60+ Healthy Bean Recipes – The Healthy Epicurean
Beans are the perfect high fiber, protein rich ingredient to use in (almost) all of your recipes!
I’ve gathered over 60 of the best delicious ways to use up a can of beans, including recipes for main dishes, soups, stews, chili, dips, casseroles and snacks.
Pick your favorite (or make them all) and you’ll be on your way to adding nutrition to your recipes and being budget-conscious when meal planning!
What makes beans so special?
- Canned beans are one of the best pantry staples to have on hand, whether that’s pinto, black, kidney, cannellini or any other type of bean.
- They’re nutritious (filled with fiber, protein + micronutrients), inexpensive and make a simple addition to any meal.
- They’re budget friendly and shelf stable and they are the perfect ingredient to “bulk up” any meal and stretch the meal (and your dollar) further.
- Many brands and varieties of beans cost less than a dollar per can and can easily be added to taco meat, casseroles and soups!
- Oftentimes you can substitute different kinds of beans, depending on the recipe (i.e. use pinto beans instead of black beans and vice versa).
Salad Recipes with Beans
Mediterranean Tuna Chickpea Salad
You’re going to love the combination of fiber-packed chickpeas, protein-packed tuna, briny olives, crisp cucumber, juicy tomatoes and the super yummy oregano-olive oil dressing.
Beans and Greens Pasta Salad
Is there anything better than a comforting pasta salad recipe? Answer: nope!
You’re going to love the colors and flavors in my beans and greens pasta salad, the perfect way to serve up a simple dish this summer!
Sweet Potato Bean Salad with Crispy Quinoa
Sweet potato white bean salad with crispy quinoa- a delicious vegetarian winter salad.
This salad is perfect for the holidays, the pomegranate adds a special flair to this salad, but it’s also perfect for every day!
Try these other salad recipes with beans
Soup, Stew and Chili Recipes with Beans
Butter Bean Stew
This easily made butter bean stew is a great meat-free meal that is perfect for busy nights.
It is a one-pot complete meal that you can have on the table in 30 minutes.
Italian Sausage & Tortellini Soup
A comforting and delicious soup made with cannellini beans, cheesy tortellini, Italian sausage, and spinach.
It’s hearty and wholesome with a little bit of spice and only takes less than 25 minutes to make.
This is another recipe where you can easily use more or less of the beans depending on what you have on hand.
Great Northern Bean Soup with Barley
I’m welcoming soup season with open arms! This great northern bean soup with barley is a hearty bean-based soup that’s full of made-from-scratch flavor.
With one pot on the stove top, this easy meal can be ready in just 30 minutes.
Instant Pot Bean Soup
This recipe for easy Instant Pot bean soup is made with 15 types of beans, vegetables, spinach and herbs with a flavorful tomato broth.
It pressure cooks in 45 minutes and there’s no need to soak the beans! It doesn’t get better than this.
Try these other soup, stew and chili recipes with beans
Main Dish Recipes with Beans
Tater Tot Casserole
This taco tater tot casserole is the best of both worlds: perfectly spicy and homey while being a healthier version of the more classic casserole.
Cheesy Taco Pasta
This pasta is the ultimate one pot dish loaded with ground beef (or chicken or turkey!), black beans, tomatoes, spices and cheese can be topped with avocado, Greek yogurt and cilantro.
You can also switch things up by using different meat, beans, toppings and adding in any other veggies you have on hand to make it your own.
Ground Beef Burrito Skillet
Ground beef burrito skillet has all of the flavors of a ground beef burrito in an easy, one-skillet dinner that’s ready in just 30 minutes.
Taco Lettuce Cups
More tacos, please! But this time let’s toss everything in lettuce cups because…. why not?
It’s a great way to get more greens in your diet and is crisp, light and fresh.
Basically instead of using taco shells, you can wraps your taco filling and toppings inside a crisp lettuce leaf.
Caesar Beans on Toast
Wave goodbye to boring beans, these Caesar beans on toast are next level! Toasty bread, creamy beans coated with Caesar dressing, a
d plenty of veggies layered on top – it might seem like an unusual mashup but it will be love at first bite.
Chicken Taco Casserole
I mean, why not make an enchilada casserole loaded with pinto beans, then top it all with cheesy tortilla chips? Yes, please!
You can also swap in black beans if you don’t have any pinto on hand.
I revamped this recipe a few months ago and added cheesy tortilla chips to the top because… why wouldn’t you add cheesy tortilla chips to the top?!
Chicken Shawarma with Hummus
A mix of chickpeas, tahini, garlic and olive oil, you can serve it with easy homemade shawarma or go dipping with veggies or pita. It’s always so good.
Traditionally, shawarma is made on a spit rotisserie, but since most of us don’t have that option at home, I’ve written an oven recipe so we can all make shawarma!
White Bean Avocado Toast
Fresh, flavorful, and protein-rich, this white bean avocado toast is the perfect light meal or snack to power your day.
It comes together in minutes and all you’ll need is a mixing bowl and fork.
Try these other main dish recipes with beans
Side Dish Recipes with Beans
Charro Beans
Trust me when I say these Mexican charro beans are next level greatness, made with pinto beans simmering in a boldly flavored broth of bacon, ham, chorizo, chili peppers, tomatoes and spices.
You can make them with dried or canned pinto beans, cooked on the stove-top, slow cooker or in the instant pot.
Sticky Cashew Chickpeas
This is the perfect healthy and easy to make plant-based dinner recipe. This recipe is made in one pan in less than 30 minutes.
It is also packed with protein and veggies. This recipe is a vegan take on cashew chicken and it is so good.
Serve as-is for a delicious side or serve with rice to make it a main dish!
Try these other side dish recipes with beans
Snack, Appetizer and Dessert Recipes with Beans
Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
Spicy roasted chickpeas are an easy, healthy snack when you’re looking for something with a delicious crunch.
They’re made with just a few simple ingredients in barely any time at all.
In just a few simple steps, you’ll have a scrumptious treat ready to pop right into your mouth!
Cowboy Texas Caviar
Black beans are paired with black-eyed peas, canned tomatoes, sweet corn, peppers, onion and cilantro before being mixed in a super easy tangy “vinaigrette” dressing.
It’s no-cook and only takes 10-15 minutes to whip up!
