20 Ways with Kidney Beans

By Hayley Sugg
January 13, 2020
Credit: Buckwheat Queen

Whether dried or canned, kidney beans should be a staple of your pantry. Hearty enough to contribute to dishes like chili and curry — but flavorful enough to be profiled in recipes for bean salads or burgers — kidney beans can do it all. To start including these mighty red beans in your meals, check out our 20 favorite ways to use them. 

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Elbow Macaroni and Kidney Bean Salad

Credit: lutzflcat
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Bulk up your pasta salad with the addition of kidney beans. The red wine vinegar and mayo-based sauce make for a tangy dish. 

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Simple Turkey Chili

Credit: NERDBOX
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Ground turkey, kidney beans, and a hearty dose of seasonings combine to create this comforting chili.

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Rajma (Kidney Beans)

Credit: Buckwheat Queen
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Rajma (also sometimes called "razma") is an Indian dish from the state of Punjab. It's a vegetarian curry that is delicious when served with steamed rice. 

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Kidney Bean Salad

Credit: lutzflcat
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If you're looking for a basic bean salad, then this is the recipe for you. Kidney beans, hard-boiled eggs, and veggies are all mixed together in a creamy sauce.

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Italian Vegetable Soup

Credit: MrsSteffes
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Two cans of kidney beans are needed to create this comforting soup. "My family enjoyed it," says LYNNFROMNY. "A definite keeper!"

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Mexican Bean Burgers

Credit: Katherine Martinelli
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Beans are the base for these vegan-friendly burger patties. Angie says, "This is a very flavorful meatless dish that I make quite often."

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Three Bean Salad With Celery

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A real crowd-pleaser for potlucks, kidney beans are just part of a trio of legumes that make up this dish.

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Rice & Beans (Haitian Style)

Credit: Rock_lobster
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A scotch bonnet pepper, cloves, and adobo seasoning take this Haitian beans and rice recipe from basic to wow-worthy. 

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Addictive Sweet Potato Burritos

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Beans make a great base for vegetarian burritos, especially when paired with mashed sweet potatoes. This recipe makes a large amount, so consider freezing your extra burritos for quick meals.

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Quick and Easy Stuffed Peppers

Credit: Paula
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A microwave is all you need to "bake" these stuffed peppers in just a few minutes. Ron says, "This recipe is delicious, but it was the super simple microwave preparation process that pushed it up to 5 stars for me."

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Curried Mustard Greens with Kidney Beans

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Filling kidney beans and peppery mustard greens combine in this creamy Indian-inspired curry. Serve with a side of naan or basmati rice. 

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Insanely Easy Vegetarian Chili

Credit: Ellyx3
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No meat is necessary for this hearty vegan chili. "This tops all the ground meat chili I've made in the past," says JINGSHI.

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Vegetable Shepherd's Pie

Credit: jL
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When you want a veggie-ful meal, but still desire the comfort of a casserole, this is the recipe for you. Kidney beans, mixed vegetables, and tomatoes all are covered in a layer of homemade mashed potatoes before baking.

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Chef John's Red Beans and Rice

Credit: Chef John's Red Beans and Rice
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A Cajun classic, red beans and rice are a staple in the South. Here, Chef John's recipe gets an extra depth of flavor thanks to andouille sausage and a smoked ham hock. 

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Unsloppy Joes

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Kidney beans and sautéed veggies take the place of ground beef in this vegan-friendly version of sloppy joes. "Even my carnivore husband found them delicious and has asked for them again," says LoveToCook. 

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Ham Bone Soup

Credit: Mandy
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Just a handful of ingredients are all that's needed for this delicious slow cooker soup. The ham bone permeates the dish, adding a rich flavor throughout. 

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Corrigan's Minestrone

Credit: TTV78
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Kidney beans, potatoes, and pasta are the backbone of this Italian-inspired soup. Leftovers can easily be frozen for future meals. 

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BBQ Chicken Quesadilla

Credit: Lela
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You only need half a dozen ingredients to achieve these BBQ quesadillas that will please kids and adults alike. "A delightful change from the normal quesadilla," says bd.weld.

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Gramma's Old Fashioned Chili Mac

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Comfort food just like Grandma used to make! Mittens says, "This is the best, comes out great every time."

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Spicy Shrimp and Red Bean Soup

Credit: Jessica
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This creamy soup is filled with tender shrimp and hearty kidney beans. Serve it over rice, angel hair pasta, or with a piece of garlic bread on the side.

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State of Home Cooking: Nutrient Rich Foods

We're serving up and celebrating the biggest home-cooking trends from the most enthusiastic cooks we know: our community. We crunched the data from 1.2 billion annual Allrecipes.com visits and 2.5 billion annual page views. Then we dug even further, surveying Allrecipes cooks about what's in their carts and fridges, on their stovetops and tables, and on their minds. Nutrient Rich Foods is just one of the topics they're most curious about. See more of the "State of Home Cooking" special report.

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