Healthy Recipes Mealtimes Dinner Our 23 Best Black Bean Recipes for Dinner By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 20, 2024 Close Black beans help make dinner both nutritious and flavorful. That’s why we’ve rounded up the recipes EatingWell readers love to make the most. From black bean soups and chilis to burgers and enchiladas, we’re sure you’ll enjoy these dishes since each recipe has earned four- and five-star reviews from readers. Make our Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes to spruce up a classic weeknight meal, or have our Black Bean Fajita Skillet on the table in just 15 minutes alongside your favorite toppings. 01 of 23 Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top. View Recipe 02 of 23 Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole Think of this vegetarian enchilada casserole as a veggie-packed Mexican-inspired lasagna with corn tortillas standing in for the noodles! If your peppers are mild and you like heat, opt for spicy pico de gallo. This easy vegetarian dinner recipe is sure to become a new family favorite. View Recipe 03 of 23 Beef & Bean Sloppy Joes This healthy copycat recipe of the comfort food classic trades beans for some of the meat to bump up fiber by 7 grams. We also cut back on the sugar and ketchup in this Sloppy Joe recipe makeover to save you 12 grams of added sugar. View Recipe 04 of 23 Sweet Potato, Corn & Black Bean Hash Quick and easy hashes are fabulous one-pot meals for those nights when getting dinner on the table fast is a priority. View Recipe 05 of 23 Black Bean Fajita Skillet You can often find presliced and ready-to-cook fresh vegetables in your grocer's produce section. Use these to your advantage to cut down on dinnertime prep. Here, presliced fajita vegetables are sautéed with canned black beans and Southwest seasoning for a quick and easy Tex Mex-inspired meal. Plus, this recipe requires just three ingredients, not including basics like salt, pepper and oil. You can easily take your bowl up a notch by adding some cheese, sour cream or another tasty topping. View Recipe 06 of 23 Sweet Potato-Black Bean Burgers These vegan sweet potato-black bean burgers spiced with curry powder are easy to make. Blending the mixture with your hands gives you a soft, uniform texture then the outside gets crispy by cooking in a cast-iron pan. To make this recipe gluten-free too, use gluten-free oats and serve the patty in a lettuce wrap, omitting the bun. View Recipe 07 of 23 The Best Veggie Enchiladas Photographer: Jacob Fox, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Joseph Wanek These veggie enchiladas are packed with sweet corn, onion, peppers, zucchini and beans and are coated with store-bought enchilada sauce to save time on prep. Enchilada sauce ranges from mild to hot. We like the earthy flavor of red enchilada sauce, but green enchilada sauce works well too. For a slightly different spin, substitute yellow squash for the zucchini and a poblano for the bell pepper. View Recipe 08 of 23 Butternut Squash & Black Bean Tostadas The butternut squash-and-black bean base in these healthy vegetarian tostadas has a mild, sweet-spicy flavor thanks to ancho chile powder. If you can't find ancho chile powder, other mildly spicy chili powder can be used. Serve with your favorite hot sauce. View Recipe 09 of 23 Cilantro Bean Burgers with Creamy Avocado-Lime Slaw Lighten up your burger! Bean patties have less saturated fat and more fiber than beef patties. They're also cheaper and easier to cook indoors--and we promise they're just as satisfying, especially with the mouthwatering creamy slaw on top. View Recipe 10 of 23 Black Bean Quesadillas In a hurry? These satisfying quesadillas take just 15 minutes to make. We like them with black beans, but pinto beans work well too. If you like a little heat, be sure to use pepper Jack cheese in the filling. Serve with: A little sour cream and a mixed green salad. View Recipe 11 of 23 Black Bean-Cauliflower "Rice" Bowl This aromatic cauliflower rice bowl comes together in minutes and is a simple meal for one. Using frozen riced cauliflower instead of rice reduces the carb content—and makes for quicker prep. View Recipe 12 of 23 Bean & Beef Taco Soup This taco soup is filled with quintessential taco ingredients and flavors—from two types of hearty beans, to corn and ground beef—but it's the toppings that really make this soup stand out. Better yet, this healthy soup is easy to make and leftovers freeze beautifully for later. View Recipe 13 of 23 Cheesy Beef & Black Bean Skillet Casserole Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Think of this creamy skillet casserole as a one-pan taco. The corn tortillas crisp up under the broiler, adding crunch to go with the creamy filling. If you enjoy a bit of spiciness, opt for hot salsa or chipotle salsa for some smoky undertones. Tomatillo salsa works well, too, adding tang and a fresh flavor to this easy skillet dinner. View Recipe 14 of 23 Easy Vegetarian Chili Canned beans and tomatoes make this quick vegetarian chili recipe ready to go in just 30 minutes. Serve over rice or couscous, or with tortilla chips for added crunch, and add extra toppings as you see fit--sliced scallions, chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado and sliced jalapeños are all tasty choices. View Recipe 15 of 23 Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole Katie Webster Casseroles make perfect meal-prep dinners, and this enchilada version is no exception. The whole casserole can be built and left to hang out in the refrigerator for up to three days—just bake it off on a busy night and you have a healthy, easy dinner on the table in no time. The quick homemade enchilada sauce in this recipe is great when you don't have any of the canned sauce on hand; just season crushed tomatoes with spices and salt for an instant enchilada sauce. View Recipe 16 of 23 Roasted Vegetable & Black Bean Tacos These hearty vegan tacos are quick and easy to make, perfect for busy weeknights. They are so tasty no one will miss the meat or dairy. View Recipe 17 of 23 Quinoa-Black Bean Salad Alison Miksch Enjoy this quinoa and black bean salad as a delicious and quick vegetarian main dish or as a side for grilled chicken or steak. And don't forget the leftovers! They make an easy lunch on the go. View Recipe 18 of 23 One-Pot Beans & Rice with Corn & Salsa This one-pot dinner is like a deconstructed burrito bowl--especially when topped with salsa, sliced avocado or a dollop of Greek yogurt for a cool, creamy accent. You can also enjoy it as a meal on its own, or as a vegetarian taco or burrito filling or a side dish on taco night. View Recipe 19 of 23 Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili Grab your crock pot for this delicious and easy slow-cooker vegetarian chili with beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, bell peppers and sweet potatoes. The recipe requires just 20 minutes of active time: after a bit of chopping, you just dump the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it do the work. Adding a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of cilantro just before serving brightens up the flavors. Top it with some shredded cheese, if you'd like, or serve it as-is to keep it vegan. Either way, this healthy chili is sure to become a go-to when you want a satisfying and healthy dinner. View Recipe 20 of 23 No-Cook Black Bean Salad The dressing for this vegan black bean salad gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick. View Recipe 21 of 23 Butternut Squash & Black Bean Enchiladas Greg DuPree A crisp, citrusy slaw contrasts nicely with the enchiladas' creamy squash filling. View Recipe 22 of 23 Loaded Black Bean Nacho Soup Jazz up a can of black bean soup with your favorite nacho toppings, such as cheese, avocado and fresh tomatoes. A bit of smoked paprika adds a bold flavor kick, but you can swap in any warm spices you prefer, such as cumin or chili powder. Look for a soup that contains no more than 450 mg sodium per serving. View Recipe 23 of 23 Arepas with Spicy Black Beans These corncakes are a common style of flatbread in Colombia and Venezuela. Arepas are made with precooked cornmeal and served warmed with butter or cheese, or split open and filled, or topped, as we've done here. Our arepas filling is loaded with fragrant spices and vegetables to elevate the dish. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit