The 10 Best Black Bean Recipes for Meatless Monday

Legumes—whether we’re talking chickpeas, split peas, lentils, or butter beans—are terrific ingredients to include in any healthy diet. But there’s one bean in particular that seems to stand above the rest: in popularity, in ubiquity, in versatility, and in price. Yes, we’re talking about black beans!

So what makes black beans so special? First, you can find them pretty much anywhere, from gas stations to supermarkets. Second, they’re nutritional powerhouses, offering numerous health benefits, such as improved blood sugar and a reduced risk of heart disease or type 2 diabetes. They’re also low in fat, high in protein and fiber, and an excellent source of folate, copper, thiamine, and iron. Finally, they’re easy to incorporate into all types of recipes with a taste that’s both subtle and pleasant.  

And with the right recipes, any home cook can manipulate the black bean into hundreds of dishes. Depending on how they’re prepared, the black bean can take on a texture that’s either creamy, firm, or smooth. This makes it a great ingredient to add to plant-based burgers, vegetarian “meat” loafs, soups, chilis, or tacos. However, to get the purest (and probably most delicious) black bean experience, you’re going to want to start with dry beans. They only require a soak the night before, and can be ready after an hour on the stove top. 

But no matter how you slice ‘em (or mash ‘em or blend ‘em), the black bean remains a great foundation for all your Meatless Monday cooking. This Monday, have fun whipping up some innovative black bean dishes.

Best Black Bean Burger

You can never have too many black bean burger recipes, and this one from Love and Lemons elevates the plant-based patty to another level. A couple of unique touches, like using grated onion, tamari, cumin, and balsamic vinegar gives the burger a deeply savory flavor, while the chipotles in adobo sauce bring the smoke and heat. For the Best Black Bean Burger recipe from Love and Lemons, click here.

Black Bean, Corn, and Pumpkin Risotto

It may not be the most classic of combinations, but marrying risotto rice, Spanish wine, bell peppers, smoked paprika, corn, and black beans puts a Tex-Mex twist on this quintessential Italian dish. So where’s the pumpkin? It’s blended with chile powder, cumin, and lime juice to give your risotto that signature creamy consistency. For the Black Bean, Corn, and Pumpkin Risotto recipe, click here.

Butternut Squash Black Bean Chili

This chili is rich and smoky thanks to a liberal use of chipotle and ancho chili powder, cumin, and, of course, lots and lots of black beans. Butternut squash provides a bite of starchy sweetness that mellows out the heat. For the Butternut Squash Black Bean Chili recipe, click here.

Easy Vegan Black Bean Curry

You may not always associate black beans with curry, but this recipe from Skinny Spatula is just another example of the legume’s versatility. The key to this dish is canned coconut milk, which imparts a sweet creaminess that counterbalances the more assertive spices, like curry powder, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and red chile flake. For the Easy Vegan Black Bean Curry recipe from Skinny Spatula, click here.

Mango, Black Bean, and Caramelized Veggie Burrito

This isn’t your ordinary burrito. It’s got a couple special things going for it. First, it has caramelized veggies, which add a natural sweetness and pleasant char to the burrito. Next is the spicy mango topping, which uses fresh mango chunks marinated in a mix of lime juice, salt, and chipotle powder. It’s tangy and sweet and everything you could ever want in a burrito. For the Mango, Black Bean, and Caramelized Veggie Burrito recipe, click here.

Smoky Chipotle Black Bean & Roasted Sweet Potato Tacos

What would a black bean roundup be without a taco recipe? Black beans and sweet potatoes are a natural match, but the addition of chopped mushrooms and tomato paste adds an extra layer of umami to the taco filling. For the Smoky Chipotle Black Bean and Roasted Sweet Potato Taco recipe, click here.

The Most Delicious Black Bean Loaf

For a show stopping centerpiece, try this bold and zesty black bean loaf with salsa verde from Ambitious Kitchen. The base of the loaf is made from black beans and sautéed veggies, but it gets its structure and firm(ish) texture from a mix of corn, oats, oat flour, and flaxseed meal. After the loaf is roasted, it’s topped with a blend of salsa verde, avocado, and fresh cilantro. For the Most Delicious Black Bean Loaf recipe from Ambitious Kitchen, click here.

Vegetarian Black Bean Enchiladas

For a super simple Meatless Monday dinner option, whip up these vegetarian enchiladas. You need five ingredients: canned black bean soup, red enchilada sauce, corn tortillas, shredded cheese (non-dairy works), and scallions. Thicken the black bean soup on the stove top and then add it to your tortillas along with the other ingredients. Roll them tightly and bake. The result is a dish of bubbly comfort food. For the Vegetarian Black Bean Enchilada recipe, click here.

Vegan Cuban Black Beans

Cuban black beans have a taste and texture that’s all their own. This recipe from That Girl Cooks Healthy starts with dried black beans that need to be rinsed and soaked overnight. The next day, the water is drained off and replenished with the addition of bay leaves and coconut oil. But the real flavor comes from the sofrito, a mixture of sautéed garlic, onions, and bell peppers that’s mixed in later. For the Vegan Cuban Black Beans recipe from That Girl Cooks Healthy, click here.

Vegan Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies

Black beans for dessert? Yep, you heard correctly. Black beans have a mild taste and creamy texture that makes them particularly suited for sweet treats like puddings, cakes, and brownies. This clever recipe from Minimalist Baker pairs the black beans with flaxseed meal, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Oh, yeah, there’s also a half cup of sugar. Still sounds like a guilt-free dessert to us!

For the Vegan Gluten-Free Black Bean Brownies recipe from Minimalist Baker, click here.  

Want to know about other foods and ingredients that have long shelf lives? Check out our list of Inexpensive Plant-Based Ingredients That Won’t Go Bad and Food Print’s Guide to Reducing Food Waste.