6 Best Vegan Baked Bean Recipes For Your Kids
6 Best Vegan Baked Bean Recipes For Your Kids
We know that most grocery stores carry canned baked beans suitable for vegans. The flavour of these packaged goods isn't always the best, though.
Who could deny that homemade foods always taste better than those purchased from a store? So, let's try some delicious vegan baked bean recipes.
What Are Baked Beans?
Usually, little white navy beans are used to make baked beans. Sugar, spices, and herbs are additional typical ingredients. Recipe ingredients could include tomato sauce, vinegar, molasses, and mustard.
While some baked beans are vegetarian, others flavour them with bacon or salt-cured meat in small amounts.
The beans aren't always baked, despite their name. They can also prepare differently, such as in a slow cooker or on the stove.
Baked Beans Nutrition
Despite brand differences, a serving of ½ cup (130 grams) of canned baked beans provides around:
- Calories: 119
- Total fat: 0.5 grams
- Total carbs: 27 grams
- Fibre: 5 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
- Sodium: 19% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI)
- Potassium: 6% of the RDI
- Iron: 8% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 8% of the RDI
- Zinc: 26% of the RDI
- Copper: 20% of the RDI
- Selenium: 11% of the RDI
- Thiamine (vitamin B1): 10% of the RDI
- Vitamin B6: 6% of the RDI
Health Benefits Of Baked Beans
1. Delicious And Useful
Baked beans may persuade consumers to eat more legumes due to their flavour and overall popularity.
One survey indicated that only 57% of teenagers enjoyed baked beans, whereas less than 20% preferred lentil soup or bean salad.
You only need to open the can and heat canned baked beans for a quick and simple meal.
2. Support Gut Health
An amount of baked beans equal to ½ cup (130 grams) provides 18% of the RDI for fibre. Fibre helps maintain gut health and facilitates regular bowel motions.
Additionally, fiber feeds the microorganisms in your colon or large intestine. This boosts the number of helpful bacteria related to a lower risk of colon cancer.
Additionally, baked beans include other nutrients that may prevent colon cancer besides the plant chemicals apigenin and daidzein.
3. Lower Cholesterol
Baked beans contain fibre and substances known as phytosterols that can prevent the intestines from absorbing cholesterol. Due to this, high blood cholesterol, a risk factor for heart disease, may be decreased.
Adults with high cholesterol who had ½ cup (130 grams) of baked beans every day for two months saw a 5.6% reduction in their total cholesterol compared to those who did not consume beans.
Another trial involved feeding individuals with borderline high cholesterol 5 cups (650 grams) of baked beans once a month. They saw reductions in their total and LDL (bad) cholesterol of 11.5% and 18%, respectively.
Vegan Baked Bean Recipes
1. Mediterranean Baked Lima Beans
This meal of baked lima beans in a Mediterranean flavour is tasty and pleasant. Excellent with rice, potatoes, and steamed vegetables!
Lima beans roasted in a flavourful tomato sauce with onions, thyme, oregano, and fresh cilantro and mint are sprinkled on top. As part of a mezze spread, it can also be offered with pita, hummus, and olives.
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 1½ hours | Total time: 1¾ hours |Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Dried lima beans: 1 cup
- Bay leaf: 1
- Vegetable bouillon cube: 1
- Olive oil: 2-3 tablespoons
- Garlic: 2-3 cloves, finely minced
- Onion: 1 small, finely chopped
- Carrot: 1 small, shredded
- Diced or crushed tomatoes: 1- 15.5-oz can
- Red wine vinegar: 1 teaspoon
- Tomato paste: 1 tablespoon
- Pure maple syrup or agave nectar: 1-2 teaspoons
- Dried oregano: 2 teaspoons
- Dried thyme: 1 teaspoon
- Nutmeg: 1 pinch
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley: