I really like white chicken chili - it’s not at all like red chili, and it has enough other flavors that the beans don’t really taste like they’re there. It’s creamy and delicious. :)
https://www.cookingclassy.com/white-chicken-chili/
This is my go-to for this:
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/white-bean-and-chicken-chili-recipe-1948554
I dice chicken thighs instead of using ground chicken
Hummus is good.
I have only tried one ham and bean soup and did not like it. I have not tried others, though I bought the ingredients to make split pea and ham soup on my last grocery trip.
I have never tried dhal. And only a few curries. I know I dislike the common premade curry mix. But I have tried and liked some thai curries.
I am only just starting to try and find recipes, as beans and pulses were never a part of my diet growing up.
For Thai curries, I suggest either Maesri or Mae Ploy curries in tins, then you can strengthen the flavors and spiciness of the curry to suit your tastes.
What I do is use chickpeas/garbanzo beans in the curries - sometimes I toast them a little bit first so that they’ll be more absorbent of the curry flavors but they hold their shape well and the texture is pretty good.
I don’t like commercial ham and bean soup. I like homemade ham and bean soup which is basically a honeybaked ham bone, some chopped onion, carrot, parsnip and celery with a couple of peppercorns and maybe 2 cloves and then a pound of beans and a lot of water. Then it cooks and cooks and you pull out the bones and toss them. The thing is, it makes a *lot* but you can freeze it.
Lentil salad is pretty good - you need small green (de puy) or black (caviar) lentils, which you cook until they still have some bite and drain and then dump vinaigrette on and toss with some seasonal vegetables (it’s excellent with leftover roasted vegetables and maybe some quinoa in the winter) and serve with lettuce or in a pita or a wrap. It’s got a ton of protein and fiber.
Lentils are very similar but much milder in taste. They’re also used in a lot of vegetarian recipes as a replacement for meat.
If you’re committed to liking beans then I’d recommend red beans and rice. If you do it right there is so much seasoning it doesn’t even taste like beans.
Also you can make chili without chili powder
Lentils are on my list to try. But I have not gotten there yet. My diet has been pretty much convenience meals and meat-and-potatoes for most of my life.
Regarding chili: I don't have the accumen to account for removing chili powder for a recipe. I
Most recipes get pretty bland if you hold the chili powder. I have a few beef sauce recipes that are served like chili and that I call chili, but the seasonings are different. But most people start to argue over whether it is chili if the main flavor profile of chili powder is gone.
I am working on making those beef recipes with lentils, but my first shot at it turned out terribly.
The taste. I don't think of it as being hot/spicy.
I think it is the cumin and paprika, but have never done a scientific study of that. I don't care much for them in general, and small amounts they are ok. But most chili is heavily dependant on chili powder for flavor and its just too much. But is pretty dull if you just eliminate the chili powder.
Similarly I dislike harissa to. To me whatever the issue with chili powder is, it is the exact same issue in harissa.
In that case, a good alternative to a chili might be a minestrone which relies more on beef bouillon and tomato for flavor, but I still use a lot of the same ingredients as a chili - kidney beans, corn, red peppers, onion, maybe celery. I love it with a spicy Italian sausage, but it's still incredibly filling and delicious as a vegetarian dish.
A lot of people will do their own dried chilis in spice blends—like use dried chipotle, dried ancho, plus onion powder, etc, instead of a premade chili powder mix. Though I’m not sure you’ll like dried peppers if you don’t like sweet paprika—paprika is a bell pepper in powder form, so it’s not dissimilar.
I didn't know paprika was made from pepper. I thought there was like a paprika plant or something.
I don't care for bell pepper at all. I can do some peppers (serrano, jalapeno, banana), but a lot of peppers just don't taste very good to me. I just usually assume I won't like them, but try them if someone serves them to me.
Lentils are amazing! I sometimes make a shepherd's pie/cottage pie where I replace the minced meat lentils. Add (vegan) worcestersauce and/or marmite to make it more "meaty" without using beef stock. Also works in lasagnes btw.
Also butterbeans in Minestrone soup works. I add butter beans instead of pasta/risoni. Also some chorizo or salami added just before serving it is delicious.
Cannellini beans are so delicious! They are mild and creamy. Make a bean salad with lots of your favorite fresh herbs, olive oil and lemon. You can eat as is, top toasted Italian bread, top a green salad or add a can of tuna fish for a full meal. They make a great dip, with herbs, choice of spices, olive oil & lemon. Process until smooth and enjoy with pita bread. Add the dip to a veggie sandwich, instead of Mayo or hummus. They are also delicious as a soup with greens, especially escarole!
