Beans: inspire me

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I’m trying to eat more beans. I make a mean mixed bean chilli, but after that I’m stumped. Not keen on the texture of butter beans and can manage chickpeas in a curry now and then

what are your best bean recipes?

My dd who has AFRID loves baked beans but struggles with other beans but loves this https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/bean_and_rice_burrito_33565 I use non spicy mixed beans from Tesco and then make the seasoning www.thekiwicountrygirl.com/homemade-burrito-spice-mix/#recipe.

These are yummy and made with black beans. We add half a lime to the mashed bean mix and use more cheese than they say to. www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/cheesy-black-bean-quesadillas

This is what you need - an infinite number of recipes for every possible type of bean +++. Savings for buying in larger quantities. Honestly life changing:

https://hodmedods.co.uk/

Swap tuna for chickpeas on a jacket potato!

sounds odd but honestly, mash them with mayo, sweetcorn, a few capers, chopped spring onion, and it’s even better than tuna mayo on a spud. Don’t be shy with the mayo.

Chicken and chorizo, roast veg and butter beans or chickpeas. Roast onions garlic and peppers. Add chicken (with olive oil and paprika). After 20 mins put a tin of tomatoes and beans and herbs. Chicken back on top with chopped chorizo.

Bean salad. Tomatoes, onion and good garlic dressing. Add lentils or tin of beans.

Do you eat meat OP or are you vegetarian?

Nigella has a chorizo and chickpea stew recipe that is nice.

These ones are super meaty:

Brazilian feijoada
Cassoulet

Cuban Moros y Cristianos has no meat and is yum , it's pretty similar to Caribbean rice and peas (which is also a good option).

I think chick peas are the nicest beans and one of my favourite things to make with them is chana masala.

Per my username, I love beans! Get yourself the Bold Bean cookbook and buy a few of their jars (find in Sainsbury’s/Tesco/Waitrose) - the book is absolutely game changing if you’re unsure how to cook with beans and their beans are the best tasting you can buy in supermarkets - boldbeanco.com/products/bold-beans-cookbook

Pasta fagioli
Huevos rancheros

Make your own Baked Beans and use them as veggie pie, on jacket potatoes, filling for enchiladas and soo much more!
(I often add fresh runner beans and other veg or spices depending on what I am making!)

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/tomato-pepper-bean-one-pot

If you eat meat, try cassoulet, made with haricot beans, though it's really more a winter or autumn dish.
Mixed bean salad with vinaigrette dressing goes with pretty much anything....chicken, tuna, salmon, ham......It travels well, so is useful for lunches at work, or picnics.

Aside from chilli, I most often use beans in enchiladas or Cajun bean burgers. Also, look up the BBC Good Food recipe for jerk potato and black bean curry. It’s a family favourite.

The Food For Life cookbook by Tim Spector has amazing and really super easy bean recipes. It’s one of the only cookbooks I use several times a week, all the recipes turn out beautifully!

Refried beans (home made is better than the canned stuff) or black beans for burritos and quesadillas or a Mexican-ish bowl

Bean salads

Marry me beans - garlic, oregano, thyme, tomato paste, finely diced shallot or onion, sauté, add sun dried tomato’s chopped, any white bean you like, veg stock or white wine (chicken stock would be fine too). Finish with cream or creme fraiche or sour cream or yogurt (basically just something creamy) and Parmesan (or equivalent). It’s a very forgiving recipe.

I have started adding beans to many meals. I don't usually follow recipes, but for example I might add a can of baked beans to a homemade tomato sauce for pasta. This provides the sugar that you often add to tomato sauces and I like the texture of bean with pasta, kind of dry-on-dry! Beans or lentils in a curry (meat or veg). Tuna and bean salad. Roast vegetables with lentils and feta. Salmon with lentils and green veg. Roast chickpeas are a nice snack too.

You need this, my very favourite cook book

we love the sweet potato, peanut and kidney bean stew, bean burger, dal, lamb and haricot - all sorts. It’s fabulous

amzn.eu/d/9kU4eR2

Deliciously Ella has lots of bean recipes - you can borrow a book from the library if you don’t want to buy. Some free recipes online.

If you eat black beans then these fajitas are tasty and ridiculously easy to make.