10 Easy & Cheap Meals You Can Make with a Bag of Black Beans
Looking for budget-friendly, delicious meals? Discover 10 easy and creative ways to use black beans to stretch your grocery budget and create flavorful dishes your whole family will love!
10 Easy & Cheap Meals You Can Make with a Bag of Black Beans
Black beans are one of the most affordable, versatile, and nutritious pantry staples you can keep on hand. A single 1-pound bag of dried black beans costs just a few dollars and can stretch into multiple meals, making it a budget-friendly powerhouse for meal planning.
Cooking black beans from scratch is easy and cost-effective, plus it allows you to control the flavor and avoid unnecessary additives found in canned versions. Whether you’re looking for hearty dinners, quick lunches, or delicious side dishes, black beans can do it all!
In this post, I’ll share 10 easy and cheap meals you can make with a single bag of black beans—perfect for stretching your grocery budget while still enjoying tasty, filling meals.
Let’s dive in!
Why Cook with Dry Black Beans
I love using beans to stretch our meals! With meat prices on the rise, I’ve started cutting back on how much we use and replacing some of it with beans. Not only does this help save money, but it also adds a nutritious boost to our meals. Beans are packed with essential nutrients, making them a budget-friendly way to keep our meals hearty and balanced.
Nutrients
Beans are packed with nutrients that make them a great staple in a healthy diet. Here are the main components you get from eating black beans (or most other beans):
- Protein – A great plant-based protein source, helping with muscle repair and keeping you full.
- Fiber – Supports digestion, promotes gut health, and helps regulate blood sugar levels.
- Complex Carbohydrates – Provides long-lasting energy without causing blood sugar spikes.
- Iron – Essential for oxygen transport in the blood, helping prevent fatigue.
- Magnesium – Supports muscle function, nerve health, and energy production.
- Potassium – Helps regulate blood pressure and maintain fluid balance.
- Folate (Vitamin B9) – Important for cell growth and especially crucial during pregnancy.
- Antioxidants – Black beans contain anthocyanins, which help fight inflammation and protect cells.
The Price
I bought a 2 pound bag of black beans for $2.63. Once cooked it made just over 9 cups of black beans. A 15 ounce can of black beans contains about 1.5 cups. Which means a 2 pound bag made about 6 cans of beans.
A can of black beans in my area is $.86 so that’s 5.16 plus tax so buying the dried beans saves you about 2.50. Now that’s not a crazy savings but every little bit helps in my opinion.
And when you find other ways to save at the grocery store then the money really does start to add up. The good news is that you can use canned beans for all of these recipes if you prefer to go that route.
The Taste
I personally think homemade beans taste better than the canned stuff. Especially when talking about black and refried beans. You can infuse some really good flavor into the beans during the cooking process and it doesn’t take much effort.
Most of the time I’m using beans in Mexican dishes so I like to use chipotles in the cooking process but you can use different ingredients based on your preferences.
It’s very easy to make black beans in a crockpot with out much prep. I’ll cook the whole bag at once and then store the leftovers in the freezer to use through out the month.
10 Affordable Bean-Based Meals
- Black Beans & Rice – We alway do a simple black beans over rice the first night I make black beans. It’s so simple but really yummy. Just put your beans over the rice and top with shredded cheese, taco sauce or salsa, lime juice and some chopped cilantro.
- Crispy Black Bean Tacos – These easy, budget-friendly tacos are made by folding seasoned black beans and shredded cheese into a corn tortilla, then lightly frying until golden and crispy. Serve with salsa or guacamole for a delicious, satisfying meal!
- Black Bean Taquitos (or Flautas) – These crispy, rolled tacos are filled with seasoned black beans and shredded cheese, then fried until golden and crunchy. Use corn tortillas for traditional taquitos or flour tortillas for flautas. Serve with salsa or guacamole for a simple, delicious meal!
- Black Bean Nachos – Crispy tortilla chips topped with seasoned black beans and melted cheese, then baked until gooey and delicious. Load them up with your favorite toppings like salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and jalapeños for the perfect easy meal or snack!
- Black Bean Tostadas – Crunchy tostada shells topped with seasoned black beans, shredded lettuce, cheese, and your favorite toppings like salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. I love to throw a fried egg on top for a breakfast option.
- Black Bean Potato Bowl – Roasted diced potatoes tossed in oil and taco seasoning make the perfect base for this hearty bowl. Top with taco meat, seasoned black beans, melted cheese, and your favorite toppings like sour cream, salsa, or guacamole. For an even easier version, swap the roasted potatoes for crispy fries or tater tots!
- Black Bean Soup – A flavorful and comforting soup made with seasoned black beans, extra broth for a perfect consistency, and a touch of cumin and garlic powder. Top with melted cheese, a drizzle of hot sauce, and a squeeze of fresh lime for a burst of flavor!
- Black Bean Burritos – Soft flour tortillas filled with seasoned black beans, cheese, and rice plus your favorite toppings like sour cream, salsa, and lettuce. Roll them up for a quick, satisfying meal that’s perfect for lunch or dinner!
- Lazy Enchiladas – This easy dish starts with a layer of seasoned black beans at the bottom of a baking pan, topped with frozen taquitos. Pour on enchilada sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes for a quick and tasty meal with all the flavors of enchiladas, no fuss required!
I make a small batch for myself for lunch all the time and just pop it in the microwave for about 3 mins. I love to add sliced green onions and olives on top. It’s so yummy!
If you want a little variety try green enchilada sauce with chicken taquitos and red sauce with beef ones.
- Black Bean Taco Salad – A fresh, flavorful salad with seasoned black beans, crisp lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and your favorite taco toppings like avocado, sour cream, and salsa. Top with crushed tortilla chips for a satisfying crunch, and drizzle with your favorite dressing for the perfect taco-inspired meal!
There are plenty of other meals you can make with black beans like Black Bean Curry, Black Bean Meatballs, Black Bean Burgers, Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili. A quick search on Pinterest will give you a lot more ideas to try.
Black beans are not only a budget-friendly pantry staple but also a versatile ingredient that can be used in countless delicious meals. From crispy tacos to hearty soups and filling bowls, these recipes are perfect for stretching your grocery budget while still enjoying tasty, nutritious meals.
Whether you’re cooking for one or feeding a family, black beans are a great way to add flavor, protein, and fiber to your meals. Happy cooking, and enjoy experimenting with these easy and delicious dishes!
Do you have a favorite way to use black beans? Tell us in the comments!