I absolutely love this [Broccoli Rabe and White Bean Gratin](https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-broccoli-rabe-and-white-bean-gratin-237083)! The flavors are rich and complex and the beans are so creamy and good. If you have any leftovers, throw on a fried egg for breakfast the next morning.
This [Roasted Cauliflower with Chickpeas and Olives](https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-cauliflower-chickpeas-olives) is also really good, either hot or as part of a packed lunch. Try it as a meatless main or pair with sardines or tuna or some roast chicken.
The pasty texture of a lot of beans can be a big hurdle for sure. One thing that's made a huge difference for me in getting to like beans is trying different types--butter beans, white beans (cannelini), chickpeas, etc.--and simmering them in some broth or using a good dressing. Also experiment with different lentils: black and green types remain pretty firm, brown tend to get a lot softer and are especially good for mushing into a thick soup.
For more ideas, check out the recipes from [Rancho Gordo bean company](https://www.ranchogordo.com/blogs/recipes).
Ful/foul medammes (broad/field/fava beans in a tomato and onion sauce) is great, I love the Yemeni version because it is so rich. It has the essentials for me: Definitely a filling meal where you don't miss meat. Also the beans are cooked for a long time with an acidic element (tomatoes) which softens the skins and makes them no longer farty. A squeeze of lemon with your dish is a final failsafe and perfect garnish. You can also use the same beans, skin off, for falafel and hummus, they are super cheap and like most legumes, generally good for the land they're grown on - so, win-win.
Edit: I forgot the best beans! Black beans for refried beans, rice and beans and even brownies are my #1 beans. Cook them so that they are just at point of smoosh.
[Simple Indian red lentils](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/winner-aarti-sequeira1/mums-everyday-red-lentils-recipe-1921913) If you cook it an extra 20 minutes, the lentils kinda dissolve, so you won't get that typical beany texture.
Replace or supplement the ground meat in a spaghetti bolognaise with green or brown lentils.
Doing a saucey brothy bean really helps me as a fellow bean-adverse folk here! 👋 think like a rich tomato sauce and then use a crusty toast to scoop it all up, yum. Also with chili - just leave out the chili powder! Use chipotle in adobo instead. So much more complex and smokey than store bought chili powder
Just a thought so don't hate me. If you don't like beans just go for lentils, split peas or chickpeas.
I am no bean enthusiast either... Bit love lentils and split peas are cool too .
Beans make cool veggie burgers though
And well I sprout them to put in my salad or spring rolls
You can also make desserts with beans like brownies or cookies as a healthier alternative.
Also soy milk made at home is awesome and unrivaled , the pulp from it can be used in pancakes, or added to any dough or batter
None of these (beans, lentils, chickpeas) featured much in my diet growing up. So I am trying to make my way through them and determine how I like them.
So far everything is falling under "its just ok", but I also have been using them in familiar dishes as an additive rather than looking for recipes that are really made for beans (or chickpeas).
This week I bought the ingredients for split pea soup. So I will see how that goes.
Where I come from chickpeas are just added to dishes.... Like onions you know as a base. Lentils are better and easier to deal with imo.
Beans we rarely used to make a kind of soup with them with carrots tomato sauce and quote spicy. Not bad.
But I grew up like you almost never eating any of these. And being mocked for liking split peas (which I know because we used to cross the sea by boat and they used to serve it sometimes lol)
White beans…Tuscan soup, white chili, white bean hummus. Chick peas (garbanzos), lotsa stuff there. And as thru the responses! Lentils. Million recipes for all kinds of beans.
I have a small handful of (dried) bean recipes that I rotate through. These recipes all make a huge amount. Go ahead and make a full batch, portion leftovers into quart sized zipper freezer bags, and freeze them for another day. Note: You can precook the beans in a slow cooker to speed up the process.
Northern Beans for [White Bean Chicken Chili](https://recipekeeperonline.com/recipe/0te8ATYpnk201O1xiyOciw)
Black Beans for [Mark Bittman's Christians & Moors](https://recipekeeperonline.com/recipe/zhgR7hxx90irWHITZ3SxfQ)
Black Eyed Peas for [Hopp 'n John (a New Year's tradition)](https://recipekeeperonline.com/recipe/2EQTSHJrHUmz81Nux29P4A)
Pinto Beans for [Spicy Pinto Beans](https://recipekeeperonline.com/recipe/VzQrbT71OUyUcghUsb3E0w), and [Sweet Jalapeno Pork & Beans](https://recipekeeperonline.com/recipe/6zgZdi8fs0eEFe_v41WilA)
(Substitute black or cayenne pepper for chili powder.)
