How do YOU eat your BEANS?

[Sun Hat]

Over in the Pandemic hoarding thread, I joked about how I worried about all of the unloved beans lingering at the back of cupboards, and some people mentioned that they don't really know how to prepare them.

So, let's share our favorite ways of preparing those happy little nuggets of protein and fibre! As the oft forgotten cousins, let's show some love to legumes too!

[Sun Hat]

@Moonwaves shared a link to Appalachian soupbeans https://whatscookingamerica.net/soup/appalachian-soupbeans.htm

The simple recipe sounds a lot like the (dried) green or yellow pea soup that has been a staple of French Canadians for ages. For those of you who don't eat pork, I suggest substituting a little oil and some smoked paprika for a similar taste.

The recipe references the flatulence associated with bean eating, but that can be avoided by soaking the beans in water and then discarding that water before cooking.

[Roadrunner53]

Can you make a bean soup out of refried beans?

[Moonwaves]

The recipe references the flatulence associated with bean eating, but that can be avoided by soaking the beans in water and then discarding that water before cooking.

A pinch of bicarbonate of soda aka baking soda (NOT baking powder) is also supposed to be effective in this respect.

There was a similar thread for recipes for rice and beans before. Here's the link for that one: Rice and beans - share your recipe 

[MudPuppy]

“Refried” pintos, white beans with rosemary on crostini, black bean soups, Red and kidney beans for chili, chickpea “chicken” salad sandwiches, lentil curries

[Sun Hat]

One of the things that used to stop me from using dried beans was the hassle of soaking them overnight before cooking them - before even thinking about adding them to a recipe. A nutritionist told me a good tip: you can pre-cook beans in big batches, then dry and freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, then store them in a bag in the freezer. Then, you just have to take out the amount that you need. I've found it quite handy since I'm only cooking for myself.

In the general thread of my preferring minimal-effort meals, I enjoy beans added to cold salads. Chickpeas pair well with dill, cucumber and a vinaigrette, all beans are terrific in a green salad topped with salsa and a bit of cheese, green lentils and some finely diced veg and a vinaigrette (with some herbes de provence if you have it) are quite nice.

Chickpeas and black beans are my favorites. This week I prepared a batch of chickpeas and have eaten them in a number of different ways that have required very little effort: I added a dollop of yogurt, some curry powder and diced cucumber for a lovely salad; I tossed them into a lettuce and tomato salad; and I made hummus.

The nice thing about beans and legumes are that they're bland, so you can make vastly different meals out of the same base ingredients just by varying spices. One thing that I'll add is that I've found that I find the texture of beans to be improved when served with a bit of fat. It doesn't need to be much though.

@Roadrunner53 This recipe for refried bean soup looks tasty and fast! https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/245100/fiesta-refried-bean-soup/

[Hula Hoop]

I just made this today: https://www.davidlebovitz.com/cheap-caviar-1/  I couldn't find Puy lentils but I bought the fancy "mignon" lentils that cost about a euro more than the cheapo lentils.  Still a very cheap source of protein.

My main cooking beans from scratch tip is to use a pressure cooker.  I used a stove top PC for years and then about 18 months ago bought a Cosori electric pressure cooker (similar to the Instant Pot but cheaper).  Not only is it easier, the beans also taste much better.

[Zikoris]

Normal beans induce violent vomiting for me, but lentils and chickpeas are both A-OK. I like this recipe for red lentil stew: https://www.budgetbytes.com/vegan-red-lentil-stew/

For chickpeas, I just throw a cup of dried into the slow cooker overnight on low, make a really simple curry with some garlic, onion, and whatever veggies I have on hand, and make some flour tortillas to have curried chickpea wraps. I usually throw some hummus in the wraps, and sometimes salad greens like spinach.

I don't find the advance prep to be too troublesome because I batch cook on the weekend and plan everything I'm making anyways, so it's just one more step.

[Turkey Leg]

https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/pressure-cooker-tuscan-bean-soup/

I use great northern beans, because they are cheaper and more common than cannellini beans.

[Goldendog777]

I make a Mexican bean bowl that is one of my favorite meals. 

