Beans Recipe – High-Protein

Feel nourished and satisfied with a hearty, delicious, and healthy Beans Recipe!

Once you try this dish, you will certainly add it to your favorite healthy recipes. I will show you how you can turn ordinary beans into a perfectly-seasoned delicacy.

With the protein and nutrients from this dish, you will surely be healthier than ever. It’s also going to be a new and interesting dish to serve to your family and friends.

It makes the perfect main dish or side dish for gatherings and picnics. Cook it with soups and stews for the best combinations yet!

How to Make the Beans Recipe

It may take time to cook this Beans recipe, but every minute is worth it.

Today, you will learn how to prepare beans and how to season them to perfection. I’ll also share the best herbs and spices you can use to make it an unforgettable dish!

Ingredients

With these ingredients, you can make sure that you’re cooking only the best Beans recipe in town!

Black-eyed beans

They are called black-eyed beans for a reason. These beans have black spots that resemble eyes. Black-eyed beans are also called “goat peas” or “southern peas.”

When it comes to flavor, black-eyed beans have a meaty, earthy, starchy, and smoky quality. Once cooked, they will have a soft, creamy, and tender texture.

Black-eyed beans are usually used in African recipes because they taste amazing with the right herbs and spices. Not only are they loaded with flavors, but these beans also have lots of health benefits.

You can best enjoy the quality of beans by soaking and boiling them in water. They pair well with beef, chicken, turkey, and veggies for a hearty meal.

Sweet potatoes

What better way to upgrade your beans recipe than to add sweet potatoes? These may be starchy, but they certainly add a richer and thicker consistency.

Once you cook these into the beans, they will have a sweet, crisp, and caramelized quality. These also add nutrients for cancer prevention, digestion, and immunity!

If you love sweet potatoes, then I also suggest making Mashed Potatoes, baby food, and Yam Porridge!

Ripe plantains

Like sweet potatoes, ripe plantains are also starchy and sweet. They are usually black in color with touches of yellow on the skin. The texture of the ripe plantains blends well with the sweet potatoes and the beans too.

According to Style Craze, plantains can help improve your blood pressure for a healthy heart. These can also help relieve stress levels, boost immunity, and promote weight loss.

Aside from adding these to the beans recipe, you can also convert ripe plantains into Roasted Plantains, Steamed Plantains, or even Plantain Porridge!

Herbs and spices

Choose the best seasoning to give life to the dish you’re cooking! This recipe uses smoked paprika, mixed herbs, curry powder, garlic powder, onion granules, mace, all-purpose seasoning, sea salt, coriander, cardamom, cumin, fenugreek, and garam masala. 

Liquid stock and stock cubes are perfect for making any dish savory. It diffuses poultry, meat, or vegetable flavors to make the recipe diverse. 

Onions

Always make your dishes better with onions. In this recipe, I suggest turning them into a paste to mix well into the beans. The onions add a distinct pungent flavor to the dish.

In fact, onions can give the recipe an amazing aroma to make it more irresistibly delicious.

Oil 

Sunflower and palm oil are the best options due to their high smoke point. The dish will need hours to cook so these oils can retain the flavor and nutrients of the ingredients!

Can you already smell and taste the goodness of the beans? You won’t even believe how luxurious the texture will be once you make it! Prepare yourself for the best beans recipe yet! 

Directions

Just follow these steps to get the Beans recipe right on your first try!

1. In a bowl, soak the black-eyed beans in water overnight.
2. On the following day, rinse and drain the beans.
3. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and ripe plantains using a knife. 
4. In a pot, mix water with liquid stock, stock cubes, smoked paprika, mixed herbs, curry powder, garlic powder, onion granules, mace, all-purpose seasoning, sea salt, coriander, cardamom, cumin, fenugreek, and garam masala.
5. Then, add in the pre-soaked beans.
6. Put in the diced sweet potatoes and plantain.
7. Cover the pot with parchment paper and a lid. 
8. Cook it on low heat for five hours or medium-low heat for two hours and 30 minutes. 
9. Peel and chop the onions.
10. Puree the onions in a blender or food processor.
11. Then, add the onion paste to the pot.
12. Drizzle sunflower oil and palm oil. 
13. Mix them from the bottom of the pan to the top.
14. Cook it for another hour on very low heat or 30 minutes on medium heat. 
15. You can already serve it after the final cooking stage, but you can also mash it for a finer texture. 
16. Once you’re happy with the flavor and texture, remove it from heat to serve!

