Photography: Will Horner, Styling: Michele Cranston
Beans are kind of a big deal on TikTok right now. In fact, there’s a whole sub-section of the site known as #beantok where bean buffs bang on about their favourite bean recipes and how much their lives have changed since upping their daily bean count. You might dismiss it as bloated hype and hot air, but it turns out the buzz is totally justified. Beans really are good for you, and in Australia, we’re not eating enough of them.
But that’s all about to change – for you anyway, because this collection features delicious, nutritious and deeply satisfying meals starring red kidney beans, chickpeas, soybeans, black beans, cannellini beans—every variety you need to transform your bean game.
What’s so good about beans?
- They are cheap to buy and dried, tinned and frozen versions keep for long periods
- They are nutritious, rich in both protein and fibre, as well as potassium and magnesium, which support heart health
- They are low-GI, meaning they help to maintain steady blood sugar levels
- They support gut health by aiding the production of short-chain fatty acids and feeding beneficial gut bacteria
The best bean recipes to try
Cajun chicken salad
With crispy croutons
If you’re not already adding beans to your salads, what are you waiting for? It helps to increase the fibre, protein and keeps you feeling fuller for longer. If you’re tired of the same old boring salad, you need to try this Cajun chicken number.
Featured beans:
- Mixed beans
Mexican baked meatballs
Rich and smoky.
Let us introduce you to a new family favourite: Mexican-style baked meatballs with smoky beans. It’s the perfect slow Sunday dinner – and you’ll feel accomplished when the homemade meatballs disappear before your eyes.
Featured beans:
- Smoky barbecue baked beans
Clarissa’s steamed pork belly ribs
In black bean marinade
The secret to Clarissa’s pork belly ribs is the fermented black beans that form the foundation of her pork marinade. “[Fermented black beans] taste a little bit like soya sauce, they give that umami flavour to your dish,” she says.
Featured beans:
- Fermented black beans
Roast chicken
With braised fennel and cannellini beans
Roast chicken and potatoes? So yesterday. Try roast chicken on a bed of braised beans instead! The best part about this recipe is that it’s gentle on your budget, costing $4.95 per serve. Winner winner, chicken dinner!
Featured beans:
- Canellini beans
Epic summer salad
Featuring summer’s best produce.
Picture this: It’s a hot day, you want something fresh, but you don’t feel like cooking … this is the recipe to pull out of your back pocket. It’s got tomatoes, baby spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, mangoes, avocados (aka summer’s best produce ever) and beans of course!
Featured beans:
- Black beans
Pork stew
With herby dumplings
Green beans may not get as much attention as cannellini beans or chickpeas, but they’re definitely just as impressive. They’re rich in vitamins (K, C and A) as well as folate. They’re the perfect side-kick to this heartwarming pork stew. This recipe requires about 25-minutes of prep all up, but once it’s in the oven, you can basically let it do its thing. Don’t skip the dumplings – they really take this dish to the next level.
Featured beans:
- Green beans
Chicken dumpling soup
With vegies of your choice
Good things take time, but this recipe is worth it. Take time to make the chicken stock from scratch, as this forms the foundation for the entire meal. Boost the nutritional profile by choosing a mix of vegetables – but to keep things on theme, don’t skip the broad beans!
Featured beans:
- Broad beans
Sausage and bean bake
A bean-dense one-pan wonder
Sausages are a weeknight dinner staple, but if you need more imaginative ways to serve them (no offence to classic bangers and mash), look to Colin’s recipe for inspiration. Once the white beans have been soaked, everything else happens in a single dish – a delicious dinner with less washing up!
Featured beans:
- White beans
Air fryer sweet potato skins
With chickpea curry
This dish has a lot going for it. Firstly, it’s cheap, coming in at $3.90 per serve. Secondly, it’s made in the air fryer. But we’re just getting started. We haven’t even mentioned how delicious and filling it is! It’s also perfect for using up that last bit of leftover curry paste lurking in your fridge.
Featured beans:
- Chickpeas
Ratatouille
An oldy but a goody
Fight food waste and increase your fibre intake with a single recipe. Here, you can use whatever vegies are in your fridge to make a soup that’ll make you feel good from the inside out. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a few sprigs of fresh coriander.
Featured beans:
- Green beans
- Chickpeas
White bean gnocchi
With soy beans and lemon butter
Fast Ed’s white bean gnocchi recipe is made entirely without potatoes! This is the kind of recipe that uses such simple ingredients you think it couldn’t possibly be flavoursome, but trust us, it is. Top with parmesan and enjoy!
Featured beans:
- Soy beans
- Cannellini beans
Beef brisket tacos
A fibre-rich family favourite
Tacos and black beans – how original! But seriously, if you’re a taco Tuesdays family, consider adding black beans to your usual favourite toppings. We love this beef brisket taco recipe, which is a great alternative to the minced beef version we’re all guilty of making far too often.
Featured beans:
- Black beans
Greek-inspired quinoa salad
With lemon-feta dressing
One way to ensure you’re getting more nutrients into your diet is to eat vegies in all colours! This salad recipe will help you achieve that. Quinoa and chickpeas make this salad feel hearty and satisfying.
Featured beans:
- Chickpeas
Warm smashed potato and radicchio salad
Nutritious and just a little bit naughty
We all reach a point on our ‘healthy eating journey’ when we’re suddenly craving something we know we shouldn’t eat (hot chips). This salad, with its golden, crunchy, smashed potatoes helps scratch the itch without totally giving up all those hard-won good habits. Artichoke, edamame and watercress help balance out the indulgence of all that baked-potato-ey goodness.
Featured beans:
- Edamame
Broad bean, lemon and mint bruschetta
A filling twist on the original
Everyone needs a recipe up their sleeve for nights when they don’t feel like cooking. In this recipe, broad beans take plain old toast to the next level, making it filling, nutritious and satisfying. It also works for a delicious breakfast on the go!
Featured beans:
- Broad beans
Red beans and rice
Flavoursome and filling.
Red beans are rich in fibre, folate, iron, potassium and vitamin K1. Incorporate them into your diet more often with this one-pan wonder from Fast Ed. With chorizo and chicken, this dish is rich in protein too and makes enough for four.
Featured beans:
- Red beans
Chickpea green curry
With zucchini and spinach
Beans belong in your curry. Trust us on this one. This recipe is filled with flavoursome ingredients such as ginger, kafir lime leaves, coriander, mint and the juice of two limes.
Featured beans:
- Chickpeas
