14 Money-Saving Bean Recipes

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The cost of groceries doesn’t seem to be falling anytime soon, but we’ve still got to eat right? That’s why having some delicious bean recipes can come in really handy when the budget is tight. Beans are nutritious, delicious, versatile, filling, and inexpensive, especially when you buy them dry. Here are fourteen money-saving bean recipes to keep your belly full without emptying out your wallet.

1. High-Protein Dense Bean Salad

Side view of a large High-Protein Dense Bean Salad.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

Dense bean salads are quite popular right now because they are filling, inexpensive, and quite tasty! This high-protein dense bean salad uses two different kinds of beans and your favorite salad ingredients for a meal you’ll love. It’s excellent for meal prep too, and you can eat it for several days and still enjoy it.

2. Instant Pot Lentil Tortilla Stew

A closeup of a white crock filled with Lentil Tortilla Stew and garnished with chopped tomatoes, tortilla pieces and fresh cilantro.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

If you are looking for a quick, healthy, comforting meal, try this Instant Pot lentil tortilla stew recipe. Lentils, tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions combined with vegetable broth and Mexican seasonings make this a flavorful meal that everyone is sure to enjoy. 

3. White Bean Soup

A white bowl hold a serving of white bean soup and is garnished with fresh parsley.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

A comforting Italian soup made with cannellini beans, vegetables, garlic, herbs, and optional bacon. It’s a perfect light meal or side dish. It’s a great soup for the warmer months because it can be served cold.

4. Lentil Dal

An overhead view of a bowl with lentil dal served over rice.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

Warm and comforting, this lentil dal is the perfect meal to make on a weeknight. The cooked lentils are flavored with generous amounts of Indian spices, and a bowl of brown rice or naan on the side makes it extra filling.

5. Italian Navy Bean Soup 

An overhead view of a white bowl filled with Italian navy bean soup.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

Italian navy bean soup is quick and easy to make and will leave you with a hearty filling meal that is perfect for cooler temperatures. Navy beans, bacon, onions, tomatoes, and chicken broth come together for a delicious soup the whole family will enjoy. 

6. Huevos Rancheros 

A square, white platter with huevos ranchers on it. A corn tortilla with refried beans and an over medium egg on top.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

If you need a hearty breakfast to start your day, then huevos rancheros may be the perfect dish for you. Corn tortillas, salsa, refried beans, and eggs cooked your favorite way all combine for a quick and easy breakfast you are going to love.

7. Easy Lentil Loaf

A side view of lentil loaf sliced on a cutting board and garnished with fresh greens.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

You don’t have to be a vegan or vegetarian to enjoy a good plant-based meal. Introducing some plant-based meals to your meal plan is a great way to reduce your grocery budget, and it’s good for your health, too. This easy lentil loaf is delicious, filling, and a great substitution for meatloaf. 

8. Kung Pao Chickpeas

An overhead view of Kung Pao Chickpeas in a bowl on a gray surface.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry

Craving a Chinese dinner but not really wanting to grab takeout? Then check out this recipe for Kung Pao chickpeas. It has all of the flavors you are craving from a Chinese meal but in a healthy, vegetarian version. 

9. Quinoa Chili

A closeup of a bowl of quinoa chili.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

Looking for a meal that you can pull straight out of the pantry and have on the table in under 30 minutes? Then this quinoa chili recipe is for you. Delicious and filling and perfect for a busy weeknight when you want a warm, comforting meal for dinner. 

10. Instant Pot Lentil Curry

A bowl of orange colored curry lentils in a blue bowl.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

If you are looking for a tasty, comforting, plant-based meal to share for dinner, you might like this Instant Pot lentil curry. Sweet potatoes, onions, coconut milk, curry, and cumin all come together to make this a meal you are going to want to share. 

11. Hearty Bean Chowder

A wood ladle scoops up a scoop of bean chowder from a soup pot.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

If you want a delicious, hearty, and tasty meal that makes plenty to eat now and freeze for later, then check out this recipe for hearty bean chowder. Four different types of beans, stewed tomatoes, and stock are the basics of this delicious recipe, but there are lots of different things you can add in or top it with to make it your own. 

12. Refried Bean Soup

A small bowl of Refried Bean Soup on a wood table. A wood spoon lays next to the bowl.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

If you are looking for a quick lunch or dinner to throw together straight from your pantry, then this is the one to try. To make refried bean soup, all you need are your favorite refried beans, water, and salsa. This easy meal is sure to be a family favorite and it’s a great money saver.

13. Sweet Potato Vegetable Chili

A white bowl filled with Sweet Potato Vegetable Chili.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

Chili doesn’t have to have meat in it to taste amazing, and this sweet potato vegetable chili is all the proof you need. Sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, tomatoes, and pinto beans combined with vegetable stock and spices make a hearty and flavorful dish that will leave you wanting more.

14. Chickpea Curry

An overhead view of a wood bowl filled with Chickpea Curry and garnished with fresh cilantro and a lime wedge.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

This chickpea curry is everything you could hope for from a bowl of curry. You can enjoy it as is, or serve it over rice and enjoy it with a side of naan. It’s a simple recipe that relies heavily on its spices, as curry typically does. It’s aromatic, delicious, and quite nutritious to boot.

More From The Gracious Pantry

A dutch oven with a cooked whole chicken topped with rosemary twigs.
Photo Credit: The Gracious Pantry.

Need more dinner ideas? These can help. Chicken and turkey are very versatile foods that can be used to create an unlimited number of dinners. Here are 118 ideas to get you started.

Author: Tiffany McCauley

Title: Food and Travel Journalist

Expertise: Food, cooking, travel

Bio:

Tiffany McCauley is a nationally syndicated journalist and an award-winning cookbook author and food blogger. She has been featured on MSN, Huffington Post, Country Living Magazine, HealthLine, Redbook, and many more. Her food specialty is healthy comfort food recipes.

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