Beans and Grain Recipes

Basic bean soup with homemade vegetable scrap stock, sautéed mirepoix, and cooked beans, half puréed for body, half left whole. Vegetarian, fiber-rich, freezer-friendly.

Vegan hearty stew with dried chickpeas and kidney beans simmered in a curry-soy broth, thickened with pureed parsnips, and loaded with carrots, zucchini, bulgur, pasta, and spinach.

Lentil and rice one-pot dinner with carrots, garlic, and basil. A budget-friendly vegan meal that simmers in a single pot, no draining or sauteing required. High in fiber and plant protein.

Low-calorie chicken barley soup made from scratch with homemade defatted broth, pearl barley, green beans, and lemon juice. A hearty, satisfying soup without the fat.

Spicy vegetarian chili simmers kidney and pinto beans with tomatoes, jalapeños, and bell peppers in a bloomed chili-cumin base. Ready in under an hour, hearty without the meat.

Hearty Russian beet soup (borscht) loaded with beef, bacon, kielbasa, cabbage, potatoes, and navy beans in a sweet-sour broth. A slow-simmered weekend project topped with sour cream.

Florida Keys black bean dip blended with balsamic vinegar, orange juice, red onion, and garlic. No-cook, five ingredients, ready in minutes.

Vegetarian minestrone soup with kidney beans, potatoes, spaghetti, and a unique twist of cilantro and shoyu (soy sauce). A hearty, pantry-friendly one-pot meal.

Slow cooker chicken chili with browned thighs, dried navy beans, crushed tomatoes, green chiles, and sharp cheddar. Set it in the morning, come home to a bowl of smoky, spicy comfort.

Soupe au pistou, a Provencal vegetable soup with white beans, potatoes, pasta, and a fresh basil-garlic-olive oil pistou stirred in at the table. France's answer to Italian minestrone.

Southern-style green beans simmered low with smoked turkey wing, onion, garlic, and red potatoes. Pork-free soul food classic with deep smoky flavor.

Reno Red competition-style chili with coarse-ground beef, dried red chiles, cumin, oregano brewed in beer, and masa flour. No beans, all meat, pure heat.

Santa Maria beans made with pinto beans, bacon, ham, tomato puree, and red chile sauce. The classic California Central Coast side dish for tri-tip barbecue, slow-simmered until rich and tender.

Chicken chili with kidney beans, diced apples, and tomato juice simmered low and slow for two hours. A lighter chili with a surprising sweet-savory twist from fresh apples.

Foolproof frying batter with flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and water. No eggs needed. Crispy, light, and works on any vegetable, fish, or seafood.

Shrimp in lobster sauce, the classic Cantonese takeout dish: egg-white-marinated shrimp tossed with ground pork, fermented black beans, garlic, ginger, and silky egg ribbons. No lobster, all flavor.