Canned beans are a wonderful way to pack a ton of nutrition into a meal. They’re high in fiber, protein, and lots of vitamins and minerals. They’re low in calories, AND they’re super cheap, so you get a lot of bang for your buck! And the good thing about beans? They’re usually interchangeable and easily substituted for each other.
Can I substitute different kinds of canned beans?
Don’t have chickpeas for hummus? Use white beans instead. Don’t have pinto beans for refried beans? Use black beans instead. Don’t have kidney beans for chili? Use literally any other kind you have on hand. You can also make these recipes with pre-cooked dried beans – I like to soak them in salted water before cooking them, then store them in mason jars in the freezer so I can take out a “can-sized” portion when I need cooked beans for a recipe.
Other recipe lists you might like:
23 Healthy Pantry Recipes for Emergencies 20 Healthy Freezer Meals
1 Quick and Easy Classic Hummus Use a can of chickpeas to make this easy classic hummus! This recipe is a fast way to get super smooth, creamy hummus without using dry beans or having to remove the skins. It's high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats, and it makes a wonderful snack on pita bread, with crackers, or spread on sandwiches. Get Recipe 2 Mediterranean Chickpea and Orzo Salad This Mediterranean Orzo Salad features canned chickpeas, olives, toasted almonds, sun dried tomatoes, and feta cheese, with a delicious lemon and garlic dressing. I love making a big batch of this and keeping it in my fridge for light meals all week long. Get Recipe 3 Spicy Quinoa and Black Beans Spicy Quinoa and Black Beans features corn, cilantro, red bell peppers, and spices. You'll need two 15 oz. cans (or one 30 oz. can) of black beans for this. Get Recipe 4 Black Bean and Corn Salad Black Bean and Corn salad features canned black beans, frozen corn, chopped bell pepper, and cilantro in a spicy honey-lime dressing. I like eating it as a side, or even as a hearty salsa with tortilla chips! Get Recipe 5 The Best Refried Beans Ever Do you know how EASY it is to make refried beans from scratch? And it's so much tastier than pre-made refried beans. These feature onions, bacon, spices, and cilantro. I like using them when I make nachos. Get Recipe 6 Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Pasta and Beans) A can of cannellini beans (aka white kidney beans) transforms into a delicious base for a pasta sauce in this homemade Pasta e Fagioli! You'll also need some canned crushed tomatoes, some aromatics, and bacon or pancetta. Get Recipe 7 Moroccan Butternut Squash, Chickpea, and Spinach Stew Use canned chickpeas for this Moroccan Butternut Squash, Chickpea, and Spinach Stew. It's packed with flavor and is a delicious, healthy plant-based meal. I like serving it over rice or quinoa. Get Recipe 8 Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili You can use canned white beans (cannellini, great northern, navy, or white kidney) for this easy Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili. Chicken breasts, canned diced chiles, and frozen corn are the other stars here, with sour cream and lime stirred in at the end. Get Recipe 9 Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili You can make this pumpkin chili in your pressure cooker, slow cooker, OR on the stovetop. It uses canned kidney beans, in addition to ground beef and canned pumpkin, plus a secret ingredient to make it super delicious. If I had to pick my favorite chili recipe, this would be it! Get Recipe 10 Chicken Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Black beans This easy chicken stew uses cooked chicken (like rotisserie), canned black beans, and sweet potatoes for a nutrient-dense meal. And because beans have so much protein on their own, you can easily leave the chicken out for a vegetarian version. Get Recipe 11 Spinach and White Bean Patties with Yogurt Sauce You can use any can of white beans, along with frozen spinach and a few other staples to make these delicious Spinach and White Bean Patties. And the yogurt sauce makes a delicious accompaniment! Get Recipe 12 Quick and Easy Black Beans and Rice Canned black beans transform into these creamy, delicious black beans and rice in only 10 minutes with a few pantry staples! Get Recipe 13 Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas Sweet Potato and Black Bean enchiladas are PACKED with flavor. They're so healthy, AND freezable, so you can easily make them in advance! Get Recipe 14 Smoky Vegetarian Chili with Beans and Mushrooms You can use any kind of cooked bean you want in this easy vegetarian chili recipe, such as black, pinto, kidney, etc. You'll need a lot of them- 4 cans- for this recipe. Get Recipe 15 Spicy Crispy Roasted Chickpeas If you have a can of chickpeas and some spices, you can easily make roasted chickpeas that are SUPER crispy- even for days after making them! I love this healthy snack, or using them in a salad in place of croutons. Get Recipe 16 Wild Rice and Black Bean Veggie Burgers You can use canned black beans and cooked rice (wild or not) to make these easy veggie burgers. Bonus: they freeze really well. Get Recipe 17 Chorizo and Black Bean Huevos Rancheros These Huevos Rancheros feature chorizo with black beans. They're perfect any time of day- breakfast, brunch, lunch, or brinner! Get Recipe 18 Green Machine Minestrone Soup This Minestrone Soup features lots of green vegetables and white beans. For other minestrone options, try this Winter Minestrone Soup (made with root veggies and quinoa) and this Rosemary Minestrone Soup. Continue Reading 19 Vegetarian Tortilla Soup Vegetarian tortilla soup features black beans and plenty of veggies, topped with crunchy tortilla strips and avocado. Get Recipe 20 Taco Stuffed Mini Peppers Use canned beans and ground turkey for these healthy mini stuffed peppers! Get Recipe What’s your favorite thing to make with a can of beans? Leave a comment below and let’s keep this list going!
