I make my own baked beans sometimes, but always have a tin of baked beans in the cupboard. They have quite a lot of sugar in them and so I try to make meals or stretch them out with other ingredients so that they are healthier. They are versatile, and a budget ingredient that can be stored for a while in your pantry. One thing that I like to do is stretch them by adding vegetables from the garden, and some tomato puree.
Here are some more ways to make a tin of beans into a meal.
1. Classic Beans on Toast (Upgraded)
Staples: Bread, butter, black pepper.
Optional extras: Grated cheese, Worcestershire sauce, fried egg, herbs.
2. Bean & Cheese Jacket Potato
Staples: Potato, cheese
Top with beans and a little grated cheese for a filling meal.
3. Baked Bean Pasta
Staples: Pasta, onion, garlic.
Cook the onion, stir in the beans and a splash of pasta water, then toss with cooked pasta. Add herbs or cheese if you have them.
4. Bean Fried Rice
Staples: Cooked rice, onion, spices
Fry the onion, add cooked rice and stir through the beans with a little paprika or curry powder.
5. Cheesy Bean Toasties
Butter bread, fill with beans and cheese, then toast in a pan or sandwich maker.
6. Bean Quesadillas
Staples: Tortillas or home made wraps, cheese
Spread beans and cheese between two wraps and fry until crisp.
7. Budget Shakshuka
Staples: Eggs., spices,
Warm the beans with paprika or chilli flakes, make wells and crack eggs into the sauce. Cover until the eggs are cooked. I sometimes fry a bit of pepper and onion if I have it, and add the beans.
8. Savoury Bean Pancakes
Staples: Flour, milk, egg.
Use leftover pancakes as wraps filled with hot beans and cheese.
9. Bean Cottage Pie
Mix beans with frozen vegetables and top with mashed potato before baking. I like to fry an onion and add it as well.
10. Bean & Veg Soup
Thin the beans with stock, add diced carrots, onions or any leftover vegetables, and simmer. Blend for a smooth soup if you prefer.
11. Pizza Toast
Top toast with beans, cheese and oregano, then grill until bubbling.
12. Bean Nachos
Spread tortilla chips (or toasted wraps cut into triangles), spoon over beans and sprinkle with cheese.
13. Bean Bubble & Squeak
Mix leftover mashed potatoes with vegetables, fry until golden and serve with hot beans.
14. Curried Beans
Add curry powder, onions and a splash of coconut milk (if you have it). Serve with rice.
15. Bean Stuffed Peppers
Mix beans with cooked rice and stuff into halved peppers before baking. They are nice with cheese on top if you have it as well.
16. Bean Breakfast Bowl
Serve beans with fried potatoes, an egg and toast.
Stretching one tin further
HINTS
A standard 415 g tin can often make:
• 2 generous main meals.
• 4 lunch-sized portions when served with potatoes, rice or pasta.
• 6 toast toppings if combined with cheese or eggs.
Money-saving flavour boosters
Many people already have these in the cupboard:
• Curry powder → curried beans.
• Smoked paprika → smoky BBQ-style beans.
• Chilli flakes → spicy beans.
• Mixed herbs → Italian-style beans.
• Mustard → richer flavour.
• Worcestershire sauce → deeper savoury taste.
• Brown sauce → breakfast-style beans.
WARNING
Store left over beans in container in the fridge and not in a tin.
It can lead to a metallic taste and lead to faster chemical reactions leading to darker beans, and a risk of drying out the beans and contamination from other ingredients in the fridge.
Love beans, they are one of our staples, and so versatile. There are a couple of your recipes I will try, thank you.
No worries. Yes they are so useful to have in. Thanks for commenting
Jacket potato, cheese and baked beans! My absolute favourite comfort food 😊
I agree, especially oven baked potatoes on a miserable winter’s day. Thanks for sharing
I also add a spoon of marmite/yeast extract, it really adds a depth of flavour, great with breakfast, toast, jackets, cheeses chips etc
I am supposed to eat more B12 and so I will try that. Thanks for the tip
Wow .. will be trying some of these
Thank you !
No worries. Thanks for commenting
Always have aound a dozen cans of baked beans in the pantry and often use them in the ways you describe. Very useful and always tasty!
Absolutely.
One of my favourites, beans on toast. Defo an underrated item.
Yes, I agree. We only have that now and again, but I am always suprised how much I enjoy it.
Delicious ideasI have a bulk offer of small tins in my cupboard.
Thanks. That is good as I can never let myself buy the small ones as you can get a supermarket own brand for the same price. They would be useful for Little Legs as he loves beans
I always chuck a tin of cheap beans into my slow cooker vegetable stews. Extra nutrients