45 Classic And Creative Bean Recipes

What’s the one ingredient you can use to make everything from apps to desserts, is full of good-for-you nutrients like fiber and protein, AND is budget-friendly? We’re talking about beans, baby! They’re super-versatile, easily accessible, and best of all, we bet you’ve got a few cans of them kicking around your cabinets already. If not, what are you waiting for? Check out our 45 bean recipes for ideas on what to make with them, then stock up.

One of the biggest questions we encounter about beans is whether or not you should use dried or canned. Here’s the honest truth: Cooking beans from scratch is way more cost-effective and will yield flavorful beans, but! The convenience of canned beans really can’t be beat. If it’s between buying canned or not eating beans at all, we think the answer’s obvious. If you do go the route of cooking your own from dried, follow our tips so they’ll come out the best they can be. If not, no judgment! You’ll be-an happy to know, nearly all of the recipes here can use either, so you do you.

Once you’ve got that down, you can make nearly anything with your beans. Looking for an app or starter? Try one of our myriad bean-filled soups, like our black bean soup, our mulligatawny stew, or our pesto rice & bean soup; salads, like our Mediterranean chickpea salad, our four-bean salad, or our anything goes farro & white bean salad; or go for something more game-day-appropriate, like our creamy garlic hummus, our refried pinto beans, or our nachos supreme. Looking for a filling side dish? Try our bacon baked beans, our succotash, or our Jamaican rice & beans. They can help add tons of flavor to even the most lackluster of meals. Trying to eat less meat? Beans are full of protein and are perfect replacements for all your favorite meat-y dishes too. Try our vegan meatballs (chickpeas), our black bean burgers, our chickpea “tuna” salad, or our aquafaba chocolate mousse (the cooking liquid from chickpeas acts just like egg whites! 🤯). Speaking of sweets, you can use beans in desserts too, like our white bean blondies, our mochi (red beans), or our black bean brownies. Is there anything beans can’t do?!

Cocktails, maybe. 😉 Check out our favorite beers, cocktails, and non-alcoholic drinks to go with these recipes.