That humble can of black beans stashed away in your pantry is a great meal waiting to happen. For one thing, you don't have to take the time to soak and cook the beans before you even get started in on adding all the flavorings. And those shiny little beans pack a powerhouse of nutrition: Besides being an inexpensive source of high-quality protein and fiber, they're loaded with potassium, iron, folic acid, magnesium, and antioxidants. Here are quick and easy meals you can make with canned black beans.
Black Bean and Salsa Soup
Photo by bd.weld
Ready in 20 minutes. You'll need only 6 ingredients to make this top-rated soup. "This is a fantastic recipe! Now I know why there are so many glowing reviews. Upon other reviewers' suggestions, I saved one cup of beans to add whole." —BANSREEPARIKH
Mexican Pasta
Photo by Tonya Milam
Ready in 20 minutes. "Everyone loved this recipe! I doubled everything except the beans. I used Rotel in place of plain stewed tomatoes. It had just the right amount of zing!" raves April T. Jones
Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas
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Ready in 40 minutes (or less). "Cooking in the oven helps when you want to have them all done at once instead of one at a time. Baked at 350 for 10 minutes, then broiled the tops until browned." —SPRING1ONU
Black Bean Huevos Rancheros
Photo by ZZ
Ready in 50 minutes (or less). Get this breakfast-for-dinner on the table faster by using store-bought salsa instead of homemade. "This was great," says George. "I used pre-made fresh salsa to cut down time. My only other changes were using 2 eggs/plate and I topped each dish with 1/2 sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, and freshly chopped cilantro."
Black Bean Tacos
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Ready in 25 minutes. "WOW! Amazingly delicious and so easy to make. I sauteed onions and peppers for extra flavor." —brandi.wilson
Black Bean Breakfast Bowl
Photo by Allrecipes Magazine
Ready in 15 minutes. "Fast and tasty," says Chocokide. "Cooked the black beans for five minutes on the stove and added in fresh cilantro. This would make a great breakfast, but I think it made an even better lunch."
Delicious Black Bean Burritos
Photo by CookinBug
Ready in 25 minutes. "This a great recipe for our family. I have made it several times. I usually have the ingredients on hand and it's easy and quick to put together. Not to mention very tasty." —Janet Clue
Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup
Photo by STELLA
Ready in 20 minutes. "Delicious and EASY zesty soup recipe that uses only 6 canned ingredients! Serve over tortilla chips, and top with shredded Cheddar cheese. Throw away the cans and no one will know that it is not from scratch!" —Terryn
Plant-Based Black Bean Taco Soup
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Ready in 40 minutes. Canned black beans team up with pinto beans in this tasty vegan soup, along with vegetable broth, frozen corn, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and seasonings. "This meatless, taco-flavored soup is loaded with bean protein and robust flavor," says CookingWithShelia.
Vegan Black Bean Soup
Photo by Michelle V
Ready in 45 minutes. "Made this over the weekend, and my husband actually told me it is probably one of the best soups I have ever made – and we are soup people, I make a lot of soup! I kind of thought he was overreacting, but I am sitting here right now enjoying my second day of having this soup for lunch, and he is right. It is really, really good." —cookinformygang
Black and White Pizza
Photo by Kelcie Cashel
Ready in 30 minutes. "This recipe is one that my boyfriend and I recreated from a dish at our favorite restaurant. White chicken pizza with black beans and jalapenos. This pizza is made using already prepared ingredients which makes a fast, simple gourmet meal for two. Adjust the amount of each topping to your liking." —TIFFANYJEAN
Vegan Bean Taco Filling
Photo by Lava ThePoet
Ready in 30 minutes. "This was very good. I served these on hard taco shells for a change of texture. I didn't have any cayenne pepper, so I added some crushed red pepper flakes instead. I also added about a cup and a half of cooked rice and about 2/3 cup of frozen corn. Terrific topped with avocado, tomato, and lettuce. It made a lot and the leftovers were great too." —LORLOR80
Southwest-Style Egg Rolls
Photo by lutzflcat
Ready in 20 minutes. Try this east-meets-west appetizer featuring black beans, corn, onion, spinach, and cheese stuffed into eggroll wrappers and fried until crispy and golden. Instead of frying, you could bake them in the oven or pull give them a go in your air fryer.
Black Bean Chili
Photo by Cristi
Ready in 40 minutes. "This was so delicious. I used vegetable stock and a teaspoon of garlic powder. Spooned on top of quinoa and garnished with shredded Cheddar, cilantro, and tortilla chips." — Anne Marie Natal
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