A few cans of beans, chickpeas and lentils in the cupboard mean there’s always a dinner within reach. Canned legumes are already cooked, so all they need is heating through or dressing, and they bring protein and fiber to the plate without much effort or cost. Nearly every recipe in this collection is built around a can or two; the one exception uses quick-cooking dried red lentils, which need no soaking.
What’s in the collection
The meat-free options cover a surprising range. The chickpea spinach curry simmers chickpeas in tomato and light coconut milk. The smoky black bean soup is partly blended for body, then topped with avocado and lime, while the black bean and corn tacos turn two cans of beans into a smoky, lightly crisped taco filling in 15 minutes. Quick mujadara pairs lentils and rice with deeply browned onions, a classic Middle Eastern combination, and the red lentil dal with spinach simmers dried red lentils with ginger, garlic and cumin until they collapse into a creamy, golden dal in under 15 minutes. And two salad-style dinners, the Greek chickpea salad and halloumi couscous with chickpeas, rely on chickpeas for heft.
Beans also make meat go further. The Tuscan tuna and white bean salad leans on cannellini beans, and the turkey taco bowls stir a whole can of black beans into the turkey.
Getting the most from canned beans
Brands vary in texture and salt, so taste before seasoning. Firmer chickpeas hold up best in salads, while softer black beans are perfect for blending into soup. When a recipe calls for “drained and rinsed,” it’s worth doing: the liquid can make dressings gummy.
Leftover half-cans keep for three to four days in a covered container in the fridge. Toss them into a salad, quesadilla or fried rice the next day.
How to choose
For something warm and spoonable, pick the curry, the dal or the soup. For taco night, the black bean tacos. On hot evenings, go for one of the salads. If you’d like a little meat alongside your beans, the tuna salad or turkey bowls fit the bill. More plant-based ideas are in our easy vegetarian dinner recipes.