Healthy Bean Main Dish Recipes

This 40-minute recipe pairs a vibrant black bean salad with baked flounder. The flounder is coated in a cayenne pepper and tortilla chip crust adding a bit of heat to this Mexican-inspired meal.

These vegetarian tamales are made with jackfruit, a tropical fruit with a meatlike, chewy texture. The spiced jackfruit, black beans and sweet potatoes are stuffed inside dense masa and wrapped in a corn husk to lock in moisture and flavor during steaming.

Jackfruit, a tropical fruit with a dense, chewy texture, is a blank canvas that takes on flavors well. In these vegan burrito bowls, the jackfruit is simmered in a warm and spicy chile sauce that's so good you'll never know you're eating a plant-based protein instead of pork or beef.

Need some new meatless dinner ideas? This vegan recipe for grilled cauliflower steaks with buttery (but butter-free!) butter beans and almond pesto comes together in just 25 minutes but is impressive enough to serve to guests. We're sorry to ask you to buy 2 heads of cauliflower to make this recipe when you only cut a couple of "steaks" from each, but it guarantees the best results. Just think of it this way: having leftovers gives you an excuse to try one of our many other healthy cauliflower recipes!

You could argue that fried rice is really all about the "add-ins," so why not skip the grain itself and save some calories with cauliflower while you're at it? If you want to make this recipe vegetarian, swap sliced mushrooms for the steak. Either way, you don't have to be on a low-carb diet to love this 30-minute dinner.

Pile vegetables and black beans onto crisp tostadas and top them off with lime crema for a vegetarian dinner the whole family will love. Charring the vegetables under the broiler infuses them with smoky flavor while cooking them quickly.

In this dinner, ricotta dumplings are pan-fried until browned and served with creamy peas, bacon (or pancetta) and shaved Parmesan. Part-skim ricotta makes light and fluffy dumplings and adds protein to this elegant dish. For an easy mess-free way to shape the dumplings, see our tip on how to make quenelles.

Flank steak, black beans, and cilantro bring a Southwestern flair to these individual pizzas.

Moussaka is a Middle Eastern baked main dish, typically made by layering slices of eggplant with a seasoned ground beef or lamb mixture. This protein-filled vegetarian version replaces the meat with white beans but will still delight any and all meat-eaters at your table.

A cinnamon-allspice rub adds intriguing flavor to the pork tenderloin in this one-dish meal. Served alongside an easy couscous, pea and sliced almond mixture, the pork is topped with an orange-onion sauce that your family will love.

This tuna bowl is quite an easy recipe you'll want to make again and again. Black sesame seeds make this dish look dramatic because they provide contrast against the fish, but if you can't find toasted black sesame seeds, you can use toasted white sesame seeds. The flavor will be the same.

This layered casserole is inspired by classic cheese enchiladas, minus the fuss of rolling and stuffing individual tortillas. You'd never guess that within this comforting Tex-Mex casserole hides a layer of thinly sliced eggplant. The thin slices become tender when roasted and add a subtle savory note.

Homemade pesto may seem daunting, but in this quick pasta recipe you can make a simple sauce in minutes while the pasta water comes to a boil. You can substitute frozen green beans and cauliflower for fresh; in Step 4, cook the frozen vegetables according to package directions before tossing with the pasta and pesto.

Give your overnight oats a bit of Mexican-inspired flair with this easy breakfast recipe. Greek yogurt adds creaminess while seasoned black beans, cheese, scallion and cilantro add tons of mouthwatering flavor for a healthy and satisfying morning meal.

Pizza doesn't always have to be made with tomato-based sauce and mozzarella cheese, just try our Thai-inspired makeover version. This 20-minute vegetarian pizza recipe uses an Italian bread shell, bottled peanut sauce, and purchased shredded carrots and will open up your eyes to non-traditional pies.

This homemade Asian-inspired fried rice recipe with fresh, crisp-tender vegetables is a vegetarian crowd-pleaser.

This veggie lo mein dinner is easy to make and quick--it will be on your table in less time than it would take you to order online and have it delivered.

Smoked salmon, peas, and red onion are mixed with cream cheese and spread between layers of a soft tortilla wrap--resulting in an easy-to-make quesadilla with a mouthwatering and melty filling.

Tofu adds extra protein to this pork and vegetable recipe. It's seasoned with a light Asian sauce that's lower in sodium than bottled stir-fry sauce.

This quick and easy whole-grain pizza uses canned black beans and store-bought salsa. The amount of sodium in purchased salsa varies widely, so read the nutrition label to find one that has about 100 mg of sodium per serving.