Want to Eat More Beans? Start With These 28 Recipes
Beans are a versatile ingredient, whether you use them to bulk up a soup in a tasty broth, add them to a salad or serve them as a main dish. If you’re looking to try some more dishes that feature this fiber-rich ingredient, these healthy recipes are a great place to start. With options like our Honey-Mustard Bean Salad and Garlic-Parmesan Green Beans, you’ll have plenty of bean-packed dishes to enjoy.
Honey-Mustard Bean Salad
Photographer: Stacy Allen, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This honey-mustard bean salad is the perfect combination of sweet, tangy and downright delicious flavors. Creamy cannellini beans and hearty chickpeas create the perfect base to soak up the zesty honey-mustard dressing.
Garlic-Parmesan Green Beans
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
These garlic-Parmesan green beans are a quick and easy side dish made in just one skillet. They pair beautifully with anything from roasted chicken to grilled steak, baked salmon or stuffed portobello mushrooms. They’re quick enough for weeknight dinners yet impressive enough to serve at a gathering.
Creamy Lemon-Parmesan Broccoli & White Beans
photographer: Jen Causey, food stylist: Julian Hensarling, prop stylist: Josh Hoggle
This hearty dish combines tender broccoli and creamy white beans in a velvety lemon-Parmesan sauce with a bubbly, cheesy top. It’s perfect for cozy family dinners or for bringing to someone as part of a meal train. Serve it alongside a crisp green salad for a meal that feels like a warm hug on your plate.
Cheesy White Bean & Rice Skillet
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
This cheesy white bean and rice skillet is the ultimate one-pan wonder. The rice forms a crispy golden layer at the bottom, adding a satisfying crunch to every bite. Aromatic seasonings combine with tender white beans, while a blanket of melted provolone on top brings on ooey-gooey perfection.
Brothy Lemon-Garlic Beans
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Amanda Holstein, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
Creamy cannellini beans soak up the garlicky, lemon-infused broth that is perfectly sopped up with a piece of toasted whole-wheat bread. For a little extra flair, finish the dish with a drizzle of good olive oil—or, for a creamier take, a dollop of Greek-style yogurt.
Marry Me White Bean & Spinach Skillet
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey
By swapping in fiber-packed white beans and spinach as the main ingredients, we’ve given Marry Me Chicken a vegetarian spin. You’ll want to sop up every last bit of sauce, so serve this with a nice hunk of crusty whole-grain bread.
Broccoli, White Bean & Cheese Quiche
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Pricilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
This quiche skips the crust but keeps all the savory goodness in the filling, featuring protein-packed white beans and savory roasted broccoli. Pair it with a crisp green salad or roasted veggies for a delicious meal anytime.
Crunchy Chickpea-Cabbage Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman
This chickpea-cabbage salad features carrots and cucumbers, giving it a quartet of ingredients that all begin with the letter “C”! This chopped salad is loaded with fiber and prebiotic chickpeas, promoting a healthy gut. Green cabbage keeps the color vibrant and fresh, though red cabbage works just as well.
Beet & White Bean Sandwiches
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
These sandwiches have a vibrant, creamy filling—all thanks to the antioxidant-rich beets and protein-packed white beans. Layer it all up with crisp alfalfa sprouts, sharp red onion and your favorite whole-wheat bread.
Curried Butter Beans
photographer: Jen Causey, food stylist: Julian Hensarling, prop stylist: Josh Hoggle
Tender butter beans combine with red curry paste and aromatic spices in this hearty, plant-based dish. Enjoy it on its own or serve it over brown rice or whole-grain noodles for a more filling meal.
Roasted Veggie & Black Bean Bowls
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Pricilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer
These hearty bowls featuring sweet potatoes, poblano peppers and red onion are bursting with bold flavors. Add a tangy scoop of guacamole, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and more of your favorite toppings and you’ll have a vibrant, satisfying dinner for your regular rotation.
Anti-Inflammatory Salmon Salad with Crispy White Beans
Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley
This hearty main-dish salad is a delicious meal that delivers big on flavor. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, while the beans provide a nice texture and are a great source of fiber. A quick soy-sesame-ginger dressing completes this salad, perfect for lunch or dinner.
Roasted Vegetable Breakfast Grain Bowl
Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley
This colorful, satisfying breakfast grain bowl is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with ingredients like black beans, roasted broccoli and beets that help fight inflammation to start your day. The egg is cooked just right—firm egg whites with a slightly jammy yolk. This grain bowl is vibrant and interesting with plenty of textural contrast, and we know you won’t be able to stop making it.
