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Healthy Bean Recipes

Find healthy, delicious bean recipes including black bean, chickpea, lentil and edamame . Healthier recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Beef & Bean Chile Verde

Chile Verde, usually a slow-cooked stew of pork, jalapeños and tomatillos, becomes an easy weeknight meal with quick-cooking ground beef and store-bought green salsa.

Beef & Bean Chile Verde

Quick Suppers with Canned Bean

Have a fiber-rich dinner with these quick and budget-friendly bean recipes.

Quick Suppers with Canned Bean

FREE Quick Dinner Recipe Cookbook!

These healthy dinner recipes, including quick chili recipes, quick chicken recipes, and more, are ready in under 30 minutes and kid-friendly.

FREE Quick Dinner Recipe Cookbook!

Vegetarian Quinoa & Squash Casserole

Southwestern Vegetable & Chicken Soup

Healthy MyPlate-Inspired Bean Recipes

These delicious bean recipes make it easy to eat healthfully and in line with the USDA's MyPlate Guidelines. These healthy recipes meet the MyPlate guidelines for calories, portion size, sodium, saturated fat and added sugars. To make these recipes part of a complete meal, please refer to our serving suggestions included with the recipe.

Slow-Cooker White Bean, Spinach & Sausage Stew

Bean & Barley Soup

Chicken & White Bean Soup

17 Comforting White Bean Soups You’ll Want to Nosh On All Winter Long

Just when you thought a warm bowl of soup couldn’t get cozier, white beans take it to a whole new level. They provide creamy texture and an extra kick of protein for a bowl of soup that leaves you feeling full and satisfied. The best part? These versatile white bean soup recipes can be served for dinner and brought as leftovers for lunch the next day!

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Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon

Kale & White Bean Potpie with Chive Biscuits

Bean & Barley Soup

Vegan Minestrone Soup

Our Favorite Recipes to Make With a Can of White Beans

Canned beans are one of the best pantry staples to have on hand for fast and easy homemade dinners. White beans are a versatile options that can be transformed into anything from a hearty vegetarian pot pie to a filling and creamy bowl of steaming soup. Not only do they make for a delicious dinner but they also deliver fiber and protein to help make the meal satisfying. Here are our favorite recipes that put that untouched can of white beans sitting in your cupboard to good use!

Tuscan White Bean Soup

Southwestern Three-Bean & Barley Soup

Smoky Slow-Cooker Black Beans with Collard Greens

Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice

16 Recipes to Make with Dried Beans

If your pantry is full and you’re wondering what to do with those dried beans, these recipes are the answer. Whether you have black beans, cannellini, pinto or even chickpeas, these recipes will work with any type of legume. Recipes like Slow-Cooker Cuban-Style Black Beans and Tuscan White Bean Soup are filling, comforting and pantry-friendly.

Bean & Veggie Taco Bowl

Savory Bean Spinach Soup

Turkey & Brown Rice Chili

Caribbean Bowls

17 Recipes with Rice & Beans

Rice and beans are a classic combination that provides protein and carbohydrates to keep you full and satisfied for longer. These recipes pair rice and beans with other ingredients to create a well-rounded and delicious meal. Recipes like Bean & Veggie Taco Bowl and Breakfast Stuffed Peppers are filling, fun and elevate a tasty duo.

Kale & Lentil Stew with Mashed Potatoes

Fire-roasted tomatoes add slightly smoky flavor to red lentils. The addition of mashed potatoes gives this an upside-down shepherd's pie feel.

Sloppy Joe-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Take sloppy Joes to a new level with tender sweet potatoes standing in for the bun. Sweet potatoes pair perfectly with the tangy, flavorful filling of ground beef, black beans and spices. Chopped dill pickle sprinkled on top adds crunch to this quick weeknight dinner the whole family will love.

Instant-Pot Chicken Taco Soup

If you love tacos, this Instant Pot chicken taco soup won't disappoint. Silky strained tomatoes add body, while shredded chicken, beans and spices add those rich and spicy familiar flavors. And don't forget the toppings! Melted cheese, creamy sour cream and crushed tortilla chips round out this new family favorite.

