Beans and Grain Recipes

Braune Bohnen, German green beans in a savory brown gravy: a dark roux loosened with broth and seasoned with a clove-studded onion, bay and a touch of sugar, then folded with al dente green beans. A cozy old-world side dish.

Outrageous baked beans combines four kinds of canned beans with chili sauce, brown sugar, hot chilies, and crumbled bacon in a slow-simmered, sweet-and-spicy crock pot side built for cookouts.

Freezer-friendly candied chicken glazed with maple syrup, ketchup, and white vinegar. Sweet, tangy, and ready to reheat over rice, pasta, or potatoes on busy nights.

Hunter's minestrone with cubed beef, kidney beans, pasta shells, and red wine simmered for four hours in three stages. A hearty, meaty Italian soup built for cold weather.

Stuffed green bell peppers filled with brown rice, chopped nuts, and herbs simmered in tomato juice. A vegetarian main dish baked with the pepper lids on.

Spicy bean cake made with mashed pinto beans, diced apples, raisins, and warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Add cocoa for a chocolate version.

Homemade refried beans mashed to a creamy, lard-kissed puree with queso fresco crumbles and crispy tortilla chips. A 35-minute Mexican side dish that puts the canned stuff to shame.

Five-day beans: a slow-cook project where dried limas soak, simmer with aromatics, rest, and finish under a crusty cream and breadcrumb topping. Bean heaven for patient cooks.

Fresh tomato, bacon, and onion fettuccine tossed with crumbled bacon cooked in its own drippings, chopped tomato, and basil. Five ingredients, dinner for two.

Four-bean salad marinated for two days in a sweet wine vinegar and cider vinegar dressing with tarragon and basil. Green beans, wax beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas layered with sliced onion rings.

Old-fashioned home baked beans with navy beans, salt pork, molasses, and dry mustard. Slow-baked for 6 hours in a bean pot for deep, smoky-sweet flavor.

A quick vegan curry with chickpeas, potatoes, tri-color peppers, and apples over brown rice. Weeknight-friendly and ready in 40 minutes.

Hearty Portuguese rubble soup (sopa de entulho) loaded with red kidney beans, pumpkin, turnips, carrots, potatoes, and hand-torn cabbage. A warming, rustic one-pot meal.

Louisiana red beans and rice simmered with a meaty ham bone, smoked sausage, the holy trinity, and hot sauce. Soaked overnight, slow-cooked, and served over fluffy rice with scallions.

Indian-style fried green beans with coconut, black mustard seeds, fresh ginger, coriander, and a squeeze of lemon. A flavorful vegetarian side dish ready in 35 minutes.

Roasted red pepper pasta tosses pasta wheels with charred bell peppers, chickpeas, scallions, fresh basil, tarragon, and capers. No-oil low-fat vegan main with bold Mediterranean flavor.