Food and Recipes Recipes 14 Ways To Use a Can of Black Beans By Jenna Sims Jenna Sims Jenna Sims is a Digital Editor for Southern Living and joined the team in 2014. She writes, produces, and ideates content with a focus on email growth and commerce content. She covers a range of topics in the lifestyle space from holiday gift guides to new product launches to tips for cooking with your air fryer. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on May 17, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Stephen DeVries We love recipes that make use of ingredients we already have on hand in our kitchen. One thing you probably almost always have in your well-stocked pantry is a can or two of black beans. They're a great to serve alongside dinner for an extra dose of protein, but they can also be a great addition to a variety of dishes. Instead of just serving them as a side, we've rounded up our best recipes using black beans that will help you make the most of the versatile legume. From casseroles to chilis to enchiladas and more, canned black beans offer a convenient way to add flavor and an extra source of protein to your meal. In fact, some of these recipes skip that meat altogether and let the black beans take center stage to a filling meal. So, if you have canned black beans in your pantry, open a can, give them a rinse, and add them to one of these easy recipes. 01 of 14 Beef Tamale Pie Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Beef Tamale Pie Grab your cast-iron skillet to pull together this cornbread-topped pie in just 40 minutes. 02 of 14 Burrito Bowls Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Burrito Bowls This recipe will show you how easy it is to serve restaurant-quality burrito bowls at home. 03 of 14 Pork Carnitas Nachos Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell Recipe: Pork Carnitas Nachos These pretty nachos come together easily thanks to the help of your slow cooker. 04 of 14 Cowboy Casserole Micah A. Leal Recipe: Cowboy CasseroleThis casserole puts your 9x13 pan to stellar use. The cheesy dish will have every member of your family asking for seconds. 05 of 14 Black Bean-Corn Tacos Johnny Autry; Prop and Food Styling: Charlotte L. Autry Recipe: Black Bean-Corn Tacos You won't even miss the meat in these veggie-packed tacos. Plus, they come together in just 20 minutes. 06 of 14 Cuban Black Bean-and-Yellow Rice Bowls Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Cuban Black Bean-and-Yellow Rice Bowls Start each bowl by filling it with yellow rice, black beans, and plantains. Then let everyone add their favorite toppings. 07 of 14 Taco Pie Micah A. Leal Recipe: Taco Pie This savory pie starts with a base of fried corn tortillas and we then pile on the flavor with a ground beef mixture that's seasoned with onion, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. 08 of 14 Mini Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas Stephen DeVries Recipe: Mini Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas These handheld enchiladas are a 30-minute take on the classic dish. 09 of 14 Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe: Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup New Mexico chile powder and ground cumin are used to create a flavor-packed broth for this one-dish soup. 10 of 14 Black Bean and Corn Salsa Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely, Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Recipe: Black Bean and Corn Salsa Whether you serve it as a side or an appetizer, this salsa will disappear quickly from the serving bowl. 11 of 14 Southwest Chicken Tortillas Greg DuPree Recipe: Southwest Chicken Tortillas You're just 30 minutes away from enjoying this Southwestern meal. 12 of 14 Easy Enchilada Bake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Easy Enchilada Bake You might be surprised to find out that you can cook the casserole and cornbread in your slow cooker at the same time. 13 of 14 Slow-Cooker Beef Nachos Laurey W. Glenn Recipe: Slow-Cooker Beef NachosNachos are always a good idea, especially when served for dinner. 14 of 14 Black Bean Chili Southern Living Recipe: Black Bean Chili Combine black beans with top sirloin steak for a hearty twist on traditional chili. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit