12 Things You Should Be Doing With Canned Beans And Lentils

If you are ready to discover the secret to whipping up delicious meals in a flash and want to learn novel ways to use the humble legume, we're diving into a sea of canned beans and lentils (not literally). These pantry staples may not seem like much at first glance, but they hold incredible potential to expand your culinary horizons.

Whether you're a busy professional craving a quick and nutritious dinner, a student on a tight budget, or simply someone who loves exploring various flavors, canned beans and lentils are about to become your new best friends. We're going to unlock their magic by sharing our favorite tips on how to incorporate them into your meals.

Forget any preconceived notions you may have about bland, boring canned goods. We'll show you how to elevate them to new heights and give you ideas you might not have thought of before. So, grab a can opener and prepare to explore tantalizing recipes, methods, and ideas to redefine your relationship with canned beans.

Are you ready to level up your soup game? One way to do so is to embrace the wonder of canned beans and lentils. If you're looking for an ingredient to thicken a soup that's turned out frustratingly watery, blending in a can of beans will do the trick. White beans have a more subtle flavor profile, making them a great choice if you don't want the taste to be front and center.

That said, beans can absolutely be a major player in your soup recipe. Just look at this white bean and kale soup, for example. Since there are so many different types of legumes, you can choose one that complements the other components of your soup. For instance, one with hearty Mexican spices would work well with black beans or red beans, while a more delicate soup would benefit from cannellini beans or chickpeas.

Convenience is an additional benefit of using canned legumes. Unlike their dried counterparts, canned ones are already cooked and tender, so you can skip the hours of soaking and simmering. But, let's not overlook their nutritional benefits. They're high in fiber and protein, making your soup filling, and more of a main course affair than an appetizer. As a bonus, they're extremely affordable, so you could make a bean soup meal for just a few bucks.

Many people are trying to reduce their meat intake, whether for environmental or ethical reasons. But, commercial mock meats can be expensive and act as a deterrent to those attempting to cut back. So, let's spill the beans on why affordable, nutritious canned lentils and beans make perfect meat replacements.

There are a number of ways you can use canned legumes for this purpose. The simplest is to use canned green or brown lentils as a substitute for ground beef. Their shape and texture make them a similar alternative to use in any recipe that uses ground beef. Popular options include Bolognese, lasagne, and shepherd's pie. A can of lentils is significantly cheaper than ground beef and all you need to do is open it, drain off the liquid, and add the legumes to the dish. Just make sure not to add them too early in the cooking process in order to retain their shape.

You can also use beans as an ingredient in a type of mock meat called seitan. Usually, it is made using a high-gluten flour called vital wheat gluten, water, and seasonings. However, some recipes incorporate blended chickpeas or other beans. This variation is sometimes called "chickwheat," and it results in a more tender seitan texture.

If you usually tip the liquid from your cans of beans down the sink when you drain them, you're actually discarding a vital ingredient: aquafaba. It might sound like a fancy skincare line, but aquafaba refers to the liquid found in an ordinary can of chickpeas.

When you whip the cloudy liquid in a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, it forms stiff peaks, just like egg whites. If you need to see it to believe it, just grab your nearest can of chickpeas and get whisking. The liquid found in other cans of beans may also work, but results are more varied, so you're better off starting with chickpeas and experimenting from there.

This opens up a wormhole to a whole new universe of vegan and egg-free baked goods. No longer do vegans and the egg-avoidant need to go without meringues, pavlovas, macarons, and other baked goods that rely heavily on egg whites. But, it's not just these meringue-based desserts that can benefit from the help of bean juice. It also works as an egg replacer in a lot of standard baked goods. While beginners might prefer to use recipes that already contain aquafaba as they're more likely to be reliable, you can also try adapting non-vegan recipes. The general guideline is to use 3 tablespoons of aquafaba to replace one whole egg.

Canned beans and lentils will make you say goodbye to store-bought dips and hello to homemade goodness. While you might make the most delicious dips using beans that you've cooked from dried, you simply can't beat the speed and ease of using canned legumes.

Let's start with hummus — this Middle Eastern dip is a classic choice and so good when you make it from scratch. Chickpeas are a key ingredient, along with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. If you want to make it delectably smooth and you have the time, try removing the skins from your chickpeas. It might sound like a nightmare, but it's quicker than you'd think and it makes a big difference to the texture, especially if you don't have a high-speed blender.

However, hummus isn't the be-all-and-end-all of bean-based dips. You can make similar dips from any canned beans or lentils. This gives you a great opportunity to experiment with flavor profiles. For instance, you could use red beans, chili powder, and lime juice for a bold dip, or navy beans and dill for something more subtle and delicate.

A classic pizza is usually topped with tomato sauce. However, there are all kinds of alternatives for those who want to mix things up. You've probably tried a white pizza with a creamy béchamel sauce base or a pizza topped with zingy barbecue sauce. Perhaps you've even had pizza with pesto or blended pumpkin as the sauce. But, there's one variation you might not have heard of: white bean pizza.

This version uses blended white beans, such as navy or cannellini, as the sauce. White beans have a delectable creamy texture that creates a luscious, satisfying base when spread over a pizza crust. It's a departure from traditional tomato sauce, but you can still top the beans with sliced tomato before cooking and top it with the cheese of your choice — although it also tastes great without those extras.

White beans bring a delicate, nutty flavor to pizza that nicely complements other toppings. Consider the possibilities: earthy roasted garlic, spicy chilis, aromatic rosemary, or a healthy drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Pine nuts are excellent if you're looking to add some crunch, while a handful of arugula and basil tossed on top after cooking gives white bean pizza a fresh finish.

It's time to bring canned legumes into the taco fold. If you're prepared to get creative, there are all kinds of ways you can use them in taco recipes, so it's a perfect choice if you want to experiment.

For a simple option, just open a can of beans, mix them with a few other ingredients, and stuff them inside tortillas. If you're ready to do a bit more cooking, these sweet potato and black bean tacos are ideal. Red kidney beans and pinto beans are great candidates for tacos too. It's easy to season them any way you want, but a squeeze of lime and a pinch of smoked paprika, cumin, and coriander go a long way. You can also add beans into the equation by taking canned beans and turning them into refried beans. Once you've made your refried beans, scoop them into taco shells or tortillas with other toppings of your choice, such as guacamole, salsa, and cilantro.

Canned lentils also make a great substitute for ground beef, so take your favorite meaty recipe and simply swap in lentils to make it more affordable and suitable for your veggie friends or family. What's more, you could try making seitan from blended beans and use this as a meat alternative in your tacos.