25+ Vegetarian Black Bean Recipes
I love making these little recipe round-ups. Sometimes I can get into a rut of always using certain ingredients in the same way, so it’s always fun to realise quite how many different ways something can be used – and black beans are one of the most versatile ingredients in my kitchen!
From hearty casseroles and stews to fresh salads and burgers, and of course all of my Tex-Mex favourites – here are over 25 vegetarian black bean recipes that will inspire you to get straight into the kitchen. Make sure you bookmark this list so you can work your way through alllll of these vegetarian black bean recipes at your leisure!
❓ What are Black Beans Like?
Black beans are undoubtedly my favourite type of bean – they’re small and soft, and add a nice richness to your cooking. I find they have more flavour than most other types of beans.
They’re perfect as the star of the show or merely in the background, and they go perfectly in one of my favourite cuisines – Mexican!
Plus, like other beans, they’re full of fibre and protein, and low in fat – the perfect little nugget.
🥫 Should I use Dried or Canned Black Beans?
I exclusively use canned black beans in my cooking. You can buy tins that are literally just black beans in water, so health-wise it’s much the same as cooking your dried black beans from scratch. Just be aware that some brands do have added salt, which you might want to avoid, or at least bear in mind while you’re cooking.
Cooking dried beans from scratch is cheaper than using canned black beans (great if you’re cooking on a budget), but obviously soaking and boiling them takes a bit more effort. It also requires some forethought – you can’t let it get to 7pm and then suddenly decide you want to soak some dried black beans for 6 hours before dinner.
So, it depends on what you’d prefer to prioritise – cost or convenience. All of my vegetarian black bean recipes use canned beans, which makes them relatively quick recipes, but feel free to soak and cook dried black beans from scratch if you prefer, then cook the recipe as written.
Without further ado, here are the recipes! I’ve split them into sections to help you find what you’re looking for.
🍜 Black Bean Soups and Stews
Veggie-Packed Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
This black bean soup is a really easy slow cooker recipe – no pre-cooking required! Plus, it has heaps of hidden vegetables, which melt away into the soup as it cooks.
Veggie-Packed Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup
Tomato and Black Bean Stew
This simple stew is made with black beans and a rich tomato sauce. I love this served any number of ways – with rice, over a jacket potato, or just on its own with some tortilla chips to scoop it up!
Vegan Tomato and Black Bean Stew
Creamy Three Bean Stew
I love how versatile this bean stew recipe is. You can pretty much throw in whatever vegetables and canned beans you already have in the kitchen, and it works out well every time. I’ve never made it the same way twice!
Creamy Three Bean Stew
Vegetarian Savoury Mince
Savoury mince is a classic British recipe, and this vegetarian version makes such a hearty plate of comfort food.
Vegetarian savoury mince
Vegan Taco Soup (with Crispy Tortilla Strips)
This vegan soup is inspired by my favourite vegetarian tacos or fajitas, packed with vegetables, black beans and spices. It’s also topped with crispy tortilla strips – like a Tex-Mex version of a crouton!
Vegan Taco Soup (with Crispy Tortilla Strips)
🍲 Black Bean Casseroles and Bakes
One Pot Baked Fajita Rice
This fajita rice is an easy one pot meal that all cooks up together in the oven – even the raw vegetables and uncooked rice! I love it served with guacamole and sour cream.
One Pot Baked Fajita Rice
Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Casserole
If rolling enchiladas seems like too much fuss, try an enchilada casserole instead – it’s a lot quicker and less fiddly to make. This recipe only needs about 15 minutes of effort!
Roasted Vegetable Enchilada Casserole
Enchilada Stuffed Pasta Shells
I love fusion food, where you combine different cuisines to make something a bit special. These enchilada stuffed shells combine my two all-time favourites – Italian and Tex-Mex.
Enchilada stuffed pasta shells
Mexican Bean and Potato Bake
This Tex-Mex potato bake is one of my all-time most popular recipes, for good reason! I actually used kidney beans in this version of the recipe, but I regularly make it with black beans instead.
Mexican Bean and Potato Bake
Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas
This is my go-to simple enchilada recipe, as it’s easy to make and always delicious! They’re stuffed with a no-cook black bean and spinach mixture, and coated in my quick homemade enchilada sauce.
Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas
Spicy Bean Hotpot with Crispy Potato Topping
We Brits love a good hotpot, and this bean hotpot is super satisfying. It’s topped with crispy slices of potato and baked to perfection.
Spicy bean hotpot with crispy potato topping
Cheesy Bean Bake
Rice, beans, rich tomato sauce, all topped with crispy cheese… this one is really irresistible, and is perfect for cooking for a crowd!
Cheesy bean bake
🍛 Black Bean Chillis and Curries
Black Bean and Halloumi Chilli
This easy vegetarian chilli contains another of my all-time favourite ingredients – halloumi cheese! If you could represent me as a plate of food, this would probably be it.
Black Bean and Halloumi Chilli
Easy Mushroom and Black Bean Chilli
This is designed to be a really, really easy recipe – it’s really quick to make, and makes two perfect portions. It would be great for students!
