Our 35+ BEST Kidney Bean Recipes (2024)

If you’ve got a can of red kidney beans (or a bag of kidney beans) in your pantry, you’re probably wondering if there are any interesting kidney bean recipes out there.

Kidney beans are packed full of nutrition, but in addition to being good for you, kidney beans have loads of flavor and a wonderful texture. Traditional chili is usually made with kidney beans, but you can technically use kidney beans in any recipe that calls for pinto beans or garbanzo beans.

The good news is that there are tons of red kidney beans recipe ideas you can try.

Kidney beans, a versatile and nutritious ingredient, offer a world of possibilities when it comes to creating delicious and satisfying meals. Rich in protein, fiber, and essential nutrients, these legumes are not only a staple in various cuisines but also a popular choice among those seeking healthy and budget-friendly options for their meal plans.

The following recipes showcase the diverse ways kidney beans can be incorporated into a wide range of dishes, from comforting soups to hearty salads, and even scrumptious desserts. Whether you are a long-time fan of these flavorful beans or simply looking to expand your culinary repertoire, these kidney bean recipes will surely pique your interest and delight your taste buds.

So, without further ado, let us delve into the world of kidney bean recipes and explore the delectable dishes that await you. Prepare to be inspired and get ready to whip up some amazing meals that will not only please the palate but also nourish the body.

On the internet, there are recipes for kidney beans galore, from Louisiana red beans and rice to a simple red bean pasta salad and classic homemade chili.

Recipes with kidney beans can save your dinner, and a good kidney bean recipe also makes an excellent Meatless Monday meal.

Whatever you’re craving, there are kidney beans recipes on this list for you and your family.

Source: thecuriouschickpea.com

1. Lubya Recipe (Afghan Kidney Bean Curry)

Who knew you could enjoy a delicious curry made with red kidney beans? And who doesn’t love curry?

Sometimes called curry or curry, traditional Afghan lubya curry is made with coconut oil, cumin, coriander, dried mint, canned tomatoes, red onion, minced garlic, black pepper, and cilantro.

Serve this delicious kidney bean curry over basmati rice (or other white rice), brown rice, or cauliflower rice. Curry is also great when served with crusty bread.

Source: budgetbytes.com

2. Cajun Red Beans and Rice Recipe

Cooking Louisiana red beans and rice is a classic way to use canned kidney beans or dry beans.

For red beans and rice, you can use any type of meat for seasoning, although andouille sausage is used traditionally. Try using shrimp, beef, diced ham (or other pork), and more. Be sure to serve these red beans over rice.

Source: aheadofthyme.com

3. One Pot Kidney Beans Recipe

We love one pot recipes, and this kidney beans recipe fits the bill.

These kidney beans have a wonderful Mediterranean flavor, with onion, garlic, turmeric, tomato paste, cumin, dried mint, Italian seasoning, cilantro, and black pepper.

Serve these kidney beans over rice or as a soup. Also, you don’t necessarily need soaked beans for this recipe.

Source: northcoast.coop

4. Summer Kidney Bean Salad Recipe

For this kidney bean salad, you need cooked kidney beans, fresh corn kernels, diced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, green onions (scallions), chopped cilantro, lime zest, fresh lime juice, extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and salt and black pepper.

This summer salad is perfect to serve with any type of BBQ or ground beef recipe, and you can make it without cooking kidney beans. Just use canned kidney beans.

Source: thespruceeats.com

5. Easy Red Kidney Bean and Pasta Salad Recipe

When you add some red kidney beans to your pasta salad, you’ve got a side dish that can also double as a full meal for lunch the next day.

Kidney beans are rich in protein and other nutrients, so they’re a great add-in for any salad.

Source: simpleveganblog.com

6. Vegan Jambalaya

Spices in this jambalaya are onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and oregano.

The veggies in this dish are bell pepper, carrots, chickpeas, kidney beans, and tomatoes.

Source: yupitsvegan.com

7. Roasted Pepper and Red Bean Hummus

Technically, you can use any type of bean to make rich and creamy hummus.

This recipe calls for white beans, but just substitute red kidney beans for a super nutritious that is great for pita chips or veggies.

Source: veenaazmanov.com

8. Kidney Bean Coconut Curry

In India, this curry made with kidney beans and coconut milk is called rajma chawal orrajma masala.

For this recipe, you can use canned kidney beans or cooked kidney beans.