Soak 2 cups dry beans overnight. Use whatever you like.  My favorite are pinto.  Drain and rinse and toss in a crock pot.  Add 7 c water.  I add 1.5 tsp of each:  onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, chili power, and oregano.  Add salt to taste.  I put them in the crockpot in the am around 8 and the are done by 3 or so.  I just let them hang out on low until we are ready to eat.  Serve over brown rice with homemade guacamole, cheese, black olives, and chips for dipping.  Soooo good!

[jeninco]

I use a pressure cooker, make more beans then I need, then put the rest in ziplock bags in the freezer. If I freeze them laying flat, I can stack them like files later.

Except chickpeas -- chickpea cooking liquid is so yummy I freeze them in jars (not filled all the way) with their liquid. The whole thing gets dumped into soup.

[Pigeon]

I mostly just eat chick peas, black beans and lentils. For the first two, I simmer a couple pounds at once on days when I am home all day and freeze in small batches. I make hummus from chick peas. Black beans I use in chili, burrito bowls and salads. Lentils are either as soup or with red onion and balsamic vinaigrette as salad. Budget bytes has some good recipes for beans.

[MaybeBecca]

Piyaju are one of my favorite bean-based dishes.  They're so tasty, and the texture is really nice.

My usual lunch since buying 25lbs of navy beans ahead of the pandemic is grits and beans; grits seasoned with salt and nutritional yeast, and the beans with some cajun seasoning.  Sometimes I like doing everything bagel seasoning instead, as well.

I also have a bean burger recipe that I love, but I don't make it as often as I would probably like.  It has like walnuts, paprika, nutritional yeast, oats, a bunch of other seasonings... ends up being a really good flavor and texture.

[imadandylion]

I'm Asian so naturally we eat beans a lot as a dessert. :) Typically mashed up, like mung bean paste.

I especially like them in vegetable chili (like kidney beans, especially when paired with fire roasted tomatoes, quinoa and bulgar wheat, which helps give a 'meaty' texture) or vegetarian stews.

Also like chickpea scramble, with side salad of mixed greens, baked potatoes.

You can add them to curry, I especially like chickpea curry.

I also like burrito bowls, so add some sauteed sweet peppers, onion, and cilantro lime rice, lettuce, and you're there!

You can make them into 'neat balls' and add them to pasta as you would meat balls. Or form them into patties for burgers. I had an exceptionally good one, I believe from Costco, but I'm not entirely sure because it was from a catered event. I just remember it was insanely good and even not-vegetarian people were trying to nab it.

They're also good for camping/backpacking and are a great energy source. I believe you can dehydrate them like you would anything else and are often included in premade vegetarian backpacking foods.

For potlucks, I feel like 3-bean salads are always a hit, and so simple too. And super cheap to feed a crowd is a plus, too.

[CNM]

I also like pressure cooking my beans (usu. black and pinto).  I like to add a few dried red chile pods or chipotle pods to give them a nice flavor. I typically make bean and cheese burritos, frito pies, and other New Mexican/Mexican dishes.

My brother in law makes a Brazilian feijoada dish that I love-- it's a black bean based stew, with various meats, and served with orange slices and blanched collards. 

[stashja]

American Chinese Restaurant style eggplant with black bean sauce. The beans are supposed to be fermented but I cheat by adding a shot of mirin (cooking wine) to the water they're soaked in and then reusing that as marinade. In the instant pot this recipe takes maybe 40 minutes, 10 of which is prep.

[nobody]

My favorite is a dessert.  I guess you can call it a Sweet Red Bean Soup.  It's made out of adzuki beans, water, sugar, and many recipes also called for dried tangerine peel, and optional tapioca pearls.  Yum.

[Jesstache]

Favorite recipe for healthy "refried" beans and doesn't require any soaking.  I make this exact recipe about once a week, it's a staple.  We make tacos/burritos/chip dip out of it.

http://penniesandpancakes.blogspot.com/2012/09/crockpot-refried-beans-019-per-cup.html

I haven't found a good black beans from scratch recipe that doesn't require soaking.

