Check out the best Vegan Bean Recipes! This list of 40+ recipes will help you turn that can of beans into a hearty stew, party appetizer, or comforting dinner. Includes recipes made with chickpeas, white beans, black beans, and more!
Love beans and legumes? Then you should scroll through this list of 15 Amazing Lentil Recipes next.
Table of contents
Welcome to my collection of recipes that use one of my favorite pantry staples: beans! I’ve put together this list of 40+ Amazing Vegan Bean Recipes to show you how to turn chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans, white beans, and kidney beans into hearty soups and stews, dense bean salads, easy weeknight dinners, and so much more.
Learning to love beans can feel like a rite of passage as a vegan. They’re not only a great source of plant protein and fiber, but also a budget-friendly ingredient that can bulk up any meal in a flash. I highly recommend keeping a few cans in your pantry at all times—you never know when you’ll need a big pot of this White Bean Soup or these Mexican Rice and Beans.
Now, I understand if not everyone in your house loves beans as much as you and I do. I get it—the texture isn’t for everyone! That’s why I included a few recipes for people who don’t like beans, like my High Protein Vegan Lemon Pasta that blends white beans into a creamy pasta sauce. Picky eaters won’t even notice they’re eating beans!
Dried beans vs. canned beans
You really can’t go wrong with either. Canned beans are a convenient, ready-to-go option you can pull out of your pantry and throw in a stew, salad, soup, etc. Dried beans require a little more effort but are affordable, easy to store, and will last forever.
To cook dried beans, soak them in water overnight, then simmer them in fresh water the next day until soft and tender (this takes around 1 to 1.5 hours). Add them to your desired recipe and enjoy!
Vegan Bean Recipes
Bean Appetizers and Snacks
Easy Black Bean Dip
Grab the tortilla chips and dig into this incredible Black Bean Dip! It’s a budget-friendly party snack that blends canned black beans with simple sautéed aromatics, cilantro, and lots of fresh lime. Easy to make in less than 15 minutes.
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White Bean Dip
This White Bean Dip is so good, you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful! Top it with pine nuts and serve with vegetables and pita for an addictively delicious snack or appetizer.
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Instant Pot Refried Beans
These creamy and indulgent Instant Pot Refried Beans are the best! Easy to make entirely in a pressure cooker, they’re a vegan and protein-packed side dish or filling to pair with all of your favorite Mexican-inspired recipes.
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The Best Vegan Baked Beans
These easy Vegan Baked Beans transform pantry staple ingredients into a sweet, smoky, and savory summer barbecue dish. Never settle for canned baked beans again! Oven, slow cooker, and Instant Pot instructions included.
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Mexican Rice and Beans
These easy Mexican Rice and Beans cook rice, black beans, salsa, and savory spices together in one pot for a flavorful and budget-friendly side or main dish! Stovetop and Instant Pot instructions included.
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Bean Soups and Stews
Creamy Tuscan White Bean Soup
This 1-pot Tuscan White Bean Soup is easy to make with pantry staples and has the most comforting Italian-inspired flavors. Serve it with crusty bread for your next family dinner! Naturally vegan and gluten-free.
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Ultimate Vegan Chili
This Ultimate Vegan Chili is packed with protein, over-the-top delicious, and easy to make on the stove, in the Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker. Meaty, award-winning flavor in under 1 hour!
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Vegan Black Bean Soup
This easy Vegan Black Bean Soup is a creamy, protein-packed, 30-minute dinner made in one pot. Top it with avocado, tortilla chips, and vegan sour cream for a customizable meal the whole family will love!
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White Bean Soup
This White Bean Soup is incredibly creamy, nourishing and so easy to to make. It’s a simple one-pot meal you can throw together in about 30 minutes. Naturally dairy and gluten free!
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Golden Orzo Soup with Chickpeas
This Golden Orzo Soup simmers chickpeas and vegetables in a comforting turmeric-infused broth. It’s one of the best sick-day soups that’s easy to make in 1 pot in about 30 minutes!