Spices include curry powder, garam masala (if you’re making rajma masala), sweet paprika, fresh lemon juice, and cilantro.

Source: nourishedbycaroline.ca

9. Kidney Bean Vegetable Soup

Anytime you make a big pot of vegetable soup, you can add any type of beans you like, including black beans, pinto beans, and yes, red kidney beans.

Spices include basil, oregano, thyme, and black pepper.

Source: fortheloveofcooking.net

10. Chili

No list of kidney bean recipes would be complete without a homemade chili recipe.

For this chili made with chili powder, you need kidney beans, but you can also add in some pinto beans or black beans to make this traditional chili recipe even heartier.

Other ingredients include red bell pepper, chili powder, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, diced tomatoes, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes.

You can pressure cook chili in your pressure cooker or Instant Pot. If you want to make your chili with dried beans, the Instant Pot is ideal because it cooks kidney beans much more quickly.

Source: onegreenplanet.org

11. Kidney Bean Brownies

We can’t do a recipe list without including at least one recipe for a dessert and you’re going to love these kidney bean brownies.

These addictive brownies are made with defatted cocoa powder, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and baking soda.

Source: bmbeans.com

12. Three Bean Tacos

Most of us make tacos with ground beef, but how about combining Taco Tuesday and Meatless Monday into one day with these three bean tacos?

For these tacos, you need kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans. Other ingredients are corn, red onion, lettuce, and creamy Mexican cheese.

Source: foodiecrush.com

13. Three-Bean Salad

We love a classic three bean salad, but this version caught our eye because it actually has four types of beans: green beans, wax beans (white bean), dried kidney beans, and garbanzo beans.

Other ingredients are apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, yellow onion, granulated sugar, canola oil (or olive oil), and sea salt.

Source: self.com

14. Ultimate Scrambled Eggs

Beans for breakfast? Why not!

These scrambled eggs and kidney beans offer a super-powerful protein boost that can help you power through a busy day.

Even better is the fact that these scrambled eggs have some yummy cheddar cheese.

Source: fromthecomfottofmybowl.com

15. Coconut Beans and Rice (Jamaican Peas and Rice)

Coconut is used along with coconut flakes to give this dry kidney beans recipe the delicious coconut milk flavor.

You can make these Jamaican rice and peas in the Instant Pot or slow cooker, too.

Source: delicioustable.com

16. Cowboy Beans

In the Southwest, bean dishes are hugely popular.

For this recipe for cowboy beans, you need a whopping six types of beans: kidney beans, pork and beans, navy beans, black beans, pinto beans, and white cannellini beans.

Source: veganheaven.org

17. Kidney Bean Meatballs and Spaghetti

If you’re eating a vegan diet or vegetarian diet, you can still enjoy spaghetti and meatballs. How so? Well, these meatballs are made with kidney beans.

To make these vegan kidney bean meatballs, you need garlic, olive oil, onion, basil, oregano, rolled oats, sunflower seeds, soy sauce, sea salt, and black pepper.

Source: deliciousbydesign.net

18. Chicken Tortilla Soup

This version of chicken soup includes tons of delicious fresh veggies, including carrots, celery, corn, and onions. For the beans, you need both kidney beans and black beans.

Spices are chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper.

Source: acouplecooks.com

19. Sloppy Joes

With canned kidney beans, you can make a delicious vegetarian or vegan sloppy joe recipe.

Other ingredients include tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, oregano, celery, onion, and garlic powder.

Source: spicedblog.com

20. Stuffed Bell Peppers

We’re used to seeing stuffed bell pepper recipes made with ground beef, rice, and lots of cheese. However, this recipe makes use of kidney beans.

The flavor for these stuffed peppers comes from delicious Cajun seasoning, along with garlic.

Source: robinrobertson.com

21. Caribbean Collard Green and Bean Soup

You can eat collard greens by themselves, but they’re also delicious in a soup like this soup with a Caribbean flavor.

For this soup, you need a diced sweet potato, cooked beans (canned beans is fine), bell pepper, hot chiles, vegetable broth, allspice, thyme, coconut milk, and spinach.

Source: twopeasandtheirpod.com

22. Vegetarian Cheese and Chili Mac

Chili mac doesn’t have to be made with ground beef, and this vegetarian version of a beloved classic proves that.

Chili mac’s flavor (and name) comes from the chili powder that’s used to make this pasta dish.

