48 Bean Recipes That Are Satisfying and Flavorful

Stop thinking of beans as a basic pantry staple — and start thinking of them as a source of culinary inspiration. Sure, they're affordable and have a long shelf life making them feel a little ordinary, but these protein- and fiber-packed gems are anything but. Whether you choose chickpeas or black beans, kidney beans or lima beans, canned or dried (quick-soaked, of course!), you'll find that beans are the perfect blank canvas for soups, salads, desserts — and so much more.

Ready to add more beans to your meals? This creamy dish of beans and greens is the perfect place to start. It features a rich cream sauce laced with dill Havarti and tangy lemon zest, for a flavorful main that is best served with crusty bread for dipping (and sopping up every last bit). If you can’t find navy beans, use any small creamy white bean, such as cannellini or Great Northern.

This bean salad celebrates all the bold flavors of the hot chili we enjoy during the year's colder months. Three kinds of beans are tossed with a vinaigrette made with tomato paste- and spice-infused oil (which gives the salad surprising depth of flavor). Stir a dollop of sour cream into the chilled salad to cut through some of the spiciness.

This bean salad is inspired by the viral dense bean salad trend that creator Violet Witchel started on TikTok. The idea is to make a one-bowl main-course salad that tastes great the second you make it but also holds up and gets even tastier in the fridge so you can enjoy it over several days. In this version, the kale and vegetables soften, the three beans and flaked tuna soak up the delicious dressing and even the fresh herbs stay flavorful. Whip it up and stop wondering what’s for lunch or dinner for a couple days.

This cozy, bean-centric twist on everyone’s favorite — penne alla vodka — is pure comfort food with a little extra feel-good factor. We cook cherry tomatoes until they’re bursting and jammy, then blend them into a silky, luxurious sauce that needs only a touch of cream to make it velvety. Don’t skip the crusty bread — it’s essential for sopping up every last bit of the tender beans and sauce.

If you have yet to cook beans from scratch and own a slow cooker, this is the recipe for you! It comes together with pantry ingredients, requires minimal prep and thanks to the slow cooker, you’ll be rewarded with plump, perfectly tender beans with almost zero hands-on time. (Navy beans would also work well here.) Seasoned with warm spices and pickled jalapenos, they are a great side dish. Or serve them over rice or with warm tortillas as a meal.

All the flavors of a classic BLT sandwich come together in this hearty bean salad. The homemade herb-mayo dressing adds freshness while the crisp bacon and croutons add a welcomed crunch. It's a great way to use up those pantry beans in a summery salad you'll want to enjoy all year round.

Ree says, "Before I met my husband, I was a vegetarian. I don't make many meatless dishes on our cattle ranch, but I still love this one." And it’s easy to see why: hearty black beans, chili powder, hot sauce and melty cheese. Yum!

This hearty and satisfying white bean soup gets its signature flavor from the addition of ham. Cook the beans with two hocks to infuse them with a deep, smoky savoriness.

Satisfy your craving for Buffalo wings without the added fat. The chickpeas roast to an extremely crisp texture with the help of a secret ingredient, plus a handful of pantry spices. The final addition of buttery hot sauce gives all the flavor of wings in a snack you can grab by the handful.

Here's a salad that tastes of bright freshness, with a tangy vinaigrette and lots of crunch. Make it once, for lunch or dinner, then feast on the leftovers, which just continue to improve in flavor, until it’s gone.

What to do with that can of refried beans? Make burritos, of course! Ree’s are easy to whip up on a flash — they’re ready in just 35 minutes.

Rajma is the Hindi word for kidney beans, and rajma masala is a beloved comfort dish from North India. The beans are soft-cooked and enveloped in a thick onion-tomato gravy spiced with Kashmiri chile powder, cinnamon and a dash of garam masala. It’s often called rajma-chawal (rajma with rice) in Punjab because it’s invariably served with rice, especially at lunch. When we tested this recipe our Food Network Kitchen staff said they could eat this dish any day and every day and not tire of it.

