4 Tasty Kidney Bean Recipes to Serve as Side Dishes or Entrées

How about going meatless and having a kidney bean veggie burger for dinner tonight? They make a hearty burger, that’s for sure.

These kidney bean veggie burgers even look like raw hamburger. No problem sampling these burgers when they’re raw.

Kidney bean veggie burger recipe

This kidney bean veggie burger is made with quinoa, veggies and herbs and is served on a bun with kale and sliced tomato.

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and mashed
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup flaxseed or almond flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. To a large bowl, add all the ingredients except for the olive oil.
2. Mix together with your hands until all the ingredients are incorporated.
3. Form into 4 patties.
4. Heat a large skillet on medium heat, and add the olive oil.
5. Add the burgers to the pan, let them cook until the bottom and sides start to brown, and then turn them over.
6. Let cook until the other sides until the burgers start to brown.
7. Remove from the pan, and serve warm on a bun with kale and sliced tomatoes or your favorite condiments.

To make it into a main dish, just add some meat.

Tex-Mex rice with kidney beans recipe

This hearty Tex-Mex side dish made with rice and kidney beans can also be made into a vegan main dish (or side) by using vegetable stock — you can add a Tex-Mex flavored tempeh or tofu if you like — or a main dish for meat-eaters by adding chicken, beef or pork.

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 35 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked basmati rice, rinsed
• 2 tablespoons red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (or salt to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet on medium heat, and add all the ingredients except the cilantro. Stir together.
2. When the liquid just starts to boil, turn the heat down to low and cover the pan.
3. Let it simmer with the lid on until the rice absorbs most of the liquid (about 20 minutes).
4. Do a taste test to see if it needs more salt.
5. Serve while hot, and garnish with cilantro.

Bet you look at kidney beans a little differently now, huh?