Budget Bean Recipes

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(Updated on September 22, 2025)

When I was growing up, budget bean recipes comprised most of our main meals.

Baked beans are a staple in Southern cooking. I don’t think I’ve ever sampled a spoonful of baked beans that I didn’t like. Smoky or sweet, I love all kinds of beans. Beans are the perfect source of protein.

I keep canned beans in the pantry for a fast meal these days. But back then, my grandma canned the beans in Mason jars and kept them in the cellar.

Budget Bean Recipes:

I’ve found budget-friendly bean recipes that provide protein, fill you up, and are easy on your budget.

Black Bean Burrito Bowls:

This black bean recipe is so simple to make. It uses canned black beans, yellow rice, corn, and your preferred salad greens.

Add onion, Pico de Gallo, tomatoes, sour cream, grated cheese, and flavorings preferred.

The best thing about burrito bowls is the wide variety of foods you can add to them. They are delicious, quick, and easy to make, and they are also nutritious. You can make this meal ahead of time by keeping the greens and cold toppings separate from the other ingredients.

Cook the rice and assemble your meal with your desired toppings for a budget bean recipe meal.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad:

This recipe’s source of protein is garbanzo beans, but it also contains herbs with a garlicky lemon dressing. Red bell pepper, celery, and red onion are added. Top with greens for an even healthier dish.

This legume, also known as garbanzo beans, is high in protein and makes an excellent replacement for meat in vegetarian and vegan dishes. All canned beans are budget-friendly.

And this is just one in a long line of beans (or legumes). There are Great Northern beans, cannellini beans, soybeans, navy beans, pinto beans, red beans, kidney beans, and many more varieties.

Taco Soup With Beans:

This is an easy meal that I often cook for myself. You can use ground beef or turkey, whichever you prefer. I typically use ground turkey.

This bean recipe calls for pinto and black beans. But I usually use other types of canned beans in my taco soup.

Canned diced tomatoes and tomato sauce are also included if desired. Add frozen or canned corn, along with onion and garlic powder. I like adding an envelope of dry ranch dressing mix to give it extra flavor and a bit of taco seasoning. This is my recipe for taco soup.

Taco soup is excellent and served with cornbread or tortilla chips. You can also add sour cream, cheese, and/or avocado. I like to freeze quart baggies with taco soup for a fast and filling meal.

Baked Cannellini Beans:

This white bean recipe can be served as a main or a side dish. Its ingredients include canned cannellini beans, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and seasonings.

Top with shredded Parmesan and Fontina cheese.

Chickpea & Orzo Salad:

This bean recipe has canned chickpeas, orzo pasta, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon, garlic, and toasted almonds. The herbs include fresh parsley and basil.

This recipe is filled with Mediterranean flavor and packed with fiber, nutrients, and green vegetables.

This budget bean dish can be eaten as a light meal or a side dish.

BBQ Pinto Bean Burgers:

This budget pinto bean burger recipe might be just what you’re looking for if you don’t like to eat meat.

First, the beans are dried on a sheet pan. Then, they are added to a bowl, mashed, and the other ingredients are added.

Beaten eggs are added to the bean mixture. Mix well, form patties, and rest them on waxed paper.

You can cook the bean patty in a skillet or griddle in a bit of oil. Alternatively, you can bake your bean burgers on an oiled sheet pan instead of frying.

Black Bean & Veggie Burritos:

These vegetarian burritos are stuffed with sauteed peppers, onions, corn, black beans, green chili rice, and creamy guacamole.

This budget bean dish recipe is also freezer-friendly.

Olive Garden Minestrone Soup:

This minestrone recipe calls for various vegetables cooked in a savory broth. Onions, carrots, celery, and zucchini are sauteed.

Then tomatoes, vegetable broth, pasta, and beans are added. Simmer and serve.

This budget bean soup recipe would be delicious with cheesy garlic bread or a grilled cheese sandwich on a cold winter night.

Loaded Veggie Nachos With Beans:

This budget-friendly bean recipe is a quick, easy, and impromptu meal perfect for when guests drop by.

Put the cooked nachos in the middle of the table, hand out plates, and let them chow down! This recipe will yield approximately six servings.

When I’m stumped for something to eat, I usually go with a budget bean recipe for nachos because I almost always have tortilla chips, a can of beans, and shredded cheese already in the fridge. This is not a fancy meal, but it connects the dots for color, flavor, and protein.

You can use black beans, but they tend to dry out while cooking. I opt for pinto beans because I like the taste better, and they seem easier on my tummy.

If you line the sheet pan with parchment paper, it’s easy to clean, too.

Ways To Decrease Gas When Eating Beans:

Rinse canned beans without the sauce before eating or using them in recipes. (Rinsing also reduces the sodium content of canned beans.)

When you’re eating canned beans, some of the gas-causing carbohydrates have already been broken down, making them easier to digest.

• Eat fruit or sugar foods 2 – 3 hours away from a meal with beans
• Eat only one protein with this meal
• Potatoes can interfere with the digestion of beans, so it’s best to avoid eating them together.
• Pair a whole grain with beans for a complementary meal.

The best way to reduce the problem is to eat more beans. People who eat beans regularly have the least trouble digesting them. Since beans provide both protein and are easy on the budget, it’s wise to plan meals around them.

The benefit of eating more of these sugars in beans is that it promotes the growth of intestinal bacteria. This type of bacteria creates an environment in the colon that lowers the risk of cancer.

Ways To Deal With Painful Stomach Gas:

1. Sip Warm Water
2. Herbal Teas
3. Apple Cider Vinegar
4. Fennel Seeds
5. Peppermint
6. Ginger
7. Baking Soda
8. Abdominal Massage
9. Clove Oil

Trapped gas is painful because it creates pressure in your digestive tract. Gas that builds up in your stomach or the left side of your colon (large intestine) can feel like chest pain.

To help release gas, try lying on your left side. This follows the natural flow of gas in the large intestine and may help release it more easily.

Best Canned Baked Beans:

I love having budget-friendly bean recipes on the menu, and I’ve found some of the best canned baked beans recipes. Sometimes adding a little of this and a little of that vastly improves the taste of canned baked beans.

Baked beans are a summer favorite for casual dinners, picnics, and potlucks. However, I like to make budget-stretching baked beans year-round. I probably cook baked beans about once a month, serving them as a side dish with meat or with a sandwich.

Budget beans are so versatile. You can dress them up or dress them down, just like choosing an outfit to wear to an event.

My favorite can of beans for baked beans is Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans. I don’t care for the bacon in some canned beans, and vegetarian baked beans only contain beans.

After the initial meal, I’ll eat refrigerated cold baked beans for days with whatever is on the menu.

Canned beans will undoubtedly stretch the budget if used for the main meal. I always keep them in my pantry.