The Top Five Uses for Cheap Beans

Delicious, nutritious, and a lot of bang for the buck: Here are the top five uses for cheap beans. What do you like to make with yours?

If you asked me to quickly name one item that’s always in my pantry, beans would probably be right up there near the top! I love adding beans to recipes to stretch them further, adding texture, flavor, protein, and fiber. And yes, I usually use canned beans just for the convenience factor — but, cooking up your own from dried will save you eve more. Stretch your meals and your budget by incorporating in more cheap & filling beans.

So, here are my top five favorite ways to use beans. Please do comment with your own.

Top five uses for cheap beans

Since my family members are unrepentant carnivores, I’m usually adding in beans rather than making them the main dish in and of themselves. But, I do sneak meatless mains in there pretty often.

1. Beans belong in chili

Well, duh: Right? Chili doesn’t seem like chili to me sans beans, and I add some to every batch I make. Try:

• Slow cooker cheesy chicken enchilada chili
• Vegetarian three bean & lentil chili
• Beef & sausage salsa verde chili
• Instant Pot jalapeño popper chicken chili
• Chocolate chipotle chili

Stretching your chili further with beans also bulks it up to make for leftover chili the next night. Cook once, eat twice: Bonus!

2. Beans belong in soup

By the same token: Beans make most soups better. This holds true whether you’re making rosemary chicken and white bean soup or arrabbiata white bean & vegetable soup, whether you’re making leftover chicken taco soup or salsa vegetable soup with beans. Beans bulk things up and help make soup into a meal.

3. Beans belong in burritos, nachos, enchiladas…

I know, another natural fit, but: Of course, beans belong here! You could, for instance, cook up one of these options:

• Deconstructed vegetarian enchiladas skillet
• Vegetarian elote tortilla casserole
• Black bean & potato tacos
• Four ingredient slow cooker salsa chicken

Try putting out a bowl of warmed beans for people to add to their tacos, throw them on top of nachos, incorporate them into your burrito bowls, or just make black beans & rice (or for a different flavor, red beans & rice!) as a completely vegetarian main dish.

4. Bean up your pasta, salad, or pasta salad

Beans go surprisingly well with pasta, and are a fantastic way to add protein and bulk to your Meatless Monday dinners. For instance, try my bowties & beans pasta (with spinach & tomatoes) — or, how about some pasta salad with white beans & asparagus?

Beans also go great on salad or in lettuce-y wraps. Try them as is, like in these vegetarian lemon chickpea wraps, or roast some up, as in this strawberry spinach salad with chicken & chickpeas.

5. Add beans on the side

Looking for a filling side dish? How about these slightly smashed garlicky black beans, or perhaps some easy black bean soup. Make yourself a batch of simple baked or refried beans, roast up some chickpeas, or throw together some homemade hummus.

Your turn

We have many more options for using beans to stretch your meals and your budget. What are your own favorite ways to use cheap beans?