This is also delicious, cheap and easy:

https://www.budgetbytes.com/lentil-sausage-stew/

[Freedomin5]

I pressure cook black beans, then make a couscous salad with them.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/24833/black-bean-and-couscous-salad/

I also make a Chinese mung bean dessert soup in my pressure cooker that can be eaten hot or cold. It’s basically 0.5 cup mung beans, 2.5 cups water, and sugar added to taste. Mung beans are good in the summer because they are a “cooling” food. In the winter, I use adzuki beans instead of mung because adzuki beans are a warm” food.

[FireAnt]

Pinto beans:
easy refried beans for any Mexican food dish: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/recipe-easy-slow-cooker-refried-beans/
bean and cheese burritos. Make a batch for lunches. I use pinto beans, add salsa, and taco seasoning. Then add cheese. 

Chickpeas:
I'm not vegan but this is so good. Chickpea tikka masala: https://www.theironyou.com/2016/03/vegan-easy-chickpea-tikka-masala.html
minestrone soup: https://lifemadesweeter.com/instant-pot-minestrone-soup/

Black beans:
very flexible recipe: https://naturallyella.com/chipotle-black-bean-rice-and-egg-skillet/
Burrito bowls!  https://damndelicious.net/2014/09/10/easy-burrito-bowls/
quinoa chili!: https://damndelicious.net/2013/10/16/quinoa-chili/

I probably have a ton more, but there you go!

[Moonwaves]

Over on the eat all the food in your house thread, Okcisok is looking for ideas, other than soup, to use up frozen black bean broth. I thought perhaps someone here might have some ideas.

Anyone have an idea to use up some frozen black bean broth? It's too hot for the soup I originally envisioned when I froze it. There's about four cups and I'm at a loss.

[Malcat]

We mostly eat legumes, and do a lot of Indian, african, middle Eastern, mexican, eastern European and Asian dishes.

If you do a search for vegetarian recipes, the majority will use legumes, so it's pretty easy to find a wide range of recipes.

I found when I searched for recipes for beans, I got a lot of more basic "rice and.beans" type dishes. But when I search for something like "vegetarian Moroccan recipes," I get much more dynamic options.

Pinterest is great for recipes.

[Moonwaves]

Pinto beans:
easy refried beans for any Mexican food dish: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/recipe-easy-slow-cooker-refried-beans/

This looks good. Thanks. There were a couple of comments under that recipe about it being a bland/needing more spices. Do you make it the way it is or tweak the spices, too?

I forgot before to mention one of my favourite things to make - Jack Monroe's carrot, cumin and kidney bean burgers. Although usually I shape them into little balls instead of burgers and have them with a tomato sauce (tomatoes, onion, spices and maybe whatever else is lurking in the fridge). Often with leftovers and some lettuce in a wrap the next day. Sooooo good.

[FireAnt]

Pinto beans:
easy refried beans for any Mexican food dish: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/recipe-easy-slow-cooker-refried-beans/

This looks good. Thanks. There were a couple of comments under that recipe about it being a bland/needing more spices. Do you make it the way it is or tweak the spices, too?

I forgot before to mention one of my favourite things to make - Jack Monroe's carrot, cumin and kidney bean burgers. Although usually I shape them into little balls instead of burgers and have them with a tomato sauce (tomatoes, onion, spices and maybe whatever else is lurking in the fridge). Often with leftovers and some lettuce in a wrap the next day. Sooooo good.

I don't drain it and keep all of the onion in it and it tastes really good to me! I use an immersion blender to get it all nice and smooth.

[Moonwaves]

Pinto beans:
easy refried beans for any Mexican food dish: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/recipe-easy-slow-cooker-refried-beans/

This looks good. Thanks. There were a couple of comments under that recipe about it being a bland/needing more spices. Do you make it the way it is or tweak the spices, too?

I forgot before to mention one of my favourite things to make - Jack Monroe's carrot, cumin and kidney bean burgers. Although usually I shape them into little balls instead of burgers and have them with a tomato sauce (tomatoes, onion, spices and maybe whatever else is lurking in the fridge). Often with leftovers and some lettuce in a wrap the next day. Sooooo good.

I don't drain it and keep all of the onion in it and it tastes really good to me! I use an immersion blender to get it all nice and smooth.

Yes, I didn't understand why you would possibly want to take the onion out. I'll probably just chop the onion small and call it good. Really looking forward to this now. Think this will be my weekend cooking this week.

