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Last updated on April 14th, 2023 at 03:10 pm
Do you need some inspiration for your next family dinner? Or, maybe you’re trying to add some frugal meal ideas to your menu line-up? If so, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve rounded up 30 recipes to make with canned beans.
Beans are the ultimate all-in-one ingredient—they’re good for you, tasty, and versatile. Think of them as a blank canvas for you to add all your favorite flavors and spices to.
A few notes before we get started…
What to know about cooking with canned beans
- Rinse canned beans: Many people skip this step, but you should drain the liquid from canned beans, and rinse them until the water runs clear. The liquid you’re draining from the can is mostly starch and salt. Not rinsing your canned beans can even impact the the flavor of your recipe.
- Feel free to make substitutions: If you don’t have the type of canned beans a recipe calls for, you can often substitute another kind. Or, maybe you just prefer another type of bean.
- Dried beans: In my experience, dried beans taste a bit better than canned, but of course, they take some time to prepare. Canned beans are convenient, so if you’re using a recipe that calls for dried beans, you can substitute two (15-ounce) cans of beans for every one cup of dried beans in the recipe.
- Allow enough cooking time: When cooking with canned beans, allow them time to simmer and absorb the flavors of the other ingredients in your dish.
- Storing leftover beans: Store leftover canned beans in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Now, let’s inspired with some tasty dishes featuring beans!
Recipes to Make With Canned Beans
Rice and beans are perfect partners for a filling meal that is easy on your budget and makes use of common pantry staples.
This soup is so good! This is the perfect place to use kale and beans for a wholesome and healthy meal.
Here’s a delicious recipe for Mexican stuffed peppers with quinoa and black beans. This recipe is vegan (and gluten-free), but some melted some cheese on top or a dollop of sour cream would be tasty too if you eat dairy.
Here’s a delicious way to eat more veggies and protein at the same time. With two cans of chickpeas, there’s plenty of protein in our Cucumber Chickpea Salad, but the lemon, dill, and cucumber keep things light.
Grab a few cans of beans and toss this salad together for your next potluck or party.
Beans with breakfast are the perfect way to fill up with wholesome ingredients and keep hunger at bay until lunch.
No need to go to Olive Garden to get your soup fix. You can recreate this recipe in your home kitchen for endless soup and salad anytime you want it!
Have you ever had a pinto bean burger? What a great idea for economical and healthy eating!
You are going to love the way this spicy soup tastes. Make this for a budget friendly dinner that can feed the family and makes for great leftovers the next day.
Looking for a healthy, yet tasty dish that’s simple to put together? Look no further. Our Mediterranean Buddha Bowl is chock-full of flavor and nutrition.
You can feed the whole family fast with this easy quesadilla idea! Cooking on a sheet pan is really a genius idea.
Get tuna salad flavor without the tuna! This recipe uses beans for such a great lunch.
Cheese soup is going to be your family's favorite way to use beans! This is just so tasty.
Get buffalo flavor with this really delicious wrap. It uses chickpeas to make a hearty lunch option that is so good for you!
Cottage cheese and beans come together to make a hearty and healthy burrito bowl that you are going to love for lunch!
Have you ever made soup with cannellini beans? This recipe turns out so creamy and cozy.
Homemade hummus has never been tastier than it is with this recipe that uses white beans!
We’re sharing a simple recipe for a chickpea galette with ham and sweet potatoes. You can easily customize this recipe to your own taste if these fillings aren’t your favorite. Feel free to spice it up a bit, or add in other veggies.
This casserole is a great side dish, but it is so delicious that you might want to make a meal of it. Black beans and sweet potatoes are a great combination of textures and flavors.
You can get this taco pasta ready in no time thanks to the instant pot. This is a great weeknight dinner idea that is ready fast and will fill your family up.
No need to go out for a great chili con carne. You can make this recipe with so much authentic flavor in your kitchen .
Make this vegan curry at home with black beans for a really great dinner that is budget friendly and so filling.
We love these lentil cakes and can’t wait to share this phenomenal recipe with you. The homemade garlic sauce is easy to make and really makes this recipe special.
If you are going to a party, you are going to want to mix a few cans of beans up and make this filling and delicious salad.
Make a budget friendly dish that tastes amazing with these easy smothered burritos.
Chickpeas make this classic Greek soup a vegan option that you are sure to love.
Tuna and beans come together to make such a good pasta salad. This is perfect for a potluck, or make it as a part of your meal prep for the week.
Fill up your family with this delicious and nutritious white bean soup.
Simple yet delicious white bean stew is such a great family meal. Serve this with crusty bread for a filling option that satisfies.
If you need a dish that can satisfy a hungry family, then you are going to want to make this casserole with beef, beans and of course cheese!
Looking for more dinner ideas? Check out these frugal meal ideas or these one-pot meals.
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