These brownies are not only rich and fudgy (thanks to dark chocolate chips and cocoa powder!), but they also pack a protein punch in every bite. We swapped out traditional all-purpose flour for a combo of almond flour and chocolate protein powder, then upped the protein with Greek yogurt, plenty of eggs and a secret ingredient — chickpeas. We especially love the nutty swirl of tahini with crunchy bits of toasted sesame seeds throughout.

You’ll be amazed how much flavor these cannellini beans have; aside from the beans, salt and pepper, you only need 5 additional ingredients.

Calico beans (aka cowboy beans or trucker beans) get their name from the variety of bean colors in the dish. Here we use a trio of canned beans: white navy beans, deep red kidney beans and light brown pork and beans. They’re baked with bacon and ground beef in a tangy-sweet sauce until bubbling, resulting in the perfect summer side dish to accompany grilled meats. Calico beans are also great on their own as a main course, topped with shredded cheese and hot sauce.

The perfect side dish for everything from baked chicken to grilled steaks, Jeff’s simple bean salad comes together in just 20 minutes. And, thanks to vibrant green beans, white cannellini beans and red kidney beans, it looks great, too.

These comforting beans are endlessly adaptable, thanks to easy swap-outs that rely on ingredients you already have in your pantry. Start with one of the classic flavor combinations below, then let your let your imagination go and experiment with your own variations. However you make them, the beans get better after a day or so of soaking in their cooking juices, so you'll be glad you made a big batch. Eat them with bread or tortillas-- or serve over rice, topped with a piece of cooked chicken or fish for a heartier meal.

Mashed chickpeas can create a deli salad sandwich that takes inspiration from classic chicken salad in this vegetarian recipe. Seasoned with mayonnaise, dill, capers and mustard, the flavor is just as satisfying as any chicken sandwich you’ve ever had. Spoon it onto toasted whole wheat bread for a light but satisfying lunch.

The dish known in the Caribbean as channa aloo came to the islands with immigrants from India. Channa is chickpeas cooked with curry and other spices and often includes potatoes (“aloo”). The curry flavor seeps into the chickpeas and potatoes as they cook for a delicious meal perfect for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. This recipe most closely follows the Guyanese style of the dish however recipe developer Gabi Odebode uses canned chickpeas instead of the dried, soaked chickpeas that are typical. Channa is delicious by itself but is often paired with roti, rice and plantains.

Turn canned beans into everyone’s favorite side dish (or a flavorful vegetarian main) by tossing them with corn, bell pepper and tomato — and tossing them in a quick dressing of garlic, lime and chili powder.

Hummus has to be one of our favorite ways to use up canned chickpeas. Just give them a spin in the food processor along with a few other pantry and refrigerator staples and you’ve got a wholesome and delicious dip or sandwich spread. Easy!

Covered in spices and roasted to crispy perfection, chickpeas are a natural swap in these Mediterranean-inspired shawarma pitas. For a "cook once, eat twice" approach, transform any leftovers into a chickpea shawarma salad: Layer the vegetables with roasted chickpeas and top it with dollops of hummus-dill dressing.

This healthy recipe is perfect for your next Tex-Mex night. Grab that can of pinto beans in the back of your pantry and combine them with a few other common ingredients and you’ll have made-from-scratch refried beans in no time.

Recipe developer Nidhi Jalan says, “I’ve yet to have a better chickpea dish than chana masala or chickpea curry. There are many versions of this dish. My favorite is when the chickpeas are smothered with a delicious thick, piquant and spiced gravy. Many recipes start with dried chickpeas that are infused with black tea and cardamom. This is an easy take that starts with canned chickpeas, so you can make it even on a weekday. I like it even more the next day, and it also freezes really well.”

Forget the added nutrition — black beans make these brownies extra rich and fudgy! They’ve been reviewed by Food Network fans more than 100 times and one fan even says, "my boys love these black bean brownies more than my traditional brownies".

To add flavor to otherwise basic canned white beans, we start by slowly softening garlic in olive oil. Then we add more aromatics like rosemary and lemon zest to further infuse the oil. Tossed in this fragrant bath with fresh parsley and tomatoes, the beans can be served on—or with—just about anything, including toasted baguette slices or crackers for a snack, and salad greens plus crunchy vegetables (and a can of tuna or some cooked chicken) for a fast lunch. As a bonus, the beans will keep in the refrigerator for up to four days.