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Marry Me Gnocchi Soup (Vegan)
This Vegan Marry Me Gnocchi Soup simmers gnocchi, chickpeas, and Italian spices in a luxurious sun dried tomato and cashew cream broth. It’s the dreamiest comfort food that’s easy to make in one pot!
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Italian Chickpea Soup
This Italian Chickpea Soup is made with a handful of simple, budget-friendly ingredients and is loaded with hearty and comforting flavors! Ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.
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Vegan White Chili (Creamy and Hearty!)
Warm up with this flavorful Vegan White Chili, made with white beans, soy curls (or your favorite vegan chicken) and a rich, creamy broth. A perfect alternative to the usual tomato based chili!
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Easy Chickpea Curry
This is the best and easiest Chickpea Curry, made in 20 minutes or less! Creamy, flavor packed and full of plant protein, this will become one of your go-to dinners when you barely have time to cook.
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Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
Full of flavor and so simple to make, this one-pot Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili is a wonderfully satisfying vegetarian meal! Mix and match the ingredients to make it your own, and serve it with avocado, cilantro, and vegan cornbread.
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Dense Bean Salads
Dense Bean Salad (Mediterranean-Style)
This Mediterranean-inspired Dense Bean Salad tosses chickpeas and white beans with crisp veggies, fresh herbs, and a simple balsamic vinaigrette. It’s protein-packed, perfect for meal prep, and genuinely tastes better after sitting in the fridge!
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Edamame Salad with Peanut Sauce
This protein-packed Edamame Salad tosses crunchy and colorful vegetables in a Thai-inspired peanut dressing. Enjoy it as a refreshing side dish or a hearty meal!
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Black Bean Salad with Avocado
This easy vegan Black Bean Salad tosses canned beans, fresh corn, cherry tomatoes, and avocado in a sweet and tangy lime-agave dressing. It’s one of the best summer salads for BBQs, potlucks, and meal prep!
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White Bean Salad
This simple White Bean Salad is the ultimate summer salad! It’s quick and easy to make but doesn’t skimp on flavor thanks to a mix of refreshing Mediterranean vegetables, fresh herbs, creamy cannellini beans, and lemon vinaigrette.
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Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Fresh, bright, and hearty, this Mediterranean Chickpea Salad is a summer menu staple! Chickpeas, Mediterranean vegetables, and avocado are tossed in a zesty lemon vinaigrette to create the perfect BBQ side dish or weekday lunch.
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Easy Bean Lunches
Jennifer Aniston Salad (Bulgur Salad)
I finally made a version of the Jennifer Aniston Salad that has been going around social media and I will never be the same! I can see why she supposedly ate this salad every day for 10 years on the set of Friends. It's incredible!
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Sticky Teriyaki Chickpeas
Sticky Teriyaki Chickpeas are flavor-packed and easy to make in 20 minutes or less! Teriyaki glazed chickpeas are served over rice with the fresh toppings of your choice for a budget-friendly meal.
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Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas
Bring this easy Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas to picnics, potlucks, barbecues, and more! Tossed in a lemon vinaigrette, it’s deliciously refreshing and packed full of veggies.
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Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
Bring this easy Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad to your next picnic or potluck! It’s a light and zesty side dish that tosses cooked orzo, veggies, chickpeas, and fresh herbs in a 4-ingredient lemon dressing.
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Vegan Cobb Salad
Bring this hearty and filling Vegan Cobb Salad to brunch, picnics, or potlucks. Made with tempeh bacon and red wine vinaigrette, it’s easy to customize and loaded with protein.
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Hand-Helds and Sandwiches
Sweet Potato Black Bean Burger
Smoky with a little bit of sweet, this sweet potato black bean burger recipe is easy to throw together with minimal ingredients.
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Chickpea Burger
This Chickpea Burger is so delicious and easy to make, no one will miss the meat! You can have these burgers ready in less than 30 minutes, making them a perfect weeknight meal.
