15 Easy Dinners To Make With Canned Beans

Those canned beans in the pantry are just waiting to take center stage in dinner tonight.

By
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves is a food and beverage writer.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated November 11, 2024
Robin Shreeves
creamy white beans

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Ready to use the moment you open the can, canned beans are a lifesaver for easy, budget-minded meals. They're also nutritional comfort food, full of protein, fiber, potassium, magnesium, folate, and iron while being very low in fat. I keep my pantry stocked with canned beans so that I can whip up salads, soups, vegetarian Mexican-inspired dishes, and more. Enjoy these 16 recipes that call for canned beans that you can whip up for lunch or dinner any day of the week.

  • Borracho Beans

    borracho beans (frijoles borrachos) (close-up)

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    Contributor Esteban Castillo says, "Frijoles borrachos (borracho beans) are a traditional side dish from South Texas that typically include bacon, tomatoes, chiles, spices, and dark Mexican beer—talk about a flavorful broth. The beer is what makes them borrachos or "drunk," and extra special."

  • Chili Beans With Rice

    Chili Beans and Rice on plate
    Elise Bauer

    Four cans of pinto beans, a can of crushed tomatoes, and 1 pound of ground beef or turkey make up the bulk of this satisfying lightly-spicy meal that comes together in 45 minutes. Serve on top of rice or, if you'd prefer, mashed potatoes.

  • Kale with White Beans and Sausage

    kale, sausage and white beans in a bowl
    Elise Bauer

    If you have half an hour, you can make this quick and easy meal with sautéed kale, white beans (try navy, cannellini, or great northern), and sweet or spicy Italian sausage. Sub chard, turnip greens, beet greens, or collards if you have them on hand.

  • Black Bean Burrito Bowl

    black beans, avocado on rice in a bowl
    Elise Bauer

    Season canned black beans with cumin and garlic, then them with red cabbage, avocado, salsa, cheese, and sour cream on top of rice. The combination of flavors and textures makes a pleasing, flavorful dish.

    Continue to 5 of 15 below

  • Ground Turkey Chili With Black Beans

    black bean and turkey chili
    Elise Bauer

    It takes just 15 minutes to get this chili going. Start with canned black beans and ground turkey. Throw in some fresh carrots, onions, and red bell peppers plus pantry staples like chicken stock and spices, then let it all simmer for 75 minutes. Leftovers freeze well.

  • Three Bean Salad

    3 bean salad recipe
    Elise Bauer

    A hearty lunch or a side for dinner or cookout, this salad has cannellini, kidney, and garbanzo beans. Toss the beans with celery, onion, parsley, and rosemary then drizzle with an easy-to-make vinaigrette. It takes just about 10 minutes to make, then it chills in the fridge for the flavors to meld.

  • Breakfast Quesadilla with Black Beans and Eggs

    scrambled egg and black bean quesadilla
    Sally Vargas

    Quick, easy, and nutritious, scrambled eggs, cheese, and black beans fill a tortilla. Give it a quick pan fry and serve with salsa. Make a batch and freeze some for quick breakfasts all week.

  • Easy Tuscan Bean Soup

    Tuscan Bean Soup
    Sheryl Julian

    The classic soup trio of carrots, onion, and celery joins white beans and spinach or kale in a chicken stock-based soup. Parmesan-topped toast on the side is great for dipping.

    Continue to 9 of 15 below

  • Marry Me Beans

    creamy white beans

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    Senior Editor Laurel Randolph says, "Any kind of white bean will work, like cannellini, navy, and Great Northern."

  • Black Bean Nacho Bowl

    bowl of black bean nacho salad with a dollop of sour cream

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    This speedy dinner comes together in about 5 minutes, with no chopping required. All you do is assemble common pantry and refrigerator staples.

  • White Chicken Chili

    White bean chicken chili in a serving bowl with chips

    Elise Bauer

    This calmer, nicer cousin of a Texas chili has chicken and white beans instead of beef and kidney beans. It's savory and warming. To make the dish extra easy, use rotisserie chicken.

  • Southwestern Three Bean Salad

    Mexican Three Bean Salad in blue serving dish
    Elise Bauer

    Tex-Mex ingredients such as crumbly Cotija cheese, black beans, pinto beans, jalapeño peppers, and cilantro join green beans for a southwestern twist on the classic three bean salad. A sweet lime dressing tops it all off.

    Continue to 13 of 15 below

  • Coconut Rice and Beans

    Jamaican rice and beans
    Elise Bauer

    This riff on the beans and rice from the Caribbean uses canned kidney beans as a shortcut. Simmer the rice with coconut milk for extra richness. Scotch bonnet chili brings some heat. Serve for lunch or as a side for jerk chicken.

  • White Bean Tuna Salad

    White Bean Tuna Salad
    Elise Bauer

    This salad is full of pantry staples—canned beans, canned tuna, onions, and lemon (or lime). Arugula adds some color and a barely bitter bite to this easy salad. It keeps in the fridge for 3 days, so make extra and bring it to work for lunch.

  • Stovetop Taco Soup

    Stovetop Taco Soup in a Bowl Topped with Avocado Slices, Cotija Cheese, and Cilantro and Surrounded by Bowls of Toppings

    Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera Diaz

    If you love beef tacos, you'll love this soup. Take canned beans out of your pantry along with fire-roasted diced tomatoes, diced green chilis, and corn for this soup full of pantry staples. It makes great use of your dried spices, too. Add your favorite toppings to this thick, hearty soup.

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