22 Budget-Friendly Recipes You Can Make with Canned Beans

updated Sep 29, 2023

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Bowl of creamy white bean and kale soup. — Credit: Kelli Foster

There are so many ways that you can use canned beans, from bean soup, baked beans, vegetable patties, to classic chili. Need more inspiration? Here are 22 recipes that will inspire you to cook with beans tonight.

1 / 22

White Bean Chili

With a smoky flavor and subtle heat, this cozy chili will make you think it has the richness of meat even though (spoiler) it's totally vegan.

2 / 22

No one will guess they were canned to begin with.

3 / 22

This classic barbecue side dish utilizes pantry staples and comes together in just one pot.

4 / 22

Creamy White Bean and Kale Soup

With a smoky flavor and subtle heat, this cozy soup will make you think it has the richness of meat even though (spoiler) it's totally vegan.

5 / 22

Pizza Beans Recipe

Just add garlic bread.

6 / 22

Vegetarian Baked Beans

Classic sweet and smoky baked beans without the bacon.

7 / 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.

8 / 22

20-Minute Bean and Rice Burritos

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

9 / 22

Mediterranean White Bean Soup

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

10 / 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.

11 / 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.

12 / 22

Chilled Black Bean, Feta & Cucumber Salad

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!

13 / 22

Bean Chilaquiles with Avocado & Queso Fresco

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.

14 / 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.

15 / 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.

16 / 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.

17 / 22

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.

18 / 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.

19 / 22

Shrimp with White Beans, Spinach & Tomatoes

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.

20 / 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.

21 / 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.

22 / 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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