22 Budget-Friendly Recipes You Can Make with a Can of Beans (2024)

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Ariel Knutson

Ariel Knutson

Arie was the Features Director at Kitchn. She lives in Los Angeles.

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updated Sep 29, 2023

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22 Budget-Friendly Recipes You Can Make with a Can of Beans (1)

When you have a

can of beans

vegan dip, substitute ’em for

eggs, make vegetable patties, or just create a really good

chili. Need more inspiration? Here are

22 recipes from our archives that will inspire you to cook with beans tonight.

Recipes with Can of Beans

1

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22

Mediterranean White Bean Soup

A wholesome recipe for vegetarian white bean soup with wilted spinach and Parmesan.

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2

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22

Vegetarian Baked Beans

Classic sweet and smoky baked beans without the bacon.

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3

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22

Crunchy Black Bean Tacos

This recipe is great for when you have a bunch of random leftovers. Beans, cilantro, red onion, and tortillas, cheese — assemble the ingredients like you would with any taco, and then crisp ’em up in a skillet.

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4

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22

Sheet Pan Sweet Potatoes and Black Bean Hash

You can’t go wrong with a big sheet pan full of eggs, vegetables, and black beans! It’s dinner made easy.

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5

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22

Brothy Tuscan White Beans with Garlic-Fried Bread

White beans, garlic, and fresh sage are stewed in a light tomato broth and served over thick toast in this wholesome and comforting pantry recipe.

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6

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22

20-Minute Bean and Rice Burritos

These four-ingredient burritos are seriously satisfying, and are cheap and easy to make at home.

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7

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22

Make a big batch of this salad on Sunday and eat it for lunch the rest of the week. It just gets better with time!

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8

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This recipe is technically for breakfast, but I don’t see why you couldn’t also have it for dinner. Basically you use almost stale tortillas and cover them in spices and beans. Add a fried egg and maybe half an avocado and you have a complete meal.

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9

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22

Fast and Fancy Pork and Beans

With your favorite cut of cured pork, molasses, canned beans, and a secret ingredient, you can be eating creamy beans in a velvety sauce in 30 minutes.

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10

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22

Spinach, White Bean, and Taleggio Pizza

White beans on pizza? Oh, yes. This creamy, cheesy pizza is super easy to make. You can make your own pizza dough if you’re up to it, or just head to the grocery store for pre-made stuff.

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11

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22

White Bean Artichoke Dip

I can’t really begin to tell you how much I love this simple bean dip. It’s super tangy and salty and pairs great with just about any cracker.

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12

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22

Chickpea Nuggets

These sneaky nuggets, made with chickpeas, rolled oats, and a few spices, are surprisingly easy to make. I wonder what kind of dipping sauces (besides ketchup) would be good with these.

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13

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22

Scrambled Chickpea and Spinach Pitas

Instead of eggs, this recipe uses chickpeas for a hearty breakfast recipe. The chickpeas get their gorgeous orange color from turmeric.

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14

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22

Pumpkin Chili

The second it gets a bit cold outside, this chili is on my stove. It’s perfect for the long week ahead, and honestly just never gets old.

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15

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22

Baked Black Bean and Avocado Burritos

Need to feed a crowd? Or just want to make a couple dinners in one go? These burritos are a great option. Use whatever leftovers you have to fill ’em up.

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16

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22

This recipe is described as “quick, forgiving of end-of-day bloopers, and 100% satisfying.” If you have frozen shrimp on hand, this is an excellent way to put ’em to use.

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17

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22

Sweet Potatoes with Chickpea Tomato Sauce

Roast a whole bunch of sweet potatoes on a Sunday and enjoy this meal all week. It’s simple but satisfying, and great when paired with a simple side salad.

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18

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22

Spinach and Refried Bean Quesadillas

While the base of this recipe is beans, the real star is the baby spinach. Having a bag in the fridge is always a good idea for quick weeknight dinner ideas.

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19

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22

Tofu Chickpea Stir Fry with Tahini Sauce

This hearty vegetarian recipe is all about the tofu (so crispy!), but the chickpeas in the dish also play an important textural role.

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20

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22

Sweet Potato-Chickpea Patties with Sriracha-Yogurt Dip

Make vegetable patties with chickpeas, thanks to this delicious recipe. Pair it with a spicy Sriracha-yogurt sauce for dipping.

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22

The key to this budget-friendly recipe is all in the dressing. It’s made with cilantro, Greek yogurt, and a little bit of lime.

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22

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There are a thousand ways to top a baked potato, but this one holds a special place in my heart. The curried chickpeas mixed with the spinach and garlic can’t be missed.

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Filed in:

beans

budget

Ingredient

lentils

Recipe Roundup

22 Budget-Friendly Recipes You Can Make with a Can of Beans (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with extra canned beans? ›

Here are a few delicious recipes you can try using leftover canned beans:
  1. Bean Salad: Simply mix drained and rinsed beans with diced vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and red onions. ...
  2. Bean Tacos: Mash the beans with spices and sautéed onions and garlic, then use as a filling for tacos.
Feb 4, 2023

How to fancy up canned beans? ›

You can add crushed whole seeds (coriander, cumin, fennel, mustard, etc.), woodsy herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage), red pepper flakes, crushed garlic cloves, and of course salt and pepper.

What is the cheapest way to eat beans? ›

While canned beans are convenient, a pound of dried beans makes 8 cups of cooked beans—a little over 5 cans worth. And if I compare the price of canned beans to dried bulk beans, they're quite a bargain.

How to make a can of beans good? ›

Add a few flavor enhancers and dinner is served! Drain and rinse the beans (remember, that's optional). Place a pot on the stove and set to low or medium heat. Add fat (olive oil, avocado oil, canola oil, butter - whatever you prefer to cook with) and natural flavor enhancers like garlic, onions, and tomatoes.

Can you eat 2 cans of beans a day? ›

Yes! "Eating beans, including canned beans, every day is one of the best things you can do to help increase nutrients [that you may fall short on] and substantially improve the quality of your diet," says Papanikolaou.

Can you eat canned beans straight out of the can? ›

The reason that beans are safe to eat straight from the can is pretty simple: They're already cooked. Per Epicurious, beans are blanched before being canned with water, salt, and other additives, and then sealed and cooked under steam pressure at a high temperature before landing at your local grocery store.

Can I freeze canned beans? ›

Freezing your extra canned beans should be fine. In fact, I often make a big batch of chili (using canned beans), and then freeze some of it with no change in quality. Simply store your extra beans in a heavy plastic container or plastic freezer bag and use within 6 months.

How long can you store canned beans after opening? ›

Low-acid canned goods, such as meat, poultry, fish, gravy, stew, soups, beans, carrots, corn, pasta, peas, potatoes and spinach) can be stored three to four days. Although it's safe to store the food in the can, it will retain better flavor if transferred to a glass or plastic storage container.

How do you store half a can of baked beans? ›

When you open a can of food and you're not going to use all the food straight away, empty the food into a bowl, or other container, and put it in the fridge. Don't store food in an opened tin can, or re-use empty cans to cook or store food.

Why do people drain and rinse canned beans? ›

Rinsing beans can improve the flavor and texture of the final dish and can help cut down on how much gas they produce. So, for your culinary success and intestinal comfort, give those canned beans a rinse unless your recipe specifically says not to.

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