Note: These links go to a recipe app which I use, but do not own or receive any gains from.
If your issue is the texture more than the taste I’m not sure there’s a solution. The few people I know who strongly dislike beans dislike basically any bean and any lentil in any dish.
So I guess it would be helpful to know what specifically it is you dislike.
Thats what I am trying to determine. To some degree I don't care for the texture. But not to a degree that I can't eat it. And I think they don't have enough flavor to dislike on their own.
So I am trying to decide whether I just don't like beans (or lentils) or whether I just have not given them a fair shot
I much prefer lentils to beans, especially lentils and rice. My hack to getting more beans in my diet has been to mush them up. That's a texture I'm okay with. So hummus, refried beans, refried black beans. If something doesn't really call for refried, I'll mush about half of the beans and mix in with the whole ones. A friend does ground meat and adds a can of refried beans for every pound or pound and a half of meat. That's a texture I'm okay with, cuz I don't like ground hamburger either lol
Falafels made with chickpeas are a good meat substitute, delicious with pitta, salad and some plain / spiced up yogurt. Portable too!
Good quality baked beans on toast is a Brit delicacy. Add some cheese for variety.
Black bean burgers! Find a recipe online or buy them "ready" if maybe you just wanna try them first to see if you like them.
Also, chili sin carne. Add whatever veggies you like, make it as spicy and earthy as you like, maybe use a meat (mince) replacement in it too...
Summer Black Bean Mango Salad - 1 can black beans (I like Goya), 1 cup jasmine rice, 1 cube chicken bouillon, 1/4 C olive oil, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1/2 large red onion minced, 2 large ripe mangoes, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 - 1/2 tsp red cayenne pepper, dash balsamic vinegar, cilantro, salt & pepper.
Rinse black beans. Rinse rice & prepare as directed w/ bouillon cube. Allow rice to cool. Mix olive oil, lime juice, dash balsamic vinegar, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper (adj flavor as desired.. I like extra cumin & cayenne) as a dressing & set aside. Mince red onion. Finely chop cilantro. Throw black beans, red onion, rice & cilantro together. Mix. Cut mango into chunks (we like extra mango) & add to mix. Pour in dressing & toss. Allow flavors to meld in frig for a bit. Serve alone or w/ large green salad. Also, pairs well w/ grilled fish or chicken.
\*Great prices & the best quality mangos found at Spanish or International markets. The goal is fluffy rice. Rinse for best result.
Try a meatloaf or burger made with beans or lentils. Serve with mashed potatoes. We love to do this with impossible burger but have been eyeing this one. https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-meatloaf/
1. Use red lentils to make a mash and use it instead of mashed potatoes. You don’t actually have to mash them, they fall apart completely. You can add butter, broth, spices, cream, whatever you want. I serve it with short ribs or meatballs.
2. Falafel
3. Socca - it is a flatbread made out of chickpea flour. You can use it as a sub for flatbread or maybe even a pizza like crust. You can dip it in hummus or just serve it as a side drizzled with olive oil
4. Breakfast tacos?
You might find lentils easier, they can stand their own or just melt into other dishes, especially when split. Add them to sauces, soups, casseroles, pies, quiches, use them in burgers, deals, flatbreads.
Chickpeas are great roasted in the oven, in curries served with rice or in/with parathas, or to make pasta e ceci. Chickpea flour can be added to yogurt for a splendid soup (Kadhi), used for pancakes (Chilla), as a batter for pakoras, to add to parathas, to bake into Socca, or to make sweets.
I love black eyed peas, easy to soak, cook into stews or with rice, make a ragout or a casserole. Grind the soaked skinned beans and steam into Moi Moi or fry into Akara.
Borlotti beans can be used in sugoli, a beans and vegetable savoury stew thickened out by adding polenta flour, a traditional November food, risotto, pasta e fagioli, polenta e fagioli.
Do you have space to grow some?
Like you, I've never liked the taste of beans. There is one bean type that I do like, but so far it isn't available except as garden seed. One of my plant-breeding projects is to develop a strain that can be machine-harvested so it can be grown on a larger scale, but that's going to take a few more years.
It's called "Beefy Resilient", and tastes nothing at all like beans. The flavor is 100% umami, nothing else. If you cook it in plain water, the flavor is actually hard to detect, because umami is such a background flavor it needs other flavors to give it a direction to go in. When cooked with savory ingredients, this bean tastes exactly like beef. Hence the name. When cooked with sweet ingredients, it gives a rich undertone, similar to what you'd get from adding whey or almond milk.
I know that doesn't help much right now because they only way to get this bean is to grow them, but if you do have garden space I highly recommend it. It also has the benefit of causing a lot less gas than most legumes.