[limeandpepper]

My favorite is a dessert.  I guess you can call it a Sweet Red Bean Soup.  It's made out of adzuki beans, water, sugar, and many recipes also called for dried tangerine peel, and optional tapioca pearls.  Yum.

Yes this! I also like sweet green bean soup, made with mung beans, sugar, and water. Optional additions of sweet potatoes and ginger.

[sytar7]

One of my favorite recipes for chickpeas in the summer, no cook recipe:
Curry chickpea salad -
https://simple-veganista.com/curried-chickpea-salad/#tasty-recipes-8554

It is great as a salad topper but also good alone or sandwich/wrap. I use hummus in place of vegan mayo and sub in different nuts depending on what is on sale.

[Kmp2]

I've been enjoying two websites to add more legumes to our diet.

The 1/2 cup challenge (note challenge doesn't appear to still be running, but the menu planners are fab!)
https://pulses.org/nap/quick-meal-ideas/

and the recipes here - but beware some of the recipes have weird servings amounts (like 10-20!!)
https://www.lentils.org/

I love the concept at pulses.org of doing a batch of beans/chickpeas on the weekend, and then having them 3 different ways through out the week.
(I also do this for whole grains - barley, spelt, wheatberries and oat groats)

But my all time favourite lentil recipe is this one:
https://asweetspoonful.com/2014/01/committing-with-lentils-2.html

I love subbing 1/2 the ground beef in a recipe for a cup or 3 of brown lentils - taco filling, cottage pie, burgers etc.
I recently saw a recipe that swapped 1/2 the cheese sauce in macaroni and cheese with cooked pureed split yellow peas - so I'll have to try that too (but I'll use a strong cheese!)

[ixtap]

I mix in finely chopped or shredded veggies to falafel mix when making falafel. I have also done something similar with chickpea flour and Indian inspired spices (baked pakora recipes lead me in the right direction). Zucchini and kale were fine, onion was amazing. Given the pakora inspiration, not sure why I haven't done spinach yet!

I also added cooked lentils to my eggplant masala last week. It was my first from scratch masala, but turned out well. The tasty bites channa masala is easier, but not any better and probably more expensive, especially since it has been so hard to get these days.

We sometimes just heat and spice up refried beans, mix in some nutritional yeast and use it as a chip dip.

I used to make lentil taco filling that DH liked in his salads, but he suddenly stopped liking it and we are incorporating more beans than ever.

We don't have any electrical kitchen appliances beyond the microwave, and don't really want them since we plan to move back onto the boat. Has anyone tried using something simple like a potato masher for mushing beans enough to make veggie patties? Or maybe I could just use a can of refried beans and build from there?
 

[Moonwaves]

I've never used anything but a potato masher. Sometimes I've even just used a fork.

[OtherJen]

I mix in finely chopped or shredded veggies to falafel mix when making falafel. I have also done something similar with chickpea flour and Indian inspired spices (baked pakora recipes lead me in the right direction). Zucchini and kale were fine, onion was amazing. Given the pakora inspiration, not sure why I haven't done spinach yet!

I also added cooked lentils to my eggplant masala last week. It was my first from scratch masala, but turned out well. The tasty bites channa masala is easier, but not any better and probably more expensive, especially since it has been so hard to get these days.

We sometimes just heat and spice up refried beans, mix in some nutritional yeast and use it as a chip dip.

I used to make lentil taco filling that DH liked in his salads, but he suddenly stopped liking it and we are incorporating more beans than ever.

We don't have any electrical kitchen appliances beyond the microwave, and don't really want them since we plan to move back onto the boat. Has anyone tried using something simple like a potato masher for mushing beans enough to make veggie patties? Or maybe I could just use a can of refried beans and build from there?

A potato masher works just fine.

[OtherJen]

I just remembered this recipe and will probably use it soon because I expect to have some extra tomatoes and greens this week. Cannellini beans work just as well as the giant beans called for in the recipe.

Pizza beans (Smitten Kitchen)

[K_in_the_kitchen]

Sadly, I don't eat beans/legumes at all anymore :(  I developed a severe allergy to kidney beans, at least a decade ago, but was still okay with other legumes.  Then I started reacting to green beans, then lentils, then my beloved pintos.  At this point any legume will trigger severe itching and rashes, and some of them cause throat itching, swelling, and asthma attacks.  Allergist seems pretty sure I had a mild legume allergy my whole life.

