If Beans Make You Think "Boring," I'm Begging You To Bookmark These 15 Recipes ASAP

Oftentimes, people assume that bean recipes have to mean vegetarian, but that's not the case! Adding beans to your ground meat (like this turkey) is an easy way to eat more beans AND make meals budget-friendly. This recipe is made in just one pan in 20 minutes — now that's a winner, winner turkey and bean dinner.

Recipe: 20-Minute Ground Turkey Taco Skillet (w/ Beans & Corn)

If you're already opening a can of tuna, open a can of chickpeas while you are at it. It's zesty, hearty, and full of flavor, thanks to fresh dill, lemon, and tangy feta. Not to mention it's a no-cook pantry-friendly way to get your daily dose of beans.

Recipe: Lemon Tahini Chickpea Tuna Salad

If you thought beans were for bland and boring salads, this is your sign that beans fit into everything from comfort dishes to game-day eats. Black beans make this dish feel like a meal; it's basically a salad. Sweet potatoes take the place of tortilla chips for a fresh take on your favorite nachos.

Recipe: Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos

If cauliflower can be pizza, beans can be dessert! If you've never tried a chickpea-based cookie dough, I'm about to blow your mind with this chocolate cup recipe. Chickpeas give these nut-based treats a softer consistency, mimicking my childhood dreams of licking the cookie batter off a spatula. Keep these in the freezer for emergency chocolate needs.

Recipe: Raw Vegan Cookie Dough Chocolate Cups

Comfort food should always be a little cheesy, and while there are plenty of quick bean recipes on the internet, sometimes good things take time. Thankfully, this is a prep-ahead recipe that you can use for meals across the week, or stash away in the freezer for cold wintry days. Save time by using canned pumpkin or squash in place of sweet potato puree, and substitute a jar of premade enchilada sauce to cut down on time (I'm obsessed with Siete Foods Enchilada Sauce).

Recipe: Pinto Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas

My favorite food group is soup, so when it starts to cool down, I make excuses to eat soup for at least one meal a day. When you want soup that keeps you full and satisfied, turn to beans and lentils. Lentils are quick to cook with a chewy texture, and a can of butter beans helps to make this sauce deceptively creamy. My favorite part? It freezes like a dream, so you can prep it once and eat it all winter long.

Recipe: Vegan Lentil Soup With Butter Beans

Healthy doesn't need to mean boring. This Middle Eastern-inspired salad is packed with protein, veggies, and a zesty dressing for work week lunches that you'll actually look forward to. Not to mention, it's ready in 15 minutes AND can last up to four days in the fridge.

Recipe: Chickpea And Black Bean Salad

I love a creamy pasta sauce, but it rarely loves me back. Instead of heavy cream and handfuls of cheese, I like to use white beans to make a creamy, protein-packed sauce to toss my noodles (cavatappi, always) into. All you need is a handful of ingredients: pasta, beans, broth, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and a touch of nutmeg for a super simple beany weeknight dinner. 

Recipe: Creamy White Bean Pasta

If you are looking for a treat that's basically a health food, look no further than the magical world of chickpea flour. Chickpea flour is made of ground chickpeas or garbanzo beans, which are frequently used in Middle Eastern and Indian cooking and baking. It's versatile and packed with fiber and protein. These vegan AND gluten-free cookies are perfect for anyone with dietary allergies. Pro tip: Chocolate chips are meant to be measured with your heart, not a measuring cup. 

Recipe: Chickpea Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Anyone who says they don't like beans has obviously never tasted the magic that is falafel. Typically fried, this recipe makes it simpler by baking these beauties until golden. I typically use uncooked, soaked chickpeas for the best texture, but in a pinch, a can of chickpeas and added chickpea flour make these as user-friendly as possible.

Recipe: Easy Baked Falafel

One of my favorite things to do with a can of chickpeas is whip up a quick curry, packed with spices in a rich tomatoey sauce. It's hearty, it's warming, it's comfort in a bowl, especially when served with a piping hot side of garlic naan. Wait, I'm drooling.

Recipe: Easy Chickpea Curry (Channa Masala)

Stop buying refried beans and make them yourself. Not only are they SO much tastier, but they really only take 20 minutes or so. These rely on canned pinto beans, making them a breeze to whip up, with a healthy sprinkle of spices from cumin, chilli, and oregano. Add a little chipotle in adobo for an added kick!

Recipe: Refried Beans

Slow cookers are a bean's best friend - and this corn chowder is the perfect way to introduce beans into your weekly meal plan. A can of white beans gives creaminess to this rich soup, along with smoky charred corn and tender chicken thighs. Are you drooling yet?

Recipe: Chicken Corn Chowder

Maybe your Grandma's bean salad is the reason you thought beans were bland, but this Spicy Ranch Bean Salad is here to prove you wrong. The secret ingredient? Ranch dressing powder and mixed fresh herbs. Not to mention it's on the table in ten minutes. What more could you ask for?

Recipe: Spicy Ranch Bean Salad

If you thought beans were boring, maybe you've never drowned them in tangy Buffalo sauce after roasting them until crisp. If it were me, I'd add a big chunk of blue cheese because I like it a little funky. This wrap comes together in 30 minutes, making it perfect for weekday lunches and weeknight meals.

Recipe: Spicy Buffalo Chickpea Wrap