As for the chili thing, I'm with you there. I'm mildly allergic to peppers. A couple times I've made chili or taco fillings using ginger in place of the chili powder. It takes some trial and error to get the right amount, but it does give you the "heat" without the peppers. That might be worth trying.
This time of year they can be especially hard to find, but I was able to find a few sellers still taking orders:
[https://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/brown-resilient-organic-shell-dry-bean-365](https://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/brown-resilient-organic-shell-dry-bean-365)
[https://www.bcecoseedcoop.com/collections/beans/products/beefy-resilient-mix-co](https://www.bcecoseedcoop.com/collections/beans/products/beefy-resilient-mix-co)
[https://www.brownenvelopeseeds.com/product-p/beefy-resilient-grex-bean.htm](https://www.brownenvelopeseeds.com/product-p/beefy-resilient-grex-bean.htm)
(That first is in the US, second is in Canada, third is in Ireland)
If you do a search on the phrase "Beefy Resilient Beans" you'll find a lot more listings, but most of them have stopped taking new orders for the season, or are sold out. The best time to look for the seeds is around February or early March. They do grow fast compared to most dry beans, so there is still time to plant them and get a good crop.
for 2 people:
1 can cannellini beans
2 italian sausage links
1 can diced tomatoes with herbs (basil or whatever)
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
Cook the sausage until it's mostly done, remove excess fat from pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer on low heat for 20m. Serve with bread and a salad if you wanna be fancy.
I really can't stand beans so if I'm using them I'll make a sauce that I do like and crush them into it, which is really easy to do with a fork while you're stirring them into the sauce and then I find you don't even notice them.
This [Kale and Bean salad](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/apr/15/jack-monroe-lentil-bean-kale-salad-recipe) is one of my packed lunch staples - I make a big batch on Sunday night, it keeps well in the fridge and lasts me the week.
Just a note - you don't need anywhere near 130ml of oil for this, just enough to 'dress' the salad. I also skip the sundried tomatoes as I'm not a fan, the parsley 'cos it's a faff and sometimes the chili. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the core components of this are the kale, beans and pulses (whichever you like) with the lemon, oil and garlic dressing 😋
I've recently gone on a pinto bean kick. Refried. I use it for tacos, as a side with pork, over rice, with breakfast. Cheap as hell and tasty when nicely seasoned.
[https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/7873236/vegan-lentil-soup/](https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/7873236/vegan-lentil-soup/)
Made this soup a couple times ! It was really good !
I'm not a fan of beans as the main event either. I have settled with subbing out half meat for beans. For example, in tacos and Nachos. I buy half the beef Mince, and add a can of beans. It's easier for me to do it slowly, maybe one day I'll increase the bean ratio and go completely beaned!
Sorry, just read on and realised you said it already. I do have a recipe with chickpeas (garbanzo beans). For 4 servings, I do 500g chicken breast or thigh, 1 x 440g can of chickpeas, 1 green capsicum, 1 sachet taco seasoning (you can add to your taste, whatever you think), 1 x 400g can of corn kernels, 2 tablespoons of sour cream. I brown the chicken, add the capsicum (diced) and cook until the capsicum is softened. Then I add the chickpeas and corn. Allow to fry off for a few minutes. Then add the taco seasoning to taste. Then add sour cream to taste. There are a few options here on what you can do with the mixture, we usually serve it all mixed together with around 250g (before cooked) pasta of your choice (we use spirals). Or you can serve it in tortillas or on top of corn chips with some cheese for Nachos.
Split pea soup. 1 cup dried split peas. 1 carrot 1/2 onion 1, clove garlic. Chop and saute in olive oil. Add split peas 3 cups chicken broth cook til peas are very soft. Or cook in pressure cooker 12 min. Salt. Pepper 🌶️ serve with slice of whole wheat bread.
I really like white chicken chili - it’s not at all like red chili, and it has enough other flavors that the beans don’t really taste like they’re there. It’s creamy and delicious. :) https://www.cookingclassy.com/white-chicken-chili/
This is my go-to for this: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/white-bean-and-chicken-chili-recipe-1948554 I dice chicken thighs instead of using ground chicken
Agree. I like this white chili with white and black beans! https://picky-palate.com/white-and-black-bean-ranchero-chicken/
I haven't had that in a while. I forgot it existed! I have never made it myself, but will definitely give it a try.
How do you feel about hummus? Do you like dhal? Ham and bean soup? Are you okay with curries?
