22 Diabetes-Friendly Black Bean Recipes

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Published on April 29, 2021

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

From breakfast to dinner, these black bean recipes are filling, flavorful and appropriate for a diabetes-friendly diet. Each recipe is low in saturated fat, sodium and calories to help you meet your nutrition goals. If a recipe calls for canned black beans, make sure to drain and rinse the beans to remove excess sodium. Recipes like Black Beans & Corn with Poached Eggs and Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burgers are healthy and delicious.

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No-Cook Black Bean Salad

A classic black bean salad is a must for picnics and potlucks. This vegan version gets its creaminess from blended avocado. Any mix of salad greens will work well, but try arugula if you want to give this hearty salad a peppery kick.

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Ancho Chicken Breast with Black Beans, Bell Peppers & Scallions

In this healthy chicken recipe, the meat is rubbed with ancho chile powder, a spice made from dried poblano peppers. It adds mild heat and subtle smokiness to the rub on the chicken, but you can use regular chili powder here instead. This recipe makes an extra 1/2 cup of the black bean mash--try it wrapped into a burrito for lunch or as a taco filling (see Tips, below).

03 of 22

Southwest Black-Bean Pasta Salad Bowls

Meal-prep a week's worth of delicious and satisfying high-fiber lunches with just 5 simple ingredients and 20 minutes. In this Southwestern-style pasta salad, we're using pasta made with black beans to bump up the fiber to an impressive 14 grams per serving. Paired with seasoned chicken strips and a flavorful corn salad--shortcut ingredients you can often find at your local specialty grocery store--this meal-prep lunch is one you'll get excited for.

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Black Bean, Mango & Kale Wheat Berry Salad

Wheat berries give this healthy grain-salad recipe a toothsome bite. The chopped kale can be swapped for any dark leafy green, such as spinach or chard, if desired.

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Black Beans & Corn with Poached Eggs

This sweet and spicy black bean and corn recipe features queso fresco, a Mexican cheese that is salty, crumbly, and perfectly meltable.

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Sweet Potato-Black Bean Burgers

a Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burger on a plate

These vegan sweet potato-black bean burgers spiced with curry powder are easy to make. Blending the mixture with your hands gives you a soft, uniform texture then the outside gets crispy by cooking in a cast-iron pan. To make this recipe gluten-free too, use gluten-free oats and serve the patty in a lettuce wrap, omitting the bun.

07 of 22

Three-Bean Chili

This rib-sticking bean chili is richly flavored with cumin, chili, paprika, oregano and an assortment of peppers. Use whatever beans you have in your pantry.

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Zesty Shrimp & Black Bean Salad

Loaded with fresh tomatoes, peppers and cilantro and seasoned with cumin and chile, this shrimp and black bean salad recipe has all the flavors of a great fresh salsa and is a quick and easy no-cook recipe. Serve with tortilla chips or fresh corn tortillas.

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Breakfast Beans with Microwave-Poached Egg

In Costa Rica, this popular breakfast bean dish is called gallo pinto, which means spotted rooster, referring to the dark beans amid the pale rice. We call for cooked barley here, but you can use whatever leftover cooked grain you may have on hand.

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Tortilla Chip Flounder with Black Bean Salad

This 40-minute recipe pairs a vibrant black bean salad with baked flounder. The flounder is coated in a cayenne pepper and tortilla chip crust adding a bit of heat to this Mexican-inspired meal.

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Southwest Breakfast Quesadilla

Pico de gallo and cheesy eggs make this quick breakfast flavorful and satisfying.

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Eggplant Tortilla Casserole

This layered casserole is inspired by classic cheese enchiladas, minus the fuss of rolling and stuffing individual tortillas. You'd never guess that within this comforting Tex-Mex casserole hides a layer of thinly sliced eggplant. The thin slices become tender when roasted and add a subtle savory note.

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Caribbean Tofu with Black Beans and Rice

Grilled slices of tofu are marinated in a pineapple-cilantro mixture and served with black beans and brown rice in this Caribbean-inspired main dish. Be sure to use extra firm tofu to prevent it from breaking apart while cooking this flavorful recipe.

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Vegan Black Bean Burgers

These easy vegan black bean burgers have a healthy dose of fiber thanks to the combination of black beans and quinoa. Cumin and chipotle chile powder give these vegan burgers a Southwestern spin. Using your hands to combine the mixture creates a soft, uniform texture.

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Southwest Gazpacho

Add pizzazz to any meal by starting it off with this refreshing gazpacho soup, topped with a delicious black bean and corn salsa.

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Black Beans & Avocado on Quinoa

Healthy fats, plant protein, vitamins and minerals are just some of the benefits to this delicious vegetarian main dish.

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Black Bean Salad with Grilled Pork Cutlets

This hearty bean salad is packed with vibrant colors and contrasting textures. Center-cut boneless pork chops (also called pork cutlets), make a convenient and economical protein to round out the meal. This recipe makes one extra cutlet, which can be refrigerated for another use (see Associated Recipe).

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Make-Ahead Spinach & Black Bean Burritos

These egg, bean and cheese burritos are designed to be made ahead and frozen. They are perfect for busy days and make a satisfying breakfast or lunch.

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Arepas with Spicy Black Beans

These corncakes are a common style of flatbread in Colombia and Venezuela. Arepas are made with precooked cornmeal and served warmed with butter or cheese, or split open and filled, or topped, as we've done here. Our arepas filling is loaded with fragrant spices and vegetables to elevate the dish.

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Easy Chicken Soup with Tortilla Crisps

Easy Chicken Soup with Tortilla Crisps — Carson Downing

This hearty, richly flavored soup comes together easily, thanks to convenient frozen vegetables, canned beans, cooked chicken, and spices. Garnishes of crisp tortilla strips, creamy avocado, melting cheese, and fresh cilantro make this soup special.

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Black Bean Croquettes with Fresh Salsa

Staples like canned black beans and frozen corn transform into spicy croquettes in mere minutes. Serve with warm corn tortillas, coleslaw and lime wedges.

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Mexican Shredded Beef Soup with Stuffed Mini Peppers

This easy to make, flavorful Mexican-inspired beef soup is packed with protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Serve with a side of Suffed Mini Peppers to round out the meal.

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