But I still cook them several times a week!  I got my first pressure cooker in the early 90s, and it's my preferred method.  I don't usually soak dried beans.  Our basic method is to pressure cook pintos or black beans with garlic.  Depending on the time of year and what people want, they're eaten as a soup or in burrito bowls -- both meals involve salsa, rice, etc. and really just differ in whether or not they inside the broth.  Leftover pintos are typically made into "refried" beans with an immersion blender, and eaten in tacos, burritos, or with chips (kid #1 is currently eating chips with a huge bowl of leftover pinto beans pureed with salsa).  Leftover (usually planned-over) black beans are made into a vegetarian chili.

The other main thing I cook with legumes are soups.  Split pea soups of various kinds (green or yellow, varying herbs, adding turnip and pureeing, Scottish, copycat Split Pea Anderson), lentil soups of both European and Indian influence (curried red lentil is a family favorite), simple bean soups (homemade chicken broth, whatever beans, basic veggies, ham bone if we have one), bean soup with marinara sauce and veggies added, minestrone.

I make baked beans from scratch occasionally, but the kid who eats them is happy with canned baked beans from Aldi.  When I could eat beans/legumes I would often make grain and bean salads, but the two kids don't like those and DH would rather I not make something only he will eat.  Mujadara was a huge favorite, and I miss eating it.  Tamale pie (or tamale casserole) with black or pinto beans.  Lentil-rice casserole adapted from The Tightwad Gazette.  Cuban Black Beans from Moosewood Cooks at Home.

Growing up we at the kinds of beans: Van Camp's canned Pork and Beans, served with hot dogs and hamburgers, Rosarita refried beans, in tacos or burritos, or canned kidney beans added to chili.  Later my dad started doctoring up canned baked beans by "cooking" them in the slow cooker with canned pineapple, molasses, and bacon, but that was after I left home.  I never saw a dried bean enter our house while I lived there, nor have my parents ever purchased them since.

[dblaace]

Basic start
Soak for 4+ hrs
Drain & Rinse
Cover beans with about an 3/4-1 inch with water.
Cook in Instant pot for 15-18 min.

Chickpeas(Chana)
tbsp cumin
tsp coriander
tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
use dry on salads.
with broth straight or with rice
Indian recipes, chana masala.
Aquafaba, broth for soups. Can be used for meringue, mayo, egg substitues.

Basic Black & Pinto etc
tbl cumin
1/2 tsp salt

Add any herbs, spices, and veggies you like to taste & desired ethnic cuisine.
Experiment!

Dals are great as well!

[RExplorer]

This is a second recommendation for pizza beans — they’re great, with canned beans or cooked dried beans.  This is my favorite Smitten Kitchen recipe. 

[Kem]

I make a pot of beans/legumes every week for the fam.  My top 3 fav - Chana dal humous, black beans, and spli peas.   Usually I soak overnight, cook alongside cxn carcass and misc aromatics. 
.
But my absolute fav is to drain the warm black beans and enjoy a mug of steaming bean juice.

[Steeze]

I mix all the varieties of beans I have into the instant pot, add some salt, chopped garlic, and taco seasoning. When finished I drain the water into a measuring cup and throw it all back in the instant pot with some brown rice and another pinch of taco seasoning.

Rice is cooked and beans are extra soft.

When it’s done I’ll throw in some chicken breast, bell peppers, and onion from the frying pan. Enjoy with fresh tomato and avocado - cheese and sour cream if your feeling skinny, soft tortillas if your feeling really skinny.

[Monerexia]

Have a big sack i bought but no matter how I make them the next day feels like I have eaten an abandoned building in a brownfield.

[Wintergreen78]

In a tortilla with salsa, rice or potatoes, and a bit of cheese. Sometimes there is avocado in there too!

I should cook dried beans more often, but usually they are just from the can. I like cooking them with cumin, cayenne, and black pepper. If I’m feeling fancy I sauté some garlic in the pot before dumping the beans in to heat up.