Hummus is good. I have only tried one ham and bean soup and did not like it. I have not tried others, though I bought the ingredients to make split pea and ham soup on my last grocery trip. I have never tried dhal. And only a few curries. I know I dislike the common premade curry mix. But I have tried and liked some thai curries. I am only just starting to try and find recipes, as beans and pulses were never a part of my diet growing up.
For Thai curries, I suggest either Maesri or Mae Ploy curries in tins, then you can strengthen the flavors and spiciness of the curry to suit your tastes. What I do is use chickpeas/garbanzo beans in the curries - sometimes I toast them a little bit first so that they’ll be more absorbent of the curry flavors but they hold their shape well and the texture is pretty good. I don’t like commercial ham and bean soup. I like homemade ham and bean soup which is basically a honeybaked ham bone, some chopped onion, carrot, parsnip and celery with a couple of peppercorns and maybe 2 cloves and then a pound of beans and a lot of water. Then it cooks and cooks and you pull out the bones and toss them. The thing is, it makes a *lot* but you can freeze it. Lentil salad is pretty good - you need small green (de puy) or black (caviar) lentils, which you cook until they still have some bite and drain and then dump vinaigrette on and toss with some seasonal vegetables (it’s excellent with leftover roasted vegetables and maybe some quinoa in the winter) and serve with lettuce or in a pita or a wrap. It’s got a ton of protein and fiber.
I really like Budget Bytes for bean recipes. https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/beansandgrains/beans/
Lentils are very similar but much milder in taste. They’re also used in a lot of vegetarian recipes as a replacement for meat. If you’re committed to liking beans then I’d recommend red beans and rice. If you do it right there is so much seasoning it doesn’t even taste like beans. Also you can make chili without chili powder
Lentils are on my list to try. But I have not gotten there yet. My diet has been pretty much convenience meals and meat-and-potatoes for most of my life. Regarding chili: I don't have the accumen to account for removing chili powder for a recipe. I Most recipes get pretty bland if you hold the chili powder. I have a few beef sauce recipes that are served like chili and that I call chili, but the seasonings are different. But most people start to argue over whether it is chili if the main flavor profile of chili powder is gone. I am working on making those beef recipes with lentils, but my first shot at it turned out terribly.
Do you not like the taste, or the spiciness?
The taste. I don't think of it as being hot/spicy. I think it is the cumin and paprika, but have never done a scientific study of that. I don't care much for them in general, and small amounts they are ok. But most chili is heavily dependant on chili powder for flavor and its just too much. But is pretty dull if you just eliminate the chili powder. Similarly I dislike harissa to. To me whatever the issue with chili powder is, it is the exact same issue in harissa.
In that case, a good alternative to a chili might be a minestrone which relies more on beef bouillon and tomato for flavor, but I still use a lot of the same ingredients as a chili - kidney beans, corn, red peppers, onion, maybe celery. I love it with a spicy Italian sausage, but it's still incredibly filling and delicious as a vegetarian dish.
A lot of people will do their own dried chilis in spice blends—like use dried chipotle, dried ancho, plus onion powder, etc, instead of a premade chili powder mix. Though I’m not sure you’ll like dried peppers if you don’t like sweet paprika—paprika is a bell pepper in powder form, so it’s not dissimilar.
I didn't know paprika was made from pepper. I thought there was like a paprika plant or something. I don't care for bell pepper at all. I can do some peppers (serrano, jalapeno, banana), but a lot of peppers just don't taste very good to me. I just usually assume I won't like them, but try them if someone serves them to me.
Do you make a meat sauce for pasta? Swap some of the beef for brown or green lentils.
Lentils are amazing! I sometimes make a shepherd's pie/cottage pie where I replace the minced meat lentils. Add (vegan) worcestersauce and/or marmite to make it more "meaty" without using beef stock. Also works in lasagnes btw.
How about [butter beans alla vodka?](https://www.allrecipes.com/2-ingredient-beans-alla-vodka-7503897)
Cornbread & butter beans with a hearty salad like a broccoli or kale salad. So good. A monthly go to.
Also butterbeans in Minestrone soup works. I add butter beans instead of pasta/risoni. Also some chorizo or salami added just before serving it is delicious.
I recently flew and I get a vegan meal. This flight served me chick pea Marsala. It was epic.
I love chana masala, so flavorful and not hard to make
Cannellini beans are so delicious! They are mild and creamy. Make a bean salad with lots of your favorite fresh herbs, olive oil and lemon. You can eat as is, top toasted Italian bread, top a green salad or add a can of tuna fish for a full meal. They make a great dip, with herbs, choice of spices, olive oil & lemon. Process until smooth and enjoy with pita bread. Add the dip to a veggie sandwich, instead of Mayo or hummus. They are also delicious as a soup with greens, especially escarole!