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Chicken & Kale Soup

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.

Pasta e Fagioli with Instant Ramen Noodles

Quick sautéed vegetables, canned tomatoes, dried oregano and canned beans transform ramen noodle soup mix into this classic Italian favorite in minutes. To cut back on sodium, look for ramen varieties with less than 600 mg sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet.

Coconut Shrimp Curry with Instant Ramen Noodles

A splash of coconut milk and some curry powder elevate ordinary ramen soup into a memorable bowl of noodles. Add protein with cooked shrimp or cubed tofu and a pop of freshness with cilantro and lime juice. To cut back on sodium, look for ramen varieties with less than 600 mg sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet.

Spicy Garlic Instant Noodles with Edamame & Red Peppers

Spice up a package of instant noodles with fresh garlic and red pepper flakes for heat, plus edamame for added protein. This recipe can easily be doubled to serve 2 and use the whole package of noodles. To cut back on sodium, look for noodle varieties with less than 600 mg sodium per serving or use less of the seasoning packet.

Vegetarian Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

Chipotle chiles, black beans and pepper Jack cheese give a flavorful boost to this zippy vegetarian dinner. We've sped things up by steaming the peppers and using quick-cooking quinoa. We like the look of tri-colored quinoa, but any quinoa you have on hand will work. If possible, choose peppers that will stand upright.

Chopped Salad with Cornbread Croutons

At Handsome Hog, his restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota, Justin Sutherland offers this chopped salad topped with any barbecued meat on the menu. The chef recommends brisket--it takes this already Southern-inspired salad a step further.

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Black Bean Salad with Grilled Pork Cutlets

This hearty bean salad is packed with vibrant colors and contrasting textures. Center-cut boneless pork chops (also called pork cutlets), make a convenient and economical protein to round out the meal. This recipe makes one extra cutlet, which can be refrigerated for another use (see Associated Recipe).

Catchall Lunch Salad

This easy salad is great for using up any small amounts of leftover canned foods and produce you have on hand.

Breakfast Beans with Microwave-Poached Egg

In Costa Rica, this popular breakfast bean dish is called gallo pinto, which means spotted rooster, referring to the dark beans amid the pale rice. We call for cooked barley here, but you can use whatever leftover cooked grain you may have on hand.

White Beans & Eggs with Pancetta & Fennel

Pancetta (cured pork belly) is similar in taste and texture to bacon (which is cured and smoked pork belly). You can find it near the bacon at many grocery stores.

Black Beans & Corn with Poached Eggs

This sweet and spicy black bean and corn recipe features queso fresco, a Mexican cheese that is salty, crumbly, and perfectly meltable.

Basil-Chickpea Flatbread

A flavorful combination of chickpeas, cashews, and garlic forms a protein-rich base for this homemade flatbread. Store-bought crust makes prep a breeze.

Lentil Bowls with Fried Eggs & Greens

Lentils are a quick and easy protein. We like French green lentils, which hold their shape when cooked.

Basil Pesto Pasta with Grilled Vegetables

This dish is an easy way to turn grilled vegetables into a satisfying meal, thanks to hearty whole-grain pasta and a quick homemade pesto.

Freekeh Tabbouleh with Kale & Cannellini Beans

Think of this as a tabbouleh salad with staying power, thanks to the addition of protein-rich white beans. It also gains more complexity with freekeh in place of bulgur. Made from young green wheat that's been roasted and cracked, this whole grain has a toasty, nutty flavor. You can substitute regular bulgur if you'd like.

Kale & Avocado Salad with Blueberries & Edamame

Bursting with nutrient-rich produce, this California-inspired salad is a delicious and satisfying way to get your vitamins. We love the unique combination of blueberries, edamame, and goat cheese.

Salt & Pepper Shrimp with Snow Peas

In China, salt and pepper shrimp is traditionally made with tongue-numbing Sichuan peppercorns. If you have some in the pantry, feel free to use them here; we opted for a combo of easier-to-find white and black pepper. The white pepper adds earthy flavor, while black kicks up the heat.