Chickpea

A Gentle Reminder That a Can of Beans Gets You Halfway to Dinner

by: Katie Macdonald

January 9, 2018

There are so many reasons to soak your beans—but saving time is not one of them. Call me impatient (or a poor planner), but I never remember to give my dried chickpeas, pintos, or navy beans a bath the night before I cook. Instead, 10 times out of 10, I notice halfway through cutting an onion that I want to add some red or black beans to my stew.

With a flick (or two) of a can opener, soups and salads and sandwiches go from hours to just minutes away. It’s one of those dinner shortcuts I just can’t quit. And, thankfully, I don’t have to. These 11 dishes are just as tasty with either homemade or canned beans. So, go ahead and save soaking for another day because you're having beans tonight.

Lobios Salad (Spiced Kidney Beans with Herbs and Feta)

Curried Chickpea and Red Lentil Soup

Refried White Beans

Spicy “Rice” and Bean Salad

Heidi Swanson's Chickpea Stew with Saffron, Yogurt, and Garlic

Porter Pork & Beans

Spaghetti Squash with White Bean Ragu

Fully Loaded Vegan Burritos

Sun-Dried Tomato, Basil & White Bean Burgers

Stewy Chickpea "Tagine" with Tomatoes, Cilantro and Golden Raisins

Trinidadian Doubles (Curried Chickpea Flatbread Sandwiches)

Do you use canned beans? Or are you a bean-soaker for life? Share your thoughts and tips in the comments!

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Katie is a food writer and editor who loves cheesy puns and cheesy cheese.

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3 Comments

Daniel P. January 10, 2018

I prefer dried beans, and the best way to prepare them is in a pressure cooker. Add some aromatics such as celery, onion, carrots, garlic, and ayleaf, and you have fabulous beans in about a half an hour. It’s so easy and so much less expensive than buying canned beans. I use the cooking chart in the pressure cooker book by Lorna Sass.
However, it is a good idea to have some canned beans around just in case. When using them I always rinse and soak them in water.

btglenn January 12, 2018

I'm with you! I cook a large quantity of beans flavored to taste, then freeze the cooked beans in portions-sized containers. Just as handy as cans, but tastier and cheaper if you are on a budget. My freezer has portions of white beans and pintos, ready to go.

Annada R. January 9, 2018

Check out https://food52.com/recipes/55223-chhole-a-k-a-chana-masala-indian-spiced-chickpeas Though I'm a diehard fan of soaking beans, in this recipe I've come up with a way to achieve the texture/creaminess of soaked beans along with the convenience of canned ones.