You may notice that it takes a while to cook, making it extra flavorful! I can also assure you that it will be a dish to remember!

Tips

Black-eyed beans

Buying black-eyed beans

• These are readily packaged and available in supermarkets.
• Ensure that the beans are not shriveled, cracked, or infested. 

Storing black-eyed beans

• Once opened, transfer the bean into a jar and store it at room temperature for up to several months.
• For cooked or soaked black-eyed beans, put them in a container to last up to a week in the fridge and several weeks in the freezer. 

Sweet potatoes

Buying sweet potatoes

• Unlocked Food suggests buying small to medium-sized sweet potatoes.
• Opt for ones with smooth skin and firm to the touch. 

Storing sweet potatoes

• Store the potatoes in cool and dry areas and use them within one week.
• These are not suggested for freezing or refrigeration because they easily bruise. 

Ripe plantains

Buying plantains

• Buy ones that are black and yellow because these are likely to be perfectly ripe.
• Note that they should still be firm. 

Storing plantains

• If the plantains are already ripe, then use them as soon as possible.
• To prolong shelf life, freeze the plantains in freezer bags. 

Liquid Stock

You can use chicken, meat, or vegetables to make your liquid stock.

1. First, rinse the ingredients.
2. Then, add your desired herbs and spices to make the broth flavorful.
3. Let the ingredients cook in a pot for a few hours or until tender. 
4. Filter the contents and set the liquid stock aside for future use.
5. You can freeze the liquid stock in ice cube trays and transfer it into freezer bags within six months. 

Onion Puree

You won’t have to skip the onion puree without a blender! You can use a mortar and pestle, food mill, food processor, potato masher, or even a simple kitchen knife to mash the onions for a paste. 

Beans Recipe Variations

You can use all sorts of beans for this recipe. I suggest using pinto beans, kidney beans, lima beans, fava beans, black beans, and more!

There are also plenty of other herbs and spices you can use to season the dish. Sometimes, I add a scotch bonnet for a hint of spice at every bite.

Aside from using meat or chicken stock, you can use vegetable stock instead of liquid stock for a vegan and vegetarian option. Instead of sweet potatoes and ripe plantains, you can also try adding the following:

• Corn
• Broccoli
• Green beans
• Carrots
• Cabbages
• Celery

Recommended Tools

• Pot: Cook the ingredients in a pot over a stove.
• Blender: Use the blender to puree the onions into a paste.
• Masher: This is an optional tool if you want to mash the beans.
• Spatula: Mix the ingredients using a spatula. 
• Knife: Slice the ingredients with a clean knife. 

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How to Serve Beans

The beans are already delicious on their own but why not take the dining experience to the next level with the following dishes:

• Roasted Plantains
• Bread
• Steamed Plantains
• Moi Moi

Babies can have beans as early as seven months old but stick to cooked and mashed beans with breast milk or formula milk. Reduce the seasoning if you plan on serving this to toddlers too. 

For beverage options, enjoy the beans with the following drinks:

• Beetroot Apple Juice
• Carrot Juice
• Zobo Drink
• Orange Juice
• Pomegranate Juice

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: Beans are best eaten within two hours at room temperature. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best method to cook beans?

The first thing you need to do is boil or soak the beans to soften and prepare them. There are many ways to cook beans, but I suggest boiling them in your chosen sauce or broth.

Always use the best herbs and spices to fully infuse the beans with the best flavor. I also love using liquid stock to give the recipe a meaty and umami taste.

How do you make beans taste good?

My secret to good-tasting beans is to use seasonings that pair well with the beans and veggies. I also add other ingredients, such as sweet potatoes and ripe plantains, for better taste and texture.

What to eat with beans for dinner?

I suggest serving beans with savory dishes such as meat recipes. These will make the perfect balance of flavor for a hearty and yummy meal.

How to cook canned beans?

Instead of soaking and boiling beans, you can drain the canned beans and cook them right away. Use your preferred seasoning mix to improve its flavor.

This post may contain general information and does not constitute professional medical advice. Always seek information or advice from a qualified medical professional. Please read the full disclaimer for details.