Healthy Bean Main Dish Recipes

Find healthy, delicious bean main dish recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Vegetable Weight-Loss Soup

Rating: Unrated
21
A big bowl of this veggie-packed minestrone will leave you satisfied for hours without consuming a lot of calories--plus it's an easy way to boost your vegetable servings for the day. Top with a dollop of pesto before devouring this delicious skinny vegetable soup.
By Hilary Meyer

Italian Wedding Soup

Rating: Unrated
14
This Italian Wedding Soup recipe is Italian comfort food at its best, and this easy soup recipe lends itself to countless variations. Substitute spinach, chicory, chard or any other leafy green for the escarole or kale, and any leftover cooked (or canned) beans for the white beans in this healthy Italian wedding soup recipe.
By Joyce Hendley

Vegan Mediterranean Lentil Soup

This vegan Mediterranean lentil soup is packed with fresh ingredients and plenty of lentils that deliver a healthy dose of fiber in each bite. This vegan soup is the perfect cold-weather lunch or healthy dinner the whole family will love.
By Julia Levy

Vegan Superfood Buddha Bowls

Rating: Unrated
3
This nutrient-packed vegan Buddha bowl recipe comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwavable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Flat-Belly Salad

Rating: Unrated
3
This salad is a helpful tool for weight loss because it provides a good balance of fiber, protein and healthy fats from loads of veggies and beans, all tossed in a tangy apple-cider vinaigrette. To meal-prep these for lunch throughout the week, pack the dressing and the salad separately and make sure your veggies are thoroughly dried before packing them together.
By Hilary Meyer

Vegan Weight-Loss Lentil Soup

This vegan weight-loss lentil soup recipe has the familiar flavors of turmeric, ginger and cumin that pair so well with lentils. Lentils, green beans and spinach give this vegan soup a healthy dose of fiber that helps you feel fuller, longer. Serve this soup with a little extra lemon and cilantro.
By Julia Levy

Middle Eastern Chicken & Chickpea Stew

Rating: Unrated
22
This quick, protein-rich chicken stew recipe gets great flavor from cumin, lemon juice and garlic. Make a double batch and freeze it for a quick healthy dinner. Serve the stew with couscous and steamed broccoli.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chicken & Kale Soup

Rating: Unrated
1
This easy chicken and kale soup will keep you warm on a cold and rainy day or any day that calls for a simple, hearty soup. For convenience, you can make this soup with frozen kale without the need to thaw it beforehand.
By Julia Levy

Mediterranean Chickpea Quinoa Bowl

Rating: Unrated
10
Quinoa and chickpeas pack this vegetarian grain bowl with plenty of plant-based protein. Whip up a batch of these Mediterranean meals and pack in containers with lids to stash in the fridge for easy, healthy grab & go lunches all week long.
By Carolyn Casner

Sweet Potato-Black Bean Burgers

Rating: Unrated
8
These vegan sweet potato-black bean burgers spiced with curry powder are easy to make. Blending the mixture with your hands gives you a soft, uniform texture then the outside gets crispy by cooking in a cast-iron pan. To make this recipe gluten-free too, use gluten-free oats and serve the patty in a lettuce wrap, omitting the bun.
By Robin Bashinsky

Roasted Root Veggies & Greens over Spiced Lentils

Rating: Unrated
3
This earthy bowl of lentils bursting with Middle Eastern flavors is topped with leftover roasted root veggies from a large batch for an easy weeknight dinner. Keep it vegan or add a drizzle of plain yogurt for extra richness.
By Sylvia Fountaine

White Bean & Veggie Salad

Rating: Unrated
5
This meatless main-dish salad combines creamy, satisfying white beans and avocado. Try mixing it up with different seasonal vegetables.
By Katie Webster