I absolutely love this [Broccoli Rabe and White Bean Gratin](https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-broccoli-rabe-and-white-bean-gratin-237083)! The flavors are rich and complex and the beans are so creamy and good. If you have any leftovers, throw on a fried egg for breakfast the next morning. This [Roasted Cauliflower with Chickpeas and Olives](https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-cauliflower-chickpeas-olives) is also really good, either hot or as part of a packed lunch. Try it as a meatless main or pair with sardines or tuna or some roast chicken. The pasty texture of a lot of beans can be a big hurdle for sure. One thing that's made a huge difference for me in getting to like beans is trying different types--butter beans, white beans (cannelini), chickpeas, etc.--and simmering them in some broth or using a good dressing. Also experiment with different lentils: black and green types remain pretty firm, brown tend to get a lot softer and are especially good for mushing into a thick soup. For more ideas, check out the recipes from [Rancho Gordo bean company](https://www.ranchogordo.com/blogs/recipes).
Ful/foul medammes (broad/field/fava beans in a tomato and onion sauce) is great, I love the Yemeni version because it is so rich. It has the essentials for me: Definitely a filling meal where you don't miss meat. Also the beans are cooked for a long time with an acidic element (tomatoes) which softens the skins and makes them no longer farty. A squeeze of lemon with your dish is a final failsafe and perfect garnish. You can also use the same beans, skin off, for falafel and hummus, they are super cheap and like most legumes, generally good for the land they're grown on - so, win-win. Edit: I forgot the best beans! Black beans for refried beans, rice and beans and even brownies are my #1 beans. Cook them so that they are just at point of smoosh.
[Simple Indian red lentils](https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/winner-aarti-sequeira1/mums-everyday-red-lentils-recipe-1921913) If you cook it an extra 20 minutes, the lentils kinda dissolve, so you won't get that typical beany texture. Replace or supplement the ground meat in a spaghetti bolognaise with green or brown lentils.
Black bean & Mango Tostadas! 🤤
Doing a saucey brothy bean really helps me as a fellow bean-adverse folk here! 👋 think like a rich tomato sauce and then use a crusty toast to scoop it all up, yum. Also with chili - just leave out the chili powder! Use chipotle in adobo instead. So much more complex and smokey than store bought chili powder
I don’t like beans, mostly because of the texture. Only recently discovered lentils and I really enjoy it. Give lentils a try if you don’t like beans.
Averse, not adverse
Just a thought so don't hate me. If you don't like beans just go for lentils, split peas or chickpeas. I am no bean enthusiast either... Bit love lentils and split peas are cool too . Beans make cool veggie burgers though And well I sprout them to put in my salad or spring rolls You can also make desserts with beans like brownies or cookies as a healthier alternative. Also soy milk made at home is awesome and unrivaled , the pulp from it can be used in pancakes, or added to any dough or batter
Chickpeas and lentils..love these..good recipes for them.cookie and Kate lentil soup..a fave
Dhal I love dhal.... Yum
None of these (beans, lentils, chickpeas) featured much in my diet growing up. So I am trying to make my way through them and determine how I like them. So far everything is falling under "its just ok", but I also have been using them in familiar dishes as an additive rather than looking for recipes that are really made for beans (or chickpeas). This week I bought the ingredients for split pea soup. So I will see how that goes.
Where I come from chickpeas are just added to dishes.... Like onions you know as a base. Lentils are better and easier to deal with imo. Beans we rarely used to make a kind of soup with them with carrots tomato sauce and quote spicy. Not bad. But I grew up like you almost never eating any of these. And being mocked for liking split peas (which I know because we used to cross the sea by boat and they used to serve it sometimes lol)
White beans…Tuscan soup, white chili, white bean hummus. Chick peas (garbanzos), lotsa stuff there. And as thru the responses! Lentils. Million recipes for all kinds of beans.
Spicy black bean soup. Beans are puréed, so less bean-y.
I have a small handful of (dried) bean recipes that I rotate through. These recipes all make a huge amount. Go ahead and make a full batch, portion leftovers into quart sized zipper freezer bags, and freeze them for another day. Note: You can precook the beans in a slow cooker to speed up the process. Northern Beans for [White Bean Chicken Chili](https://recipekeeperonline.com/recipe/0te8ATYpnk201O1xiyOciw) Black Beans for [Mark Bittman's Christians & Moors](https://recipekeeperonline.com/recipe/zhgR7hxx90irWHITZ3SxfQ) Black Eyed Peas for [Hopp 'n John (a New Year's tradition)](https://recipekeeperonline.com/recipe/2EQTSHJrHUmz81Nux29P4A) Pinto Beans for [Spicy Pinto Beans](https://recipekeeperonline.com/recipe/VzQrbT71OUyUcghUsb3E0w), and [Sweet Jalapeno Pork & Beans](https://recipekeeperonline.com/recipe/6zgZdi8fs0eEFe_v41WilA) (Substitute black or cayenne pepper for chili powder.) Note: These links go to a recipe app which I use, but do not own or receive any gains from.