Sweet Potato-Black Bean Tostadas
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
These tostadas pack in plenty of plant-based protein, combining hearty black beans and nutrient-packed sweet potatoes for a satisfying and flavorful meal.
White Bean Enchilada Skillet
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This skillet recipe takes inspiration from classic enchiladas, featuring veggies, tortillas, white beans and a cheesy topping. Instead of rolling up the filling, the tortillas are baked right into the skillet for the perfect weeknight dinner.
High-Fiber Black Bean Brownies
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
These black bean brownies are everything you could possibly want—moist, rich and fudgy with big chocolate flavor. Black beans not only enhance the texture but also give these brownies a nutritional boost! Packed with protein, fiber and essential vitamins, black beans make this dessert satisfying.
Creamy Garlic-Parmesan Butter Beans
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Craig Huff, Prop Stylist: Abby Armstrong
Velvety butter beans are simmered in broth with plenty of garlic and Parmesan cheese, creating a rich and flavorful stew-like dinner. Served with crusty bread for dipping, it’s the perfect cozy meal to whip up on a busy evening—hearty, warm and utterly delicious.
Spaghetti Squash Nests with Kale, White Beans & Mushrooms
Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell
Cutting spaghetti squash into horizontal rings or “nests” not only cuts down on cooking time, it also makes for a fun presentation. Here, we stuff the nests with roasted mushrooms, white beans and kale for a hearty plant-based dinner.
One-Pot White Bean, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This comforting dish combines tender orzo, protein-packed white beans and tangy sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy garlic-and-herb cheese sauce. This one-pot meal is both quick and satisfying, perfect for those busy evenings when you want something hearty without the hassle.
High-Protein Tuna & White Bean Melt
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This ultra-quick tuna melt with white beans is a protein-packed sandwich that’s perfect for a fast and satisfying lunch or dinner. The beans add creaminess and fiber, while the tuna provides lean protein and omega-3s, making this dish as nutritious as it is flavorful. Plus, it comes together in minutes, ideal for days when time is in short supply.
Farro & White Bean Salad
Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley
This Mason jar grain salad is the perfect grab-and-go lunch. This colorful salad layers together farro, bell pepper, beets and arugula, all of which offer fiber and antioxidants that can help lower inflammation in your body. White beans add some plant-based protein to help you stay satisfied throughout the afternoon.
Sweet Potato-Black Bean Stuffed Peppers
Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley
These delicious stuffed peppers are an easy anti-inflammatory meal, thanks to the combination of sweet potatoes, black beans and bell peppers, which are all packed with antioxidants. This vegetarian dish calls for microwaveable brown rice for ease, but you can also use leftover brown rice if you have it on hand.
Chickpea, Beet & Feta Salad with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Addelyn Evans
This chickpea, beet & feta salad is a vibrant blend of flavors and textures, marrying the earthy sweetness of beets with the creamy richness of feta cheese, all tied together with a zesty lemon-garlic dressing. If you have the time, you can roast or steam your own beets or, to keep prep fast and simple, opt for precooked beets found in the produce section of well-stocked grocery stores.
Trail Mix Energy Bites
photographer: Jen Causey, food stylist: Julian Hensarling, prop stylist: Josh Hoggle
These trail mix energy balls are made with black beans for a delicious, nutritious twist on a classic snack. Black beans add plant-based protein and fiber, while also acting as the perfect binder to keep the ingredients together. Dates and apricots add natural sweetness to the mixture.
Spicy White Bean & Spinach Salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Melissa Gray, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster
In this light and refreshing salad, we season white beans with ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend which features cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, ginger, cardamom and ground black and red pepper.
Herb Marinated Beans
If you’re an avid meal prepper, consider adding these marinated beans to your weekly routine. They’re very versatile: try a spoonful on a salad, tuck some into a wrap or warm them up to spoon over a grain bowl. It’s worth letting the beans marinate for at least 24 hours to infuse them with deeper flavor.
Three Bean Salad
Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek
This three-bean salad is a wonderful addition to any meal. Bring this colorful, healthy dish to a barbecue, serve it as an appetizer salad or side dish, and even pack it for lunch.
No-Cook Black Bean Salad
The dressing for this vegan black bean salad gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.
