29 bean recipes using canned beans, including soups, chilis, salads, appetizers, and easy lunch and dinner ideas like quesadillas, curry, and stuffed peppers.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
I go through a lot of beans. Like, a genuinely embarrassing amount. A can or two of chickpeas, some black beans, maybe a bag of dried pintos, if I’m being ambitious, it’s just always in rotation at my house because beans are one of those things that actually solve the “what do I make with this” problem without a lot of effort.
The issue is there are so many bean recipes out there that it’s hard to know where to start, so I put together this list of the ones I actually come back to. There are tips for cooking with canned beans, basic tutorials like how to cook beans from dried and how to make refried beans, plus bean appetizers and salads like hummus, cowboy caviar, and three bean salad. Then there are soups and chilis, white bean soup, black bean soup, chickpea noodle soup, and a couple of chili recipes, and lunch and dinner recipes with beans like black bean quesadillas, vegan shawarma, stuffed peppers, and chickpea curry.
If you cook with canned beans regularly and want a solid go-to list, this is a good place to start.
These step-by-step instructions will show you how to cook dried chickpeas on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. Learn how to soak garbanzo beans & cook them to perfection!
These crispy white beans are a protein-packed snack idea that come out so crispy and delicious. Make them in the air fryer or oven with any seasoning of choice.
This Instant Pot baked beans recipe starts with a flavorful sauce made of spices, ketchup, honey, and Dijon mustard, and slow-simmering dried pinto beans.
This easy taco pasta salad has seasoned ground beef, black beans, cheddar cheese, and a creamy salsa dressing. Serve it as a quick lunch or picnic side dish!
This cowboy caviar recipe is made with two types of beans, frozen corn, bell pepper, jalapeño, and red onion. All the veggies get tossed in a homemade lime dressing.
This cold bean salad is a hearty, easy-to-prep all-season dish (or meal!) with lentils, beans, chickpeas, and vegetables, tossed in a light and tangy vinaigrette.
Warm up with a hearty bowl of beef chili, filled with kidney beans, rich sauces, and smoky flavors. This classic dish is perfect for an easy weeknight meal!
This Italian chickpea soup recipe, inspired by minestra di ceci, is made with canned chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, vegetables, and spinach simmered in vegetable broth.
Easy, vegetarian quinoa stuffed peppers have 20g of protein per serving and are made with white quinoa, black beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, and simple spices, topped with cheese and baked in the oven.
This authentic Lebanese Chicken Fatteh is an amazing combo of flavors made with yogurt, spiced shredded chicken, chickpeas, toasted pine nuts & pita bread!
25 minutesminutes
5 from 237 votes
Tips for cooking with canned beans
Rinse the beans before using. That’s because that liquid is starchy and full of sodium, so it will affect the final results of the recipe. There are some recipes that do call for using that liquid, but none of my recipes.
Simmer canned beans for 30 minutes or more in soups or stews for the beans to fully adopt the flavors of the dish. This also helps them break down slightly to thicken the meal without adding flour or cornstarch.
Substitute one bean for another based on availability, remembering that white beans generally have a milder flavor than pinto or kidney beans. Black beans are sweetish. See this chart by the Bean Institute (yes, there’s a Bean Institute!) for flavor profiles of popular varieties.
Do not leave any leftover beans in the can. If you only use a partial can of beans, decant the rest into a glass or plastic container to get the best flavor out of the remaining contents. Beans left in the can taste metallic.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to drain and rinse my canned beans?
Usually, yes. Many recipes include that step. Most cooks agree that the salty, starchy bean liquid detracts from recipes. Plus, rinsing removes sodium. In act, rinsing canned beans can remove over 40 percent of the salt in canned beans.
Can I substitute dried beans for canned?
Each 15-ounce can contains about 1.75 cups of cooked, drained beans, which is about ¾ cup (4.5 ounces) of dried uncooked beans. On the other hand, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of dried beans, you can use two 15-ounce cans to substitute.
How do you store leftover canned beans?
Store any unused beans in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge, not in the can.. You can also freeze the opened canned beans in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw frozen beans in the fridge overnight or add the directly into soups and stews to cook.
Do canned beans need to be cooked?
Canned beans are already pre cooked, so you don’t need to cook them to enjoy them. They are a great quick and easy way to add protein and fiber to a salad straight out of the can!