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Curry Chickpea Salad
This Curry Chickpea Salad recipe is so flavorful and comes together fast using canned chickpeas, curry powder, mayo, chutney (or apricot jam), celery, raisins and more. It’s the perfect meal prep for lunches!
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Chickpea Tuna Salad
Load this Chickpea Tuna Salad into sandwiches, wraps, bowls, and more! Creamy mashed chickpeas replace the tuna in this picnic-perfect dish, while chopped nori lends a realistic ‘fishy’ flavor. An instant hit with all types of eaters!
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Cheesy Vegan Quesadillas with Black Beans and Vegetables
Ooey, gooey, Mexican cheese made in the food processor with whole, plant foods in minutes! Add black beans, zucchini, squash, tomatoes and mushrooms for the BEST Cheesy Vegan Quesadillas you’ll ever eat.
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Chickpea Salad Sandwich
This simple chickpea salad sandwich will become your new favorite lunch! It's easy to throw together in less than 10 minutes and the leftovers last for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.
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Kidney Beet Burgers
These gorgeous Kidney Beet Burgers are so easy to make and jam-packed with flavor! A budget-friendly mix of canned beans, shredded beets, oats, and seasonings makes each bite tender and meaty.
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Curry Chickpea Salad
This Curry Chickpea Salad recipe is so flavorful and comes together fast using canned chickpeas, curry powder, mayo, chutney (or apricot jam), celery, raisins and more. It’s the perfect meal prep for lunches!
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Hearty Bean Dinners
Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas
These Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas are smothered in homemade vegan enchilada sauce, stuffed with seasoned veggies and beans, and topped with avocado crema. The ultimate vegan comfort food!
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Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Harissa Glaze and White Bean Puree
This Whole Roasted Cauliflower Recipe serves a mouthwatering harissa-glazed cauliflower head over a creamy white bean puree. Enjoy it as a flavor-packed side or main dish!
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One Pan Cannellini Beans with Kale
One Pan Cannellini Beans with Kale braises white beans and leafy greens in a savory, aromatic broth for the ultimate quick and convenient comfort food. Serve them hot with crusty bread for a cozy, high-protein weeknight dinner!
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Buffalo Chickpea Tacos
These Buffalo Chickpea Tacos load buffalo sauce-covered chickpeas and fresh toppings into tortillas for a flavor-packed meal that’s ready in just 15 minutes! Great for meal prep, too.
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Chickpea Tikka Masala
Drowning in a creamy and fragrant sauce, this Chickpea Tikka Masala is easy to make on the stove or in the Instant Pot. Serve it with rice and naan for a comforting Indian-inspired meal.
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High Protein Vegan Lemon Pasta
Celebrate spring with this vegan Lemon Pasta recipe. Cooked pasta, spinach, and white beans are drenched in a creamy lemon sauce, giving you an easy and bright-tasting meal that’s surprisingly high in protein!
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Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Butter Beans Recipe
This Tuscan-inspired butter beans recipe tosses canned butter beans in a rich and creamy sun dried tomato sauce. It’s incredibly comforting, healthy, and ready in just 20 minutes!
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Roasted Veggie Enchiladas with Black Bean Sauce
These Roasted Veggie Enchiladas are packed with roasted vegetables and drenched in a chipotle garlic black bean sauce. Best served with sour cream, crushed tortilla chips or strips, avocado chunks, red onion and a squeeze of lime juice.
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Creamy Skillet White Beans with Spinach and Basil
This Italian-inspired Creamy White Bean Skillet is so luxurious, with soft cannellini beans simmered in a rich sauce with spinach, tomatoes, basil, and vegan parmesan. An easy comfort food made in just one pan!
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Marry Me Chickpeas
This one-pan Marry Me Chickpeas recipe puts a vegan twist on the viral comfort food, Marry Me Chicken! Get ready to fall in love with this indulgent 15-minute meal.
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