Healthy Black Bean Casserole Recipe-Simple Green Moms (2024)

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Full of vegetables, spices, and healthy brown rice, this healthy black bean casserole has it all. You are going to love how easy it is to make such a fantastic, one-dish meal.

Healthy Black Bean Casserole Recipe-Simple Green Moms (1)

Contents

Easy Black Bean Casserole

Making a delicious healthy dish does not need to be hard. In fact, this recipe for black bean casserole is incredibly easy. In about 5 minutes of prep time, you can have the entire dish in your oven. In just thirty more minutes, you will have a perfect lunch or dinner ready to enjoy!

What is even more amazing is that in that short amount of time, you can prepare a meal that will feed six people or last in the fridge for up to a week! So, get out your casserole dish now, start to preheat your oven and you will be enjoying this delicious and nutritious dish in no time.

Healthy Black Bean Casserole Recipe-Simple Green Moms (2)

How To Make Black Bean Casserole

It doesn’t take long to learn how to make this casserole. There are no complicated steps, no difficult cooking tasks to master, or really any way to make a major mistake when preparing this dish. Take a look and you will see:

  1. Grease your baking dish and preheat the oven.
  2. Chop the pepper, onion, and garlic.
  3. Mix everything together in a large bowl then pour into the prepared casserole dish.
  4. Bake the casserole in the preheated oven until the top begins to brown.
  5. Serve and enjoy!

The hardest part of this recipe is simply opening cans of black beans and stirring everything together! Any novice chef can do that and, when you use the delicious spices and ingredients that we have listed, you will get a meal that tastes as if a professional chef had created it!

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Flavors in Black Bean Casserole

In addition to the great main ingredients in the recipe (corn, black beans, rice, onions, and bell pepper are the primary ingredients used), there are lots of spices that add a lot to the dish. Most of the spices are commonly found in Mexican food which pairs very well with this black bean casserole.

Cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and fresh chopped cilantro are the primary spices. They are also all spices that you should definitely have in stock on your spice rack– they come in handy quite often! Each spice comes together wonderfully to make this black bean casserole come alive so try not to skip any. However, if you are not a huge fan of spiciness, you can definitely cut back slightly on the chili powder to make the casserole recipe a little less hot.

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Healthy Black Bean Casserole Recipe

Yes, black bean casserole is amazingly tasty, but is it healthy? It absolutely is! Take a look at a few of the ingredients we use to bake this dish and you will see how great it is nutritionally.

Black Bean Black beans are full of fiber, loaded with plant-based protein, fat-free, and low in calories.

Corn– Corn is rich in vitamin B12, iron, and folic acid. It has also been shown to be an energy-boosting vegetable and one that can help lower blood sugar.

Chili powder– Chili powder has been shown to be an anti-inflammatory and also helps improve an upset stomach.

Brown Rice– Brown rice has lots of fiber which can help improve digestion. It can help lower cholesterol and also promote fullness.

Purple Onion – Purple onion is full of antioxidants. It is low in calories but full of nutrients and vitamins. Onion also has antibacterial properties and can help with digestive health.

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Almost every ingredient in our recipe has some kind of beneficial nutritional impact. You can feel good about enjoying a great big bowl of black bean casserole, knowing that every bite is helping your health while also filling your belly!

Ways To Enjoy Bean Casserole

While we love eating this casserole straight out of the baking dish, there are a few other ways to enjoy our recipe. Give a few of these ideas a try and let us know what you think (you can always email your suggestions directly to our email address!).

  • Place a half-cup or so of the bean casserole in the center of a flour tortilla or use corn tortillas. Wrap the black bean filling inside and then enjoy it!
  • Serve the bean casserole as a side dish, pairing it with a Mexican-inspired chicken, or use it as a salsa for tacos. Place it in a cup or dish and serve with some tortilla chips- it also makes for a great dip.
  • Bulk the dish up by adding some extra chopped onion, a few diced tomatoes, some extra corn, and peppers, and then store a cup or two of the leftovers in individual meal prep containers. You have just premade your meal for a few days! All you need to do is reheat it in the microwave using a cover for a minute or two and you will be ready to eat.

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This recipe isn’t just one-dimensional- you can enjoy it in so many different ways. Drizzle a little sour cream over the top, add a cup of shredded cheddar cheese or just try adding a few pinto beans in with the black bean mix- you really can’t go wrong!

If you are ready to start baking and preparing this delicious recipe, get your baking dish out, grab those cans of beans and preheat your oven- you will be eating in no time! If you love this recipe and are interested in more amazing, simple recipes or almost any recipe in between, we have tons!

Sign up to get recipes sent directly to your email or simply browse the recipes we have on our website now. We know you will find many that you love! You can also feel free to send us a message via our email address or in the comments below if you have any suggestions for this recipe or recipes you’d like to see in the future.