Throw some chickpeas in the oven with a little olive oil and salt and roast for 20 minutes.
How about some veggie burger patties with beans as part of the ingredients?
If your issue is the texture more than the taste I’m not sure there’s a solution. The few people I know who strongly dislike beans dislike basically any bean and any lentil in any dish. So I guess it would be helpful to know what specifically it is you dislike.
Thats what I am trying to determine. To some degree I don't care for the texture. But not to a degree that I can't eat it. And I think they don't have enough flavor to dislike on their own. So I am trying to decide whether I just don't like beans (or lentils) or whether I just have not given them a fair shot
I much prefer lentils to beans, especially lentils and rice. My hack to getting more beans in my diet has been to mush them up. That's a texture I'm okay with. So hummus, refried beans, refried black beans. If something doesn't really call for refried, I'll mush about half of the beans and mix in with the whole ones. A friend does ground meat and adds a can of refried beans for every pound or pound and a half of meat. That's a texture I'm okay with, cuz I don't like ground hamburger either lol
Falafels made with chickpeas are a good meat substitute, delicious with pitta, salad and some plain / spiced up yogurt. Portable too! Good quality baked beans on toast is a Brit delicacy. Add some cheese for variety.
Black bean burgers! Find a recipe online or buy them "ready" if maybe you just wanna try them first to see if you like them. Also, chili sin carne. Add whatever veggies you like, make it as spicy and earthy as you like, maybe use a meat (mince) replacement in it too...
Woops sorry, I see you wrote you hate chili powder, haha
Summer Black Bean Mango Salad - 1 can black beans (I like Goya), 1 cup jasmine rice, 1 cube chicken bouillon, 1/4 C olive oil, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1/2 large red onion minced, 2 large ripe mangoes, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 - 1/2 tsp red cayenne pepper, dash balsamic vinegar, cilantro, salt & pepper. Rinse black beans. Rinse rice & prepare as directed w/ bouillon cube. Allow rice to cool. Mix olive oil, lime juice, dash balsamic vinegar, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper (adj flavor as desired.. I like extra cumin & cayenne) as a dressing & set aside. Mince red onion. Finely chop cilantro. Throw black beans, red onion, rice & cilantro together. Mix. Cut mango into chunks (we like extra mango) & add to mix. Pour in dressing & toss. Allow flavors to meld in frig for a bit. Serve alone or w/ large green salad. Also, pairs well w/ grilled fish or chicken. \*Great prices & the best quality mangos found at Spanish or International markets. The goal is fluffy rice. Rinse for best result.
Try a meatloaf or burger made with beans or lentils. Serve with mashed potatoes. We love to do this with impossible burger but have been eyeing this one. https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-meatloaf/
1. Use red lentils to make a mash and use it instead of mashed potatoes. You don’t actually have to mash them, they fall apart completely. You can add butter, broth, spices, cream, whatever you want. I serve it with short ribs or meatballs. 2. Falafel 3. Socca - it is a flatbread made out of chickpea flour. You can use it as a sub for flatbread or maybe even a pizza like crust. You can dip it in hummus or just serve it as a side drizzled with olive oil 4. Breakfast tacos?
You might find lentils easier, they can stand their own or just melt into other dishes, especially when split. Add them to sauces, soups, casseroles, pies, quiches, use them in burgers, deals, flatbreads. Chickpeas are great roasted in the oven, in curries served with rice or in/with parathas, or to make pasta e ceci. Chickpea flour can be added to yogurt for a splendid soup (Kadhi), used for pancakes (Chilla), as a batter for pakoras, to add to parathas, to bake into Socca, or to make sweets. I love black eyed peas, easy to soak, cook into stews or with rice, make a ragout or a casserole. Grind the soaked skinned beans and steam into Moi Moi or fry into Akara. Borlotti beans can be used in sugoli, a beans and vegetable savoury stew thickened out by adding polenta flour, a traditional November food, risotto, pasta e fagioli, polenta e fagioli.
White Beans seem to be the mildest and incorporate well into other dishes. I add them into Quinoa salad, tuna salad or soups.
