19 Easy Bean Recipes That Save Us Money Every Week

If there’s one thing Louise and I have learned running this blog, it’s this: beans might just be the most underrated ingredient in the kitchen.

They’re cheap, filling, and packed with plant-based protein. For more affordable meals, try our viral chickpea recipes and easy lentil recipes.

No-Reheat Lunches (school/work friendly)

1) Dense Bean salad
A hearty mix of marinated beans, herbs, and tangy feta makes this salad both protein-rich and high in fiber. It’s filling, budget-friendly, and easy to prep ahead.

2) Quinoa bean salad
Pantry black beans, lemon, quinoa, and herbs – done. It improves overnight, so make a big bowl on Sunday and scoop into lunch boxes all week.

3) Black Bean Salad (Lime Dressing)
Canned corn and black beans keep costs low; lime and cilantro dressing make it pop. No reheating needed, and it’s sturdy enough for picnics or desk lunches.

4) Greek Yogurt Pasta Salad (Cannellini Beans)
The cannellini beans stretch the protein, the yogurt keeps it tangy without pricey mayo, and it’s the kind of dish you can double for lunches all week without doubling your grocery bill.

5) Mediterranean Bean Salad
A fresh mix of chickpeas, black beans, cucumber, tomato, and herbs in a lemon-olive oil dressing. These legumes are affordable, protein-rich, and naturally high in fiber.

Pantry-Friendly Bean Meals

6) Cherry Tomato Bean Skillet
Just onions, garlic, tomatoes, feta, white beans, and marinade. Simmer 15 minutes; serve with toast or over rice. Cheap, hearty, and endlessly riffable.

7) Black Bean Burgers
Mash canned black beans with spices, feta, and pan-sear into patties. It’s dinner for four people that serves well in a brioche bun and chipotle sauce.

8) Black Bean Soup
Canned black beans simmer with garlic, onion, and warm spices, then top with sour cream and guacamole. A hearty, freezer-friendly soup that makes big batches with little effort.

9) Refried Beans
Pinto or borlotti beans is mashed with garlic and olive oil until creamy. It’s such a simple, budget-friendly comfort food that pairs well with our tostadas and corn tortillas.

10) Mexican Black Bean Rice
Fluffy rice and hearty black beans simmer with cumin and stock in one pot. Black beans bring plant protein and are loaded with fiber (that also helps you go to the bathroom) 🙈.

One-Pot Comforts (soups & stews)

11) Tuscan White Bean Soup
Beans, carrots, celery, and greens in a garlicky broth. Uses humble ingredients, tastes expensive; freezes beautifully up to 3 months.

12) Borlotti Bean Stew
We simmer creamy borlotti (cranberry) beans with tomatoes and rosemary. This Italian bean recipes serves well with polenta or couscous; costs stay low, portions stretch far.

13) Protein Veggie Chili
Canned beans, lentils, and pantry spices ecuals big flavor and small spend. Make a double batch; it tastes even better on day two and loves the freezer.

14) Marry My Butter Beans
With about 14g protein per serving, this is one of those “date-night worthy, weeknight easy” recipes that had Louise and me joking it could win anyone over.

15) Indian Rajma (Kidney Bean Curry)
Onions, tomatoes, garam masala, kidney beans. One pot, weeknight-friendly, and a perfect meal-prep base for rice or Indian flatbread.

Freezer-Friendly Batch Cooks

16) Sweet Potato Chili (Big Batch)
Our “Sunday saver”; sweet potatoes and beans simmer into a chili that tastes even better the next day. Makes a mountain of portions, and yes, it freezes like a dream.

17) Mung Bean Curry Soup
Mung beans are the little underdogs of the bean world; cheap, fast-cooking, and quietly packed with protein. We simmer them with curry spices, and suddenly they taste gourmet.

18) White Bean & Kale Soup
When Louise and I want something hearty but healthy, this is it. Just beans, greens, and broth, the kind of meal that feels simple, affordable, and satiating.

19) Detox cabbage soup
Cabbage and beans together? Budget heaven. This soup is cozy, light, and stretches into many bowls, perfect when you need to feed people without emptying the wallet.

Soups

Cabbage Soup

One-pot Meals

Mung Bean Soup

Soups

Kale Soup

One-pot Meals

Sweet Potato Chili

Smart Bean Cooking: Budget Tips

• Canned for speed, dried for savings: We use canned on busy nights. When time allows, we cook 1–2 kg dried beans in bulk (pressure cooker = fastest), then freeze in 1½-cup portions (the same as a can).
• Flavor base first: Sweat onion + garlic + a spice (cumin, paprika, curry powder) in oil before adding beans. This tiny step makes cheap ingredients taste rich.
• Stretch with grains & veg: Pair each can of beans with cooked rice, pasta, couscous, or potatoes plus one veg. You’ll add 2–3 extra servings for pennies.
• Batch, then season fresh: Cook a neutral big batch. On serving day, finish with lemon/lime, herbs, or chili oil. Fresh acids/herbs make leftovers feel “new.”
• Freeze smarter: Cool completely, portion flat in freezer bags (stack like books). Label by type and date; most bean dishes keep 3 months.
• No-reheat lunch strategy: Pack sturdy salads (beans + grains + crunchy veg) with dressing at the bottom of jars. They eat well cold and won’t get soggy.
• Substitution rule: Any bean can replace another in 90% of recipes. Use what’s cheapest/on hand.
• Finishing touches = cheap “wow”: Lemon, yogurt/plain yogurt, tahini drizzle, toasted breadcrumbs, or a spoon of pesto/chimichurri instantly upgrades budget bowls.