You won’t miss the meat at all with these flavor-packed bean tacos. Damaris uses a few bold ingredients to guarantee maximum deliciousness: cumin, paprika, cayenne and fire-roasted tomatoes.

Ree’s easy black bean soup recipe calls for dried beans but it cooks up fast, thanks to the use of a multi-cooker. No need to soak the beans overnight — the pressure-cook cycle does all the hard work for you.

With all the players that add up to succotash — tomatoes, lima beans and corn — but reimagined as a fresh dip, this might be the perfect appetizer: a little filling, to take the edge off your hunger, but not so rich as to ruin your appetite.

Even if your pantry is close to bare, you probably have the fixin's for these super-simple and special flatbreads. The combo of sun-dried tomatoes and vinegar gives the bean spread a tangy earthiness that goes great with the tuna-and-olive salad. It's a perfect big snack or small meal. Or try the spread on your favorite crackers.

We’re willing to bet that you have most (if not all) of the ingredients to make this satisfying soup in your kitchen right now. Just be sure to plan ahead if you’re using dried beans; you’ll need to soak them overnight.

The key to Rachael’s salad is to chop the celery, onion and bell pepper evenly. That ensures balanced flavor in every bite (and an eye-catching presentation). Serve this showstopper alongside chicken or pork chops — or over salad greens.

Giada gives baked beans an Italian twist by cooking them with pancetta, garlic and balsamic vinegar.

The Peppadew peppers really make this bean salad pop. You only need a few to add a nice burst of flavor. We love the colorful, four-bean blend that Guy uses for this dish but if you don’t have them all you can use whatever you have on-hand.

Ree transforms humble canned beans into a meal-worthy soup with the addition of a few, flavorful ingredients: garlic, white wine, fresh herbs and Paremsan.

Kidney beans are often overlooked (unless you're making chili). Don't pass them up! They are nutritionally dense and just as versatile as other, more popular beans. They also meld perfectly in this easy vegetarian curry, which uses curry powder and pumpkin spice as substitutes to a long grocery list of individual spices. Be sure to cook the onion until golden brown—this one step adds much depth of flavor.

Molly uses a can of black beans to bulk up these tasty vegetarian wraps. They add protein and fiber — and work perfectly with the Tex-Mex flavors she incorporates into the burritos.

This vegetarian bean chili is head and shoulders above the rest — a head of cauliflower, that is! Use a box grater to make cauliflower crumbles and add them during the last 10 minutes of cooking for a bean chili that has all the flavor you love — along with an extra boost of nutrition!

When you need a quick, satisfying meal from the pantry, the combination of pasta and beans is always a good choice. Giada’s take on this filling and family-friendly dish? Lots of Italian flavors from red pepper flakes, thyme and smoked provolone or mozzarella.

When you’re searching for a snack, chickpeas might not be your go-to — but they should be. With a little olive oil and salt (and some time in the oven) they become a crispy, crunchy, crave-worthy snack. Best of all, they’re good for you!

Think you don’t have anything on hand to make a delicious dinner? If you’ve got canned beans and tuna you’re in luck; you can make this quick-and-easy (but completely satisfying) meal.

This big-batch, beef-and-bean chili makes 8 servings, so it’s perfect when you want to cook once and eat twice.

Much like hummus, this bean dip comes together easily with just a few ingredients. The flavor, however, is totally different. This cannellini bean version relies on Italian flavors like garlic, rosemary and crushed red pepper flakes.

Ree’s chili beans take time (the dried beans need to be soaked overnight to soften) but they’re well worth the wait. Their smoky flavor is perfect alongside pork chops or grilled chicken and they can easily be tossed into a pot of soup or chili to add extra flavor.

Beans are high in fiber and protein-and delicious layered with melted cheese. Cooked in the microwave in just 10 minutes, this is a quick, easy dish that everyone will love.

Beans and bacon pair well for more than just baked beans. Here, they’re tossed with tender macaroni and bright, juicy tomatoes for a quick and filling dish.

Don’t be fooled by this speedy side dish; the beans are super flavorful thanks to diced chorizo and jalapeño. Guaranteed to become a family favorite!