Inspiration and Ideas

Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

Rating: Unrated
9
To make this 20-minute vegan curry even faster, buy precut veggies from the salad bar at the grocery store. To make it a full, satisfying dinner, serve over cooked brown rice. When shopping for simmer sauce, look for one with 400 mg of sodium or less and check the ingredient list for cream or fish sauce if you want to keep this vegan. If you like a spicy kick, add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce at the end.
Dijon Salmon with Green Bean Pilaf

Dijon Salmon with Green Bean Pilaf

Rating: Unrated
13
In this quick dinner recipe, the delicious garlicky-mustardy mayo that tops baked salmon is very versatile. Make extra to use as a dip for fries or to jazz up tuna salad. Precooked brown rice helps get this healthy dinner on the table fast, but if you have other leftover whole grains, such as quinoa or farro, they work well here too.
Mini Meatloaves with Green Beans & Potatoes

Mini Meatloaves with Green Beans & Potatoes

Rating: Unrated
9
Skillet Steak with Mushroom Sauce

Skillet Steak with Mushroom Sauce

Rating: Unrated
2
Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

Rating: Unrated
92
Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Rating: Unrated
3

Chickpea Curry (Chhole)

Rating: Unrated
31

Made with convenient canned beans, this quick and healthy Indian recipe is an authentic chickpea curry that you can make in minutes. If you want an additional vegetable, stir in some roasted cauliflower florets. Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan.

All Healthy Bean Main Dish Recipes

Steak, Pepper & Sugar Snap Stir Fry

Turn to this beef stir-fry recipe for a quick and easy dinner. The tender, spicy steak is cooked in the same wok or skillet as the crisp, colorful vegetables and smells divine as the dish is cooking.
By Cooking Light

Baked Penne Florentine

Rating: Unrated
2
This comforting and flavorful vegetarian dish is packed with protein.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Chicken & White Bean Soup

Rating: Unrated
22
Once again, rotisserie chickens can really relieve the dinner-rush pressure-especially in this Italian-inspired soup that cries out for a piece of crusty bread and a glass of red wine.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Escarole, Cannellini Bean & Sausage Soup

This soup would be equally satisfying if you took it in a vegetarian direction and skipped the sausage and used no-chicken broth. 
By Liana Krissoff

Black Bean-Quinoa Buddha Bowl

Rating: Unrated
4
Treat your Buddha bowl to a vacation south of the border! This black bean and quinoa Buddha bowl has the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the greasy fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.
By Katie Webster

Tuna & White Bean Salad

Rating: Unrated
12
The time-honored Italian pairing of canned tuna and cannellini beans makes a super-simple, satisfying lunch. Serve over salad greens, on grilled whole-wheat country bread or tucked in a whole-wheat pita pocket.
By Ruth Cousineau

Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

Rating: Unrated
81
This fragrant, Italian-flavored soup takes advantage of quick-cooking ingredients--boneless, skinless chicken breast, bagged baby spinach and canned beans. It features a simple homemade basil pesto swirled in at the end to add a fresh herb flavor. If you are very pressed for time, you can substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of a store-bought basil pesto. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Chickpea & Quinoa Buddha Bowl

Rating: Unrated
4
It seems Buddha bowls have as many variations as there are stars in the sky, and there is no wrong way to build one! But we prefer to keep things classic and simple with hummus, quinoa, avocado and loads of veggies!
By Katie Webster

Slow-Cooker Southwestern Bean Soup

Rating: Unrated
3
Get dinner on the table on a busy day with ease with this load-&-go crock pot recipe. This zesty soup can simmer in the crock pot for an entire workday, making it perfect for a busy weekday meal. Bump up the Southwest flavors with a garnished of chopped fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime, if desired.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing

Rating: Unrated
14
Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one!
By Katie Webster

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pies

Rating: Unrated
22
These mini vegetarian shepherd's pies feature lentils, carrot and corn, crowned with a velvety mashed potato topping. The recipe can also be made in a broiler-safe casserole dish. Serve with a spinach salad with oranges, walnuts and red-wine vinaigrette.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Easy Pea & Spinach Carbonara