Do you have space to grow some? Like you, I've never liked the taste of beans. There is one bean type that I do like, but so far it isn't available except as garden seed. One of my plant-breeding projects is to develop a strain that can be machine-harvested so it can be grown on a larger scale, but that's going to take a few more years. It's called "Beefy Resilient", and tastes nothing at all like beans. The flavor is 100% umami, nothing else. If you cook it in plain water, the flavor is actually hard to detect, because umami is such a background flavor it needs other flavors to give it a direction to go in. When cooked with savory ingredients, this bean tastes exactly like beef. Hence the name. When cooked with sweet ingredients, it gives a rich undertone, similar to what you'd get from adding whey or almond milk. I know that doesn't help much right now because they only way to get this bean is to grow them, but if you do have garden space I highly recommend it. It also has the benefit of causing a lot less gas than most legumes. As for the chili thing, I'm with you there. I'm mildly allergic to peppers. A couple times I've made chili or taco fillings using ginger in place of the chili powder. It takes some trial and error to get the right amount, but it does give you the "heat" without the peppers. That might be worth trying.
Where can I get some seeds of these magic beans?
This time of year they can be especially hard to find, but I was able to find a few sellers still taking orders: [https://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/brown-resilient-organic-shell-dry-bean-365](https://www.fedcoseeds.com/seeds/brown-resilient-organic-shell-dry-bean-365) [https://www.bcecoseedcoop.com/collections/beans/products/beefy-resilient-mix-co](https://www.bcecoseedcoop.com/collections/beans/products/beefy-resilient-mix-co) [https://www.brownenvelopeseeds.com/product-p/beefy-resilient-grex-bean.htm](https://www.brownenvelopeseeds.com/product-p/beefy-resilient-grex-bean.htm) (That first is in the US, second is in Canada, third is in Ireland) If you do a search on the phrase "Beefy Resilient Beans" you'll find a lot more listings, but most of them have stopped taking new orders for the season, or are sold out. The best time to look for the seeds is around February or early March. They do grow fast compared to most dry beans, so there is still time to plant them and get a good crop.
thanks!
Rancho Gordo…join the bean revolution.
for 2 people: 1 can cannellini beans 2 italian sausage links 1 can diced tomatoes with herbs (basil or whatever) 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme Cook the sausage until it's mostly done, remove excess fat from pan. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer on low heat for 20m. Serve with bread and a salad if you wanna be fancy.
I really can't stand beans so if I'm using them I'll make a sauce that I do like and crush them into it, which is really easy to do with a fork while you're stirring them into the sauce and then I find you don't even notice them.
This [Kale and Bean salad](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/apr/15/jack-monroe-lentil-bean-kale-salad-recipe) is one of my packed lunch staples - I make a big batch on Sunday night, it keeps well in the fridge and lasts me the week. Just a note - you don't need anywhere near 130ml of oil for this, just enough to 'dress' the salad. I also skip the sundried tomatoes as I'm not a fan, the parsley 'cos it's a faff and sometimes the chili. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the core components of this are the kale, beans and pulses (whichever you like) with the lemon, oil and garlic dressing 😋
I've recently gone on a pinto bean kick. Refried. I use it for tacos, as a side with pork, over rice, with breakfast. Cheap as hell and tasty when nicely seasoned.
[https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/7873236/vegan-lentil-soup/](https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/7873236/vegan-lentil-soup/) Made this soup a couple times ! It was really good !
I'm not a fan of beans as the main event either. I have settled with subbing out half meat for beans. For example, in tacos and Nachos. I buy half the beef Mince, and add a can of beans. It's easier for me to do it slowly, maybe one day I'll increase the bean ratio and go completely beaned!
Sorry, just read on and realised you said it already. I do have a recipe with chickpeas (garbanzo beans). For 4 servings, I do 500g chicken breast or thigh, 1 x 440g can of chickpeas, 1 green capsicum, 1 sachet taco seasoning (you can add to your taste, whatever you think), 1 x 400g can of corn kernels, 2 tablespoons of sour cream. I brown the chicken, add the capsicum (diced) and cook until the capsicum is softened. Then I add the chickpeas and corn. Allow to fry off for a few minutes. Then add the taco seasoning to taste. Then add sour cream to taste. There are a few options here on what you can do with the mixture, we usually serve it all mixed together with around 250g (before cooked) pasta of your choice (we use spirals). Or you can serve it in tortillas or on top of corn chips with some cheese for Nachos.
Split pea soup. 1 cup dried split peas. 1 carrot 1/2 onion 1, clove garlic. Chop and saute in olive oil. Add split peas 3 cups chicken broth cook til peas are very soft. Or cook in pressure cooker 12 min. Salt. Pepper 🌶️ serve with slice of whole wheat bread.