Beans and Grain Recipes

Bean salad with mustard-tahini-soy marinade, scallions, carrots, and parsley stuffed into pita with alfalfa sprouts. A protein-packed vegetarian lunch ready in 25 minutes.

Navajo tacos built on Indian fry bread and loaded with seasoned ground beef, pinto beans in homemade New Mexican red chile sauce, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes.

Salmagundi casserole with chili-spiced meatballs baked over a three-bean base of baked beans, kidney beans, and limas in a sweet molasses and brown sugar sauce.

Lemon chiffon pie with a lemon-zest shortbread crust, cloud-light gelatin-set citrus filling, and a topping of fresh whipped cream. Bright, fluffy, refreshing.

Simple curried lentils with browned onions, garlic, and curry powder served over rice. A vegan, high-protein meal from seven pantry ingredients in one hour.

Potée Auvergnate is the rustic French farmhouse stew of cabbage, beans, potatoes, and three kinds of pork (bacon, sausage, smoked chops) slow-braised together in one pot. Hearty mountain cooking from central France.

Smoky kielbasa red beans and rice made in the microwave in 30 minutes. Pinto beans, tomato sauce, and cayenne bring bold Cajun-style flavor to this one-pot weeknight dinner.

Hearty Shaker bean soup simmered with a ham bone, navy beans, tomatoes, carrots, and spinach. A rustic American heritage recipe that feeds 12 and gets better every hour it cooks.

Fettuccine topped with a spicy Mexican bean sauce made from kidney beans, stewed tomatoes, green chiles, and cilantro. A hearty vegetarian pasta dinner ready in 30 minutes.

Easy red beans and rice with smoked sausage, the Cajun-leaning weeknight skillet. Canned beans and tomatoes plus the holy trinity (onion, bell pepper, garlic) come together in 40 minutes for a one-pot dinner over rice.

Pureed black bean soup simmered in chicken broth with garlic and carrots, finished with heavy cream. Topped with sour cream, cilantro, and diced tomatoes.

A gallon-jar fermented vegetable pickle with cauliflower, green beans, peppers, onions, green tomatoes, and olives cured in a garlicky dill brine. Ready after 10 days of room-temperature fermentation.

Black bean and smoked chicken soup turns BBQ-glazed baked chicken and a hit of liquid smoke into a creamy, smoky bowl. Evaporated skim milk keeps it light while black beans and broccoli make it filling. Big flavor, low fat.

Apple bean bake with great northern beans, tart apples, onions, brown sugar, and a hint of cinnamon. A sweet-savory baked bean side that turns Sunday supper into something special.

Vegan Italian barley simmered with chunky tomatoes, green pepper, garlic, oregano, and basil. An oil-free, high-fiber side dish that reheats well.

Korean-style marinated mung bean sprouts (sukju namul) with sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, garlic, and green onions. A crunchy, nutty side dish ready in under 20 minutes.