Get ready for a week’s worth of delicious meals full of versatile, plant-based protein. With great make-ahead bean recipes and so many ways to serve them, you’ll fill your fridge and satisfy your family – whether they’re hungry for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Below, find our make-ahead favorites – cooked on the stovetop and in the Instant Pot – plus lots of tips and recipes that use those beans in everything from snacks and dips to tacos, pastas, salads, and sandwiches. Read on for a nutritious taste of what’s on the menu.

Easy Make-Ahead Pinto Beans

This is an easy stovetop pinto bean recipe that yields 5 cups of perfectly cooked beans. Toss some of those cooked pintos into hearty Bean & Bacon Breakfast Tacos with scrambled eggs and shredded cheese, and start your day off right. 

Bean & Bacon Breakfast Tacos

Want lots more ways to use those savory pintos? Find out how to turn 1 pot of pintos into 5 meals. 

Instant Pot Black Beans

This recipe is super fast and cooks a pot of beans with no hands-on attention required. Take 1 ½ cups of the cooked black beans, and whip up a Black Bean Quinoa Salad with corn, red bell pepper, and spices for a tasty, protein-packed lunch.

Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Still hungry? Check out Easy Instant Pot Black Beans = 3 Delicious Dishes for more ways to use them.

Instant Pot White Beans

This basic recipe is perfect for flavorful beans that can be used in many different ways. One of our favorites is White Bean Hummus – cool and creamy, with a slight green tint from the addition of fresh parsley and green onions. Enjoy it as an anytime, healthy snack.

White Bean Hummus

Put all those white beans to good use. Check out how to turn 1 pot of white beans into 5 dishes.

Why not get creative with your make-ahead beans? With more tasty recipes like Easy Refried Beans, Black Bean-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, White Bean Pesto Pasta, and Tuna White Bean Salad, the possibilities are endless.

Camellia’s Famous New Orleans-Style White Beans & Shrimp

White beans and shrimp are a classic combination, and this recipe is one of New Orleans’ finest.

Cafe Reconcile’s White Beans & Shrimp

Festival season is upon us in Louisiana and that means creamy White Beans and Shrimp are on the menu. Cafe Reconcile’s take on it is one of our favorites.

Creole Shrimp & Red Bean Tacos

Shrimp covered in Creole seasoning, seared in a hot skillet, and served with a bit of Fresh Mex creates this a flavorful taco feast. Make with Camellia Brand Red Kidney Beans cooked in advance, and the dish comes together quickly, too.

Garlicky Shrimp & Blackeye Peas

Throughout the South, blackeye peas are popular New Year’s fare for the promise of luck and money (and because they taste so good). Good luck can grace your table all year long with this recipe.

Shrimp & Black Bean Skillet Casserole

Use make-ahead black beans, or Instant Pot Black Beans and prep your ingredients ahead of time for a one-pot, easy weeknight meal. The combination of shrimp, lime juice, cilantro, and green onions pairs perfectly with black beans and Jasmine rice, and this dish works well served hot or at room-temperature.

Camellia’s Shrimp, Andouille and White Bean Cassoulet

A labor of love, white bean cassoulet is a decadent and delicious way to savor the flavors of Louisiana and is topped off with shrimp.

Garbanzo Summer Salad with Feta and Shrimp

Fresh, colorful, and full of flavor, this hearty summer salad offers up the best of what’s in season.

Lima Beans with Shrimp and Andouille

A delicious and creamy dish, this Large Lima bean recipe comes to life when fresh shrimp are added near the end of cooking.

Grilled Corn, Shrimp and Pink Bean Salad

A perfect summer dish featuring seasonal ingredients, this pink bean salad hits the spot when you’re craving something light and flavorful.