I'm a Dietitian & These Are 12 Budget-Friendly Recipes I Make with a Can of Beans (2024)

FAQs

How to make beans from a can? ›

I like to sprinkle in some taco seasoning, but you could add whatever spices you like — garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder are all good calls. Then, you mash the beans up directly in the pan and add just a little bit of vinegar at the end to really make the beans sing.

Those aromatics in the pot will revolutionize the beans' final flavor. The aromatics I tend to use are onions, carrots, garlic, and celery, and then heartier, woodsy herbs, like rosemary, sage, and thyme, which marry beautifully with the earthy-sweet flavor of beans.

Caramelized Onion + Bacon + Espresso Powder

Slowly caramelize a chopped onion in a bit of oil, then add bacon and cook until crispy. Add the can of beans and stir, making sure to scrape up any tasty bits that have stuck to the pan. To finish, toss in a pinch of espresso powder for an extra hit of earthy flavor.

For soups, stews and anything else liquidy, feel free to use the whole can — just keep in mind that you'll be adding more liquid than if the recipe calls for drained and rinsed beans.

In order to properly reduce the sodium from canned beans, it is important to rinse them correctly. "Draining and rinsing canned beans can reduce their sodium content by more than 40 percent.

Modern cooking websites often say it doesn't matter. In a way, they're both right. Soaking beans can help improve the texture of the final product once the beans are cooked and reduce the gas produced when the food is being digested. But it isn't necessary to soak them.

While lard has been replaced with vegetable oil or shortening in many households, the distinct richness and velvety texture it imparts to a skillet of refried beans is hard to beat. The closest substitute for lard is bacon grease, which is another form of rendered pork fat that's arguably even more flavorful.

Heat to boiling; boil for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak for up to 4 hours. Hot soaking is the preferred method since it reduces cooking time, helps dissolve some of the gas-causing substances in beans, and most consistently produces tender beans.

Soaking dried beans before cooking lowers their potassium level in a big way. Try it with chickpeas and lentils as well! Soak them for 12 hours, then boil them or cook them in your pressure cooker or on the stove.

How do you heat a can of beans? ›

put the beans in a pot..and heat on the stove..or put in a microwave safe dish and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes on high. Check to see if they are warm enough for you. If not stir them and return to the microwave for another minute. Repeat procedure until the beans are the warmth you want.

Pack the beans into canning jars, cover with water and a little salt, and add your 2 part canning lids. Load your pressure canner (not cooker) and process the beans in the pressure canner for 75 minutes (pints) or 90 minutes (quarts)* See altitude notes below for pressure settings.

Canned kidney beans are PRE-COOKED and ready to eat out of the can or add to a prepared dish. Raw or undercooked kidney beans do indeed contain a toxin that will make you sick (but won't kill you) but undercooking is only an issue if you prepare the beans from dry.

Drain and rinse well. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.