Here are my favorite canned black bean recipes! Bookmark this list for all those times you're looking for an easy meal idea made with this affordable pantry staple.
A few weeks ago I did a poll on Instagram to see what types of ingredients you had in your pantries and needed help with ways to use them. To my surprise, a huge number of folks were stumped with what to do with black beans!
Black beans have been a staple in my kitchen for years and I use them all the time in my recipes, BUT I know some of you might also want to go beyond just the standard tacos. So today I'm going to show you some of my very favorite canned black bean recipes.
What Are Black Beans?
First things first, let's talk about black beans and why they're so awesome. Black beans—or more properly, Black Turtle Beans—are a bean/legume most popular in Latin American cuisines. That said, black beans have since been introduced to the world and can now be found in Indian, Creole, and Southern recipes, among others.
Black Beans Health Benefits
Similar to other beans, black beans are incredibly nutritious. They're packed with protein and fiber, they're relatively low in calories and even have some healthy fats as well. One serving of black beans (which is 1 cup) is:
- 227 calories
- 15g of fiber
- 15g of protein
They're also high in iron (19% of daily requirement) as well as magnesium (30%).
Black beans are an amazing food to incorporate into your diet, not only to keep you full and fueled but also to support a healthy heart. Beans and legumes can also be used as a tool to support weight loss, lower blood pressure and more!
How to Make Black Beans from Scratch
Canned black beans have a unique flavor because they're canned with some of their cooking liquid in order to keep them from drying out. If you're someone who loves that kind of saucy black beans, you will LOVE my Instant Pot Black Beans recipe. It's saucy, it's spicy, it's flavorful and I think it's quite similar to the canned kind (but wayyyy better!).
If you don't have an instant pot, no worries! Making black beans from scratch is a cinch.
You'll want to first start by soaking them overnight. This isn't necessary, but it speeds up their cooking time. From there, you can follow the same recipe that I have for my Instant Pot Black Beans, but you'll just simmer them on the stove for about 50 – 60 minutes. It's as easy as that!
The Best Canned Black Bean Recipes
Because of the dense, meaty texture of black beans, they're super versatile and pair well with many types of dishes. Since I know most people don't make their beans from scratch, we're specifically talking about canned black bean recipes here, but you can totally use your homemade ones as well.
Black Bean Salad Recipes
Vegetarian Taco Mason Jar Salad
Quinoa Black Bean Salad with Cilantro and Lime
Gallo Pinto with Quinoa
Meal-Prep Vegetarian Quinoa Burrito Bowls
5-ingredient Mexican Quinoa
Tacos, Fajitas, Enchiladas & More
Vegan Black Bean Enchiladas
Baked Sweet Potato & Black Bean Taquitos
Cilantro Lime Black Bean Tacos with Quinoa
Black Bean Quinoa Fajita Bowls
Dinner Ideas with Black Beans
Chili Roasted Sweet Potato + Black Bean Quinoa Salad
Sweet Potato Quinoa Nachos
Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers
Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Black Bean Chili
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Quinoa Chili
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili with Quinoa
Crockpot Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quinoa Chili
Black Bean Burger Recipes
Vegetarian Black Bean Quinoa Burgers
Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers
Black Bean Quinoa Bites with Vegan Queso Dip
Tex-Mex Quinoa Burgers
Dessert with Black Beans
Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Quinoa Brownies
How Do you Eat Black Beans?!
Let us know your favorite canned black bean recipes down in the comments! And if you end up trying one of these recipes, come back to the post and let us know which one.
