60 Vegetarian Black Bean Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Are black beans considered a vegetarian option? ›

Are your beans vegetarian? Yes! In fact both of our beans – black beans and refried beans – are certified vegan(2) by the American Vegetarian Association (AVA).

Canned black beans are a versatile, ready-to-use ingredient that you can use to boost the nutrient content of many dishes. They're a rich source of plant-based protein and fiber. This makes them a weight-loss-friendly food that may also help you manage blood sugar levels and lower your risk of heart disease.

However, similar to black sesame, black bean oil works wonders for our skin. Naturally rich in antioxidants, black bean oil also helps brighten up and freshen the complexion and aids in the production of red blood cells. Quick tidbit: black beans are dubbed the beauty bean in some Asian countries.

"Black beans cook so quickly soaking only saves 30 minutes or so. It also marginally helps keep them whole, but you're going to be pureeing some anyway. and the flavor is so much better. Just sayin."

Black beans can be high in carbohydrates, so they may not be ideal for people following a low-carb diet. They also contain some difficult-to-digest compounds that can cause gas and intestinal discomfort if you eat too many.

Yes! "Eating beans, including canned beans, every day is one of the best things you can do to help increase nutrients [that you may fall short on] and substantially improve the quality of your diet," says Papanikolaou.

Black beans are also rich in soluble fiber.

An added benefit of soluble fiber is it may help reduce belly (visceral) fat, one of the most dangerous types of fat.

Campos and her colleagues found that people who increased daily servings of white rice over time had higher blood pressure and higher levels of sugar and harmful fats in their blood—warning signs for type 2 diabetes. Those who ate more servings of beans than rice greatly reduced their risk.

Like oysters, beans are a good source of zinc, which aids the hair growth and repair cycle. A 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of black beans provides up to 14% of a female's daily zinc needs and 10% for males ( 30 ). They also provide many other hair-healthy nutrients, including iron, biotin, and folate ( 30 ).

Are black beans anti-inflammatory? ›

Overview. Black beans are a low-calorie, nutrient-dense food that are an essential addition to any arthritis diet. Packed with disease-fighting antioxidants, they have anti-inflammatory properties, and are also a great source of fiber, iron and protein.

Black beans. Red beans. All beans are anti-aging stars for their high antioxidant level. They're a fine source of protein, help regulate blood sugar, help lower cholesterol, and they're a good source of potassium and magnesium.

"If you rinse your beans thoroughly, you will have a consistently flavored product, but if you do not rinse them, different amounts of salt will remain in the dish each time you cook it, and it will be hard to cook consistently," he says.

Fun Fact: Discarding the soaking water and rinsing beans can help make cooked beans more digestible. Some people choose to save the soaking liquid because some nutrients are leeched from the beans into the liquid during soaking. We prefer to drain our soaking liquid but you can decide what works best for you.

When we tested this, the beans cooked in the soaking liquid were much more flavorful, had a prettier, darker color, and had a more pleasant texture. Takeaway: You don't have to soak your beans; but if you do, cook the beans in their soaking liquid. Myth 3: If you don't soak overnight, you should at least quick-soak.

Individuals can count beans, peas, and lentils as either a vegetable or a protein food. Beans include varieties such as kidney beans, pinto beans, white beans, black beans, lima beans, and fava beans. Also included are dried peas (e.g., chickpeas, black-eyed peas, pigeon peas, and split peas) and lentils.

They're great sources of fiber and vegetarian protein. You can incorporate beans into soups, tacos, salads, and other recipes. Beans and legumes have several health benefits.

To get the most out of a vegetarian diet, choose a variety of healthy plant-based foods. These include whole fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Nuts and legumes, such as lentils, beans and peanuts, also are considered healthy plant-based foods. At the same time, cut back on less healthy choices.

The sneaky reason most refried beans aren't vegetarian-friendly is that they're fried in lard. Lard, known as manteca in Spanish, is a semi-solid fat rendered from various parts of a pig. It's been a staple fat in Mexican cuisine since the introduction of pigs to the Aztecs by Spanish colonists.