Top 40 Ways to Use Canned Beans

Canned beans are a budget cook's best friend. They're pre-cooked, shelf-stable, and packed with protein and fiber. Here are 40 creative ways to use them.

Classic Dishes

1. Chili — the quintessential bean dish. Use kidney, black, or pinto beans with ground beef or turkey.
2. Refried beans — mash pinto beans with lard or olive oil, garlic, and cumin.
3. Bean soup — simmer with broth, vegetables, and herbs for a hearty meal.
4. Minestrone — add cannellini beans to this classic Italian vegetable soup.
5. Hummus — blend chickpeas with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil.

Salads

6. Three-bean salad — kidney, green, and wax beans with a tangy vinaigrette.
7. Chickpea salad — toss with cucumber, tomato, red onion, and feta.
8. Black bean and corn salad — with lime dressing and cilantro.
9. White bean and tuna salad — cannellini beans with canned tuna, capers, and lemon.
10. Lentil salad — with roasted vegetables and a mustard vinaigrette.

Tacos and Wraps

11. Bean tacos — seasoned black or pinto beans with salsa, cheese, and avocado.
12. Bean burritos — refried beans with rice, cheese, and sour cream.
13. Chickpea wraps — roasted chickpeas with tzatziki and vegetables.
14. Bean quesadillas — mashed beans with cheese in a crispy tortilla.
15. White bean hummus wraps — spread on lavash with roasted vegetables.

Pasta and Grains

16. Pasta e fagioli — pasta with cannellini beans in a tomato-based broth.
17. Bean and rice bowls — seasoned black beans over white rice with toppings.
18. Chickpea pasta sauce — blend chickpeas with tomatoes for a protein-rich sauce.
19. White bean risotto — stir cannellini beans into creamy risotto.
20. Bean grain bowls — over farro or quinoa with roasted vegetables.

Snacks and Appetizers

21. Roasted chickpeas — toss with olive oil and spices, roast at 400°F until crispy.
22. Bean dip — blend any beans with garlic, lemon, and herbs.
23. Stuffed mushrooms — fill with seasoned white beans and breadcrumbs.
24. Bean bruschetta — mash white beans with herbs on toasted bread.
25. Chickpea fritters — mix with eggs, flour, and spices, pan-fry until golden.

Baked Goods

26. Black bean brownies — replace flour with pureed black beans for fudgy, protein-rich brownies.
27. Chickpea cookie dough — blend chickpeas with nut butter, honey, and chocolate chips.
28. Bean bread — add pureed white beans to bread dough for extra moisture and protein.
29. Chickpea blondies — similar to brownies but with vanilla and butterscotch flavors.
30. Black bean muffins — chocolate muffins with pureed black beans replacing some flour.

International Dishes

31. Dal — Indian lentil curry with turmeric, cumin, and garam masala.
32. Falafel — ground chickpeas with herbs and spices, fried or baked.
33. Ful medames — Egyptian fava bean stew with lemon and cumin.
34. Cassoulet — French white bean and meat casserole.
35. Shakshuka with chickpeas — eggs poached in spiced tomato sauce with chickpeas.

Soups and Stews

36. White bean and kale soup — hearty Italian-inspired soup with sausage.
37. Black bean soup — blended with cumin, lime, and topped with sour cream.
38. Chickpea and spinach stew — with tomatoes and smoked paprika.
39. Tuscan bean stew — cannellini beans with tomatoes, rosemary, and sage.
40. Lentil and vegetable soup — red lentils with carrots, celery, and cumin.

Tips for Cooking with Canned Beans

Always rinse canned beans before using them to remove excess sodium and the starchy liquid. If a recipe calls for dried beans, use roughly 1.5 cups of canned beans for every cup of dried beans called for.

Need to scale a bean recipe for a crowd? Try our Recipe Scaler [blocked].