Other ingredients include black beans, cumin, cheddar cheese, vegetable broth, bell pepper, tomato paste, and canned tomatoes.

Source: loveandgoodstuff.com

23. Pasta e fa*gioli

If you love Italian soup recipes, you must try pasta e fa*gioli, which is made with both kidney beans and cannellini beans (which are sometimes known as white kidney beans).

This soup is loaded with veggies, including celery, onion, and carrots.

Other ingredients are canned tomatoes, vegetable stock, extra virgin olive oil, and small shell pasta.

Source: lemonblossoms.com

24. Mexican Corn and Bean Salad

You can think of this recipe as something like three bean salad but with Mexican flavors.

You need three types of beans for this bean salad: black beans, great northern beans, and red kidney beans.

Other ingredients are bell pepper, onion, jalapeno pepper, avocado, and cilantro.

Source: recipetineats.com

25. Baked Beans

Traditionally, baked beans are made with small white navy beans, but you can also make a delicious version of this recipe with red kidney beans.

Serve your baked beans with barbecued brisket, grilled chicken, pulled pork, fried chicken, and more.

For this recipe, you need tomato puree, garlic, onion, ketchup, molasses, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and dry mustard powder.

Source: southernplate.com

26. Taco Soup

For Taco Tuesday, why not have taco soup instead of plain old tacos?

This taco soup is made with two types of beans (red kidney beans and pinto beans) but you can also use black beans.

The other ingredients in this savory soup are corn, Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, ranch dressing mix, and ground beef (or ground turkey).

Source: accidentalhappybaker.com

27. Kidney Bean Salad

When you crave a cold salad that’s fresh and crunchy, reach for this recipe for an old-fashioned kidney bean salad.

This recipe is loaded with veggies, including celery, sweet pickles, and onion.

Hard-boiled eggs add even more protein, and you can use light mayonnaise to make this cold bean salad.

Source: bigoven.com

28. Spicy Beef and Bean Pie

We love a pot pie, and when we can get the goodness of ground beef and kidney beans topped with a flaky pie crust, we’re in heaven.

This recipe calls for green olives, so it’s a super interesting dish. Cheddar cheese and sour cream add tons of flavor.

Source: veganheaven.org

29. Two-Bean Veggie Pizza

Who knew putting kidney beans on pizza was a great idea?

You can use a store-bought or homemade pizza dough to make this healthy vegetarian pizza that has Mexican flavors.

Other ingredients are cumin, paprika, bell pepper, red onion, vegan sour cream, cilantro, and vegan cheese. A black bean pizza sounds like a great idea, too!

Source: plantbasedfolk.com

30. Bean Stew

In Lebanon, this delicious authentic kidney bean stew is called Fasolia.

The key to the perfect Fasolia is the right ingredients, and they include garlic, Lebanese 7 spice, Roma tomatoes, red chilli, tomato paste, and brown onion.

Source: thepurplepumpkinblog.co.uk

31. Refried Kidney Beans

We love refried beans, and you can make this version of refried beans that calls for both pinto beans and kidney beans.

This bean recipe is super simple to make and has delicious spices like smoked paprika, chili powder, and garlic.

Source: weelicious.com

32. Mexican Bean and Corn Soup

We love any type of Mexican food, and this Mexican bean soup will hit the spot on a cold winter evening!

This yummy soup is full of delicious spices and veggies, including zucchini, frozen corn, bell pepper, diced tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, and garlic.

Source: thepeskyvegan.com

33. Red Kidney Bean Dip

Bean dip is great to have for serving as a nutritious appetizer during Sunday football games, but this tasty dip also makes for a healthy and easy lunch.

Use your kidney bean dip to dip potato chips, Fritos, pita bread, or raw veggies.

Soup: ambitiouskitchen.com

34. Minestrone Soup

Minestrone is a delicious Italian soup that’s usually suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

This minestrone recipe is made with delicious fresh veggies such as green beans, carrots, celery, and spinach.

All of the veggies are simmered in an Italian tomato broth that is super flavorful.

Source: simplyscratch.com

35. Chipotle Chicken Chili

Chicken chilli is delicious, and usually, you see chicken chili made as a white chili. However, you can make the Ree Drummond version of chipotle chicken chilli with canned tomatoes, too.

This chili recipe calls for chipotle chilli in adobo sauce and it includes pinto beans, black beans, and kidney beans.

Do you want more kidney bean recipes? Check out this video for how to make Mediterranean kidney bean salad.