Rating: Unrated
5
Fresh pasta cooks up faster than dried, making it a must-have for fast weeknight dinners like this luscious yet healthy meal. Eggs are the base of the creamy sauce. They don't get fully cooked, so use pasteurized-in-the-shell eggs if you prefer.
By Adam Hickman

Mediterranean Lettuce Wraps

Rating: Unrated
1
A tangy, nutty tahini dressing brings together no-cook ingredients like canned chickpeas and roasted red peppers for these easy meal-prep lettuce wraps. Make these wraps ahead of time for a grab-and-go lunch or dinner. A few wedges of warm pita finish off the meal perfectly.
By Robin Bashinsky

Quick Greek Chopped Salad with Chicken

Make lunch in a pinch with this healthy Greek salad recipe, ready in just 10 minutes. It’s packed with protein and fiber, to help keep you full for longer.
By Breana Killeen

Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls

Rating: Unrated
2
Skip the tortillas in favor of this warm fajita salad, which features a nutritious medley of chicken with roasted kale, bell peppers and black beans. The chicken, beans and vegetables are all cooked on the same pan, so this healthy dinner is easy to make and the cleanup is easy too.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Slow-Cooker Cassoulet

Rating: Unrated
1
This classic French stew recipe is typically made with a variety of meats and simmered over the course of multiple days. In this easy, streamlined cassoulet, the slow cooker makes it a breeze to have a healthy dinner on the table when you get home.
By Stacy Fraser

Mediterranean Bento Lunch

Rating: Unrated
2
Travel to the Mediterranean over your lunch break with this healthy bento box idea that combines Greek salad, hummus, pita and more for a satisfying work lunch.
By Holley Grainger, M.S., R.D.N.

Lemon-Garlic Chicken with Green Beans

Rating: Unrated
2
This easy lemon-garlic chicken recipe calls for cutlets, which cook in less than 10 minutes! Can't find them? Make your own from chicken breasts. Place each breast on a cutting board and, with your knife parallel to the board, slice into the skinny side of the chicken breast in a single smooth motion. The side of green beans is cooked right in the same pan as the chicken, so this 20-minute easy, healthy dinner is not just a snap to prepare--the cleanup is a cinch too.
By Adam Dolge

Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos

Rating: Unrated
2
These hearty vegan tacos are quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights. They are so tasty no one will miss the meat or dairy.
By Sylvia Fountaine

Chicken Chili with Sweet Potatoes

Rating: Unrated
19
Tons of spice, corn and bell pepper give this healthy one-pot chicken chili recipe Southwestern flair. Serve with your favorite hot sauce, tortilla chips and a cold beer.
By David Bonom

White Bean Soup (Fassoulatha)

Rating: Unrated
17
A simple, rich stew of white beans. Serve with Mediterranean Tuna Panini.
By James Chatto

Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon

Rating: Unrated
2
This recipe for seared scallops with white beans and spinach turns out a healthy dinner that looks impressive (and tastes great) in just 25 minutes. Giving lemons a quick sizzle in the skillet amps up the flavor of this piccata-inspired dish. The heat helps release even more citrus juice and sweetens it too. When shopping for scallops, look for ones labeled "dry." Some scallops are soaked in a solution that prevents them from searing properly and can give them a soapy flavor.
By Adam Dolge

Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame

Rating: Unrated
1
The quick 10-minute Spicy Cabbage Slaw serves as the low-carb base in this veggie-packed lunch recipe. Topped with high-protein edamame and shrimp, this satisfying lunch will help you power through the afternoon.
By Carolyn A. Hodges, R.D.

Baked Beans with Ground Beef

Upgrade baked beans from classic side dish to a meaty main meal by adding lean ground beef. The final result, a superfast hearty casserole, is an easy and fast dinner option. Ground turkey or even sausage would work nicely in this dish. Just watch the sodium.
By Hilary Meyer
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