Easy mushroom and black bean chilli
🥗 Black Bean Salads
Creamy Cowboy Caviar
Cowboy caviar is a simple bean salad that’s bursting with far more flavour than it has any right to! I made a creamy avocado dressing for mine, and it’s totally vegan.
Creamy Cowboy Caviar (with Avocado Dressing)
Roasted Black Bean Taco Salad
If you think you’re not a salad person, try one topped with crispy roasted black beans and an avocado dressing – so good.
Roasted Black Bean Taco Salad
Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad with Tahini Dressing
There are so many tasty flavours in this simple quinoa salad – and it’s packed with goodness too.
Sweet potato quinoa salad with tahini dressing
Black Bean and Walnut Lettuce Wraps
I love this simple vegetarian taco ‘meat’ served in lettuce wraps (or wrap it up in taco shells if you prefer!).
Black bean and walnut taco-style lettuce wraps
🌮 Black Bean Burritos, Tacos, etc.
Spicy Black Bean Burritos
This is my go-to vegetarian burrito recipe, stuffed with rice, beans, veggies and cheese. You can adjust the fillings depending on whatever you like!
Spicy Black Bean Burritos
Black Bean and Walnut Tacos
These tacos are heaped high with an easy vegetarian taco ‘meat’ made with walnuts and beans. I’ve used this combination loads of times and it never fails!
Black bean and walnut tacos
Veggie Burrito Bowls
If tortillas aren’t your thing, try burrito bowls instead! They’re especially good topped with all your favourite Tex-Mex toppings, like guacamole and grated cheese.
Veggie burrito bowls
Mushroom and Black Bean Smothered Burritos
If there’s anything better than a vegetarian burrito, it’s a smothered burrito. These are coated in a wonderful jalapeño sour cream sauce.
Mushroom and black bean smothered burritos
🍔 Other Vegetarian Black Bean Recipes
Ricotta and Black Bean Stuffed Peppers
These stuffed peppers are filled with an irresistibly creamy black bean and ricotta mixture. Best of all, it requires no pre-cooking – just stuff and bake!
Creamy Ricotta and Black Bean Stuffed Peppers
Enchilada Noodles
I come back to this recipe again and again, because it’s so easy, even if you’re just cooking for one or two people. And it’s delicious too!
Enchilada noodles
Roasted Black Beans
If you’ve never tried roasting black beans, you’re missing out! I love cooking up a batch of roasted beans to use as a tasty topping on salads.
How to Roast Black Beans
Black Bean and Lentil Vegetarian Koftas
These veggie koftas are so easy to make (no fuss, just mix and bake!), and are so tasty served with couscous, salad and tzatziki.
Black bean and lentil vegetarian koftas
🧾 Top Tips for Cooking with Black Beans
- If you’re using canned black beans, make sure to check the ingredients before you buy. Ideally, find a brand that includes just black beans and water, rather than ones that contain a lot of added salt.
- To stop your black beans from sticking in the can, give them a good shake before opening. This helps to loosen the beans.
- If you find beans (and other pulses) sometimes give you gas, make sure you rinse the beans thoroughly before using them, as this removes a lot of the gas-inducing compounds.
I would like to eat more vegetables and reduce the amount of meat that I eat.
You’ve come to the right place! :)
I see that you have bean very busy! Thanks for the recipes they are great, delicious and healthy.
You’re welcome :)
I love your Black Bean soups recipes, but they all use canned black beans and I want to use the dried beans. One of your recipes calls for the liquid to be used as well. How do I do that with dried beans. What would the equivalent be for a 15 oz can in the dried. I am so looking forward to trying these soups.
Thanks! Just use an extra dash of water instead – the liquid is quite thick to keeps things nice and rich, but it doesn’t matter too much if you skip it :)
Hi what you all forget when preparing your recipes is the fact that some one like me who cant afford to eat like this my shopping budget £20a fortnight I struggle to eat herbs spices other add in cost more than my budget just to make one meal at this rate om living mainly off beans on toast or cheap sausage casserole I wish sum one would devise a cook book that easy and cheap I dont like avacado mushrooms olive tomatoes goat and feta nor torfu which most recipes add these your a dying vegetarian
Hi Jay, I’m sorry I can’t offer what you’re looking for! I tend to focus on simple recipes rather than budget recipes, but hopefully you’ll be able to find something here that suits!
A good vegetarian sandwich recipe: crusty bread, flour tortilla, or any solid bread will do. Boil some green lentils in water and vegetable broth or (chicken broth), and spices( optional) till soft. boil until there’s barely any water left. It should be stewy. Put tth mixture between some bread add some grated cheese of your choice. Melt the cheese or grill sandwich like a grill cheese. And there you go. I do this often it tastes great.
Jack Munro produced a book called “A Girl called Jack” with budget recipes. She fed herself and her 2 year old son on £10 a week. She grew her own herbs on a window ledge, bought spices when she had any spare cash and I think is great example of inventive budget cookery.
I have her book its fantastic!