallon boiling water salted with 1½ tablespoon salt. Cook as per package instructions minus 1 minute.
- When the pasta is ready, reserve one cup of pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and add it to the pan with the sauce.Add one ladleful of reserve pasta water (or more if necessary), toss, and cook for a minute or until the pasta is al dente and thoroughly coated in the sauce.
- Serve immediately with a couple of spoonfuls of white bean aglio olio sauce on top.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We’re here to share delicious, easy, and healthy plant-based recipes (vegetarian & vegan) 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
perfect.
When will you have the mung bean recipes? Thanks!
Good point, Susan. We need to get over the heatwave and into the autumn season, and we will start cooking with more beans 🤗
Thank you for your feedback. Kindest,
Louise
Very nice recipes