14 Black Bean Recipes to Make the Most of Your Pantry (2024)

The magic of black beans dwells in their versatility! This plant-based, protein-packed ingredient brings subtle flavor and creamy texture to a dish and is a wonderful way to complement meat or replace meat in a black bean recipe. And that’s not all—combined with flour, sugar, and other baking ingredients, black beans are an amazing ingredient to incorporate into sweets like cakes and brownies. From vegan dishes and desserts to meals made for meat-loving carnivores, this list of black bean recipes provides unique ways to incorporate more black beans in the kitchen.

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Black Bean and Corn Salad

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This Mexican black beans recipe is delicious, full of flavor, and can be prepared in just 15 minutes! It doesn’t get much better than that. Black beans and plump corn are always a delicious match, and the addition of creamy avocado, cilantro, red onion, and tangy lime juice makes this salad the perfect weeknight side dish.

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Sweet Potato-Black Bean Huevos Rancheros

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Huevos rancheros is one of the most comforting breakfast dishes you can have. Whether it’s early morning before work, a weekend brunch, or after a long night, this black bean recipe is sure to satisfy! A fried egg sits atop a toasted tortilla that rests beside refried black beans, caramelized potatoes, and spicy salsa fresca.

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Black Bean-Mango Salsa

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This tropical black bean salsa recipe is easy to prepare in just 20 minutes, and is so versatile. Serve it with chips, rice crackers, sashimi-grade fish, or atop grilled meat or fish. Sweet and juicy mango gives this black bean salad the perfect pop of bright flavor and texture. A squeeze of citrusy lime juice and you’re good to go!

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Air-Fryer Jerk Pork Skewers with Black Bean Mango Salsa

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Pork spiced with an aromatic jerk seasoning is cooked in the air fryer until juicy and tender, and then served with a black bean mango salsa. The bright, fragrant sweetness of the salsa perfectly balances the heat of the jerk seasoning. In just an hour, you can have the most flavorful black bean recipes you’ll enjoy all week!

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Black Bean Burgers with Sweet Corn Salsa

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These meatless black bean burgers are loaded with texture and packed with the flavor of fresh herbs, spices like cumin and oregano, and heat from green chile peppers. A salsa made with corn, sweet tomatoes, crisp onion, and earthy cilantro perfectly complements the depth of flavor in these grilled burgers.

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Adobo Chicken and Black Beans

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This flavorful canned black bean recipe is the perfect 30-minute meal to add to your weeknight rotation. Make the pickled fresno peppers ahead of time and allow them to marinate while you prepare the rest of this dish. Meanwhile, chicken breast is cooked to juicy perfection and served with the added texture of chipotle black beans.

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Black Bean and Rice Patties with Fresh Tomato-Avocado Salsa

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Warm spices are the name of the game in this black beans and rice recipe. These delicious vegetarian patties make the perfect base for a juicy tomato-avocado salsa. A squeeze of fresh lime juice is the finishing touch.

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Chorizo and Black Bean Pizza Pie

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This black bean recipe starts with a cornmeal and flour crust that has a hint of honey. It's filled with a combination of black beans and savory toppings like sausage and peppers. This pizza cooks low in the slow cooker into a hearty, flavor-packed pizza like you’ve never experienced before.

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Fudgy Black Bean Brownies

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These naturally sweet and gooey brownies are made with protein-packed black beans and antioxidant rich applesauce. This black bean brownie recipe is also incredibly simple to follow, and calls for just a few ingredients—many of which you may have hanging out in your pantry already.

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Black Bean Chipotle Burger

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If you love Tex-Mex flavors and also crave hearty burgers, this recipe is for you! While many bean burgers are made rice or grains, this one also incorporates sweet corn for added flavor and texture. Sandwiched on a bun with sliced radish, salsa, and avocados, this black bean burger recipe is next-level goodness!

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Cuban-Style Orange-Scented Black Beans

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Like many Latin American dishes, this pot of fragrant beans calls for sofrito. The blend packs a powerful punch and includes fresh orange juice and zest. This Cuban black beans recipe is made in the pressure cooker, which really intensifies the flavor the beans absorb from the sofrito. Serve these beans with rice, pickled onions, and your favorite hot sauce.

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Black Bean Chocolate Cake

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Because this chocolate cake is made with protein-packed black beans, antioxidant-rich cocoa powder, and nutrient-rich coconut oil, it's not just delicious, but full of added benefits.

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Caribbean Chili with Black Beans

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Black beans are key to building a flavor and texture-packed chili. This hearty black bean chili recipe, made with both savory beef and tender pork, is even more fragrant and flavorful with a bit of Caribbean fusion. Plump raisins, juicy mango, and zesty orange juice add a hint of sweetness to the mix.

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Black Bean Nacho Soup

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Black beans add amazing savory flavor to soups, and this one is like a tray of fully loaded nachos in a bowl. Chopped onion, protein-packed beans, corn, and spicy peppers combine with sharp cheddar cheese and creamy Monterey Jack to build this flavorful soup. This vegetarian black bean soup is so much fun to make and even more enjoyable to eat!

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