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Healthy Black Bean Casserole Recipe-Simple Green Moms (7)

Healthy Black Bean Casserole

★★★★★4.6 from 13 reviews

  • Author: Simple Green Moms
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Gluten-Free
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Description

A filling and hearty entree that everyone will enjoy, any time of year.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 cups cooked brown rice (any kind works)
  • 1 (15 oz) can black (or pinto) beans
  • 2 cups frozen (or canned) sweet corn
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • ½ lime, juiced
  • ¼ cup green bell pepper, diced
  • ¼ cup purple onion, diced
  • 4 oz cream cheese, cubed
  • chopped cilantro (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • salt/pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425F degrees and prepare a 8×8 baking dish with non-stick spray
  2. Add all ingredients in large mixing bowl and stir until evenly combined
  3. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish
  4. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown
  5. Carefully remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving

Notes

Pro Tips:

  • If you want to cut back on your cook time, skip the casserole dish and opt for a flat rimmer baking dish or sheet tray. You may need to spread the black bean mix between two trays but since it is not as deep, the recipe will bake much faster.
  • Rather than use a large bowl to mix the ingredients together, simply toss everything directly into the casserole dish or baking dish, stir gently and put the entire dish right into the oven to bake. One less dish to wash!
  • Before you mix the black beans in with the other ingredients, drain them from the can and give them a good rinse. This will prevent the recipe from being too starchy while retaining the great taste and texture of the beans.
  • For another option, mix in some seared ground beef into the casserole (about one cup to 2 cups of cooked beef will do!). The baking time and other ingredients will remain the same however you will get much more out of the recipe and it will serve about 8 people rather than just 6.

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Healthy Black Bean Casserole Recipe-Simple Green Moms (2024)

FAQs

Which is better frozen or canned green beans for green bean casserole? ›

When I make green bean casserole, I skip canned beans all together. Frozen green beans are the best green beans to use for green bean casserole.

Why is my green bean casserole so soupy? ›

The Casserole Is Too Soupy

If you used frozen green beans, but didn't fully defrost and drain them prior to adding them to the casserole, that mistake will surely account for the excess water you're now experiencing.

How do you keep green bean casserole from getting mushy? ›

Don't overcook the green beans: Remember when you are blanching the green beans that they will continue to cook and soften while baking in the oven with the rest of the casserole. So it's important to undercook them slightly during this first step so that they don't get mushy in the oven.

Is green bean casserole good for a week? ›

Refrigerate casserole in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days. To Reheat. Reheat leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F until warmed through. I do not recommend freezing this dish, as the green beans and breadcrumbs will become mushy once thawed.

Should you drain and rinse canned green beans? ›

In order to properly reduce the sodium from canned beans, it is important to rinse them correctly. "Draining and rinsing canned beans can reduce their sodium content by more than 40 percent. But taking just a few extra minutes is key to getting the most benefit," The Bean Institute website states.

Are canned green beans as healthy as fresh green beans? ›

Don't worry — they're still nutritious. “Canned green beans have a similar nutrient content to fresh or frozen,” says Whitson. “But choose low-sodium varieties, or rinse them before cooking to remove any added salt.” Canned beans are already soft, so they don't require much cooking.

Can you overcook green bean casserole? ›

Overcooking the beans won't just drain them of their appealing color, but it will also make them too soft and mushy, resulting in a less appetizing casserole.

How many cans of green beans equals 4 cups? ›

✿ 4 cups of green beans is about 1½ pounds fresh or 16 ounces frozen or 2 cans (15 ounces each) drained.

Should green bean casserole be jiggly? ›

4: Your Casserole Is Watery. Green bean casserole should have a nice thick sauce that coats the green beans—it should not resemble soup. One common cause of a watery casserole is not adding enough thickener, such as flour or cornstarch, to your sauce.

Why isn t my green bean casserole thickening? ›

Add a thickener

The extra thickening should thicken the sauce, and if the mixture is still runny, repeat the process. The site also reports that you should use 1 tbsp of corn starch if thickening a small portion and up to 4 tbsp of corn starch for large batches.

How long can green bean casserole sit out after cooking? ›

How long is green bean casserole good for in the fridge? If properly prepared, cooked and stored in a covered air tight container in the refrigerator I would expect prepared or leftover food to last 2 or 3 days. Cooked Food should not be allowed to sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

How do you thicken green bean casserole? ›

Mistake #5: A Runny Casserole

If you sense it's a little watery, "add a thickener like roux or starch to absorb the additional liquid or cook a little longer," she says. That'll give it that rich, dense consistency you're looking for.

Is it safe to eat green bean casserole left out overnight? ›

Keep Food out of the Danger Zone

Throw away all perishable foods that have been left in room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is over 90° F, such as at an outdoor picnic during summer).

Why do Americans eat green bean casserole? ›

How It Became a Holiday Staple. Green bean casserole was considered a perfect dish for holiday entertaining because it was simple, inexpensive, and could easily be made ahead of time. It became known as a "jiffy casserole" because it went from one bowl to one pan.

Which is better canned or frozen green beans? ›

Green Beans: Depends

Sure, frozen green beans may be higher in nutrients than canned, but we feel the optimal choice depends on how you're going to utilize them. If you're serving them solo, frozen green beans are the way to go. If they're being added to a cooked dish or casserole, canned green beans are just as handy.

What tastes better canned or frozen green beans? ›

As EatingWell explains, frozen green beans hold their shape far better than canned ones do. They don't have any added sodium, and they're also cooked a lot less. As a result, they come out of the oven with the perfect balance of flavor and texture.

Is it better to can green beans or freeze green beans? ›

This one is totally your personal preference. Some folks prefer the taste and texture of canned beans, while others prefer frozen ones. Personally? I prefer frozen green beans as I think they have a fresher taste, and less nutrient loss.

Are frozen green beans as good as fresh green beans? ›

In conclusion, frozen green beans are a convenient, nutritious, and versatile option for anyone looking to add more vegetables to their diet. They offer all the health benefits of fresh green beans without the hassle of preparation and spoilage.

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