I also like having beans with my eggs for breakfast, but for some strange reason I don’t do that very often.

[FIRE Artist]

Chilli, of course, I like to have at least three kinds of beans in my chilli.

For pulses, I like to make Acadian split pea soup - that is a staple in my diet.  I also like to make mulligatawny soup with lentils.  I use chickpeas for hummus mostly.

I think I am pretty boring with my pulse preparation, but I do eat them at least once a week, something I think every Canadian should do as we grow so many here on the prairies.  Most of them end up exported because the market in Canada really isn’t all that big. 

[Anon-E-Mouze]

I'm vegan, so we eat a lot of beans in this household. A few recipe ideas that I don't think have been mentioned here yet:

1) Post-Punk Kitchen's amazing chickpea cutlets (for sandwiches, burgers etc). Warning, these have a lot of gluten (and require the purchase of vital wheat gluten but it's a really useful pantry staple):
https://www.theppk.com/2010/11/doublebatch-chickpea-cutlets/

I am not the biggest fan of chickpeas, so I often make these with different varieties of beans (e.g. pinto, black, cannellini, navy). If I use a really tender bean (like navy beans) or a really strongly flavoured bean (like black beans), I usually mix those beans with another variety.

2) To increase the protein content in my tomato soup, I'll add a cup of cooked, mild-tasting beans to about eight cups of tomato soup and then use a stick blender to puree the soup. The pureed beans can make the soup feel a bit gritty, so start with small amounts and experiment until you get the right balance between added nutritional punch without a noticeable impact on flavour and texture.

[Turkey Leg]

I just remembered this recipe and will probably use it soon because I expect to have some extra tomatoes and greens this week. Cannellini beans work just as well as the giant beans called for in the recipe.

Pizza beans (Smitten Kitchen)

These were a huge hit last night! Thanks for posting.

[OtherJen]

I just remembered this recipe and will probably use it soon because I expect to have some extra tomatoes and greens this week. Cannellini beans work just as well as the giant beans called for in the recipe.

Pizza beans (Smitten Kitchen)

These were a huge hit last night! Thanks for posting.

Yay! You’re welcome.

[evanc]

I like to eat hummus as a topping, for example over chili. So good (and good for you)!

[Poundwise]

Puerto Rican style beans

sofritos
Combine in blender or Cuisinart. May be frozen in ice cube trays (I usually make a big batch)
olive oil
1 onion
half an Italian sweet pepper (the light green type)
2 garlic cloves
cilantro handful
cubes of ham or bacon

Add to:
little can of tomato SAUCE
can of beans (or 2-3 cups cooked dried beans)
can of water (or 2-3 cups water)
1 cube chicken bouillon or salt to taste

Bring to boil

[cooking]

Pizza Beans.  Recipe on Smitten Kitchen site.  Basically, beans and greens in marinara sauce with mozz melted on top.

[fuzzy math]

Does anyone have a tried and true felafel recipe that doesn't involve using straight chickpea flour? I've never tried making it before and don't want to start out with a not great recipe.

[John Galt incarnate!]

Van Camp's canned Pork and Beans, served with hot dogs

+1 + mustard flavored with horseradish.

[John Galt incarnate!]

Sadly, I don't eat beans/legumes at all anymore :(  I developed a severe allergy to kidney beans, at least a decade ago, but was still okay with other legumes.  Then I started reacting to green beans, then lentils, then my beloved pintos.  At this point any legume will trigger severe itching and rashes, and some of them cause throat itching, swelling, and asthma attacks.  Allergist seems pretty sure I had a mild legume allergy my whole life.

Something similar happened to an older  friend.

For many years he/wife ate bean soups and lentil soups.

He started having having severe intestinal cramping and pain in his right flank/groin and appendix.

He researched IBS, IBD,  Crohn's Disease, Celiac disease, etc.

Finally, he found out that the soups were causing the pain.

He quit the soups and the cramping/pain never came back.

[dividend]

Does anyone have a tried and true felafel recipe that doesn't involve using straight chickpea flour? I've never tried making it before and don't want to start out with a not great recipe.

This one starts from dry, soaked chickpeas, and is AWESOME :
https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/03/the-food-lab-vegan-experience-best-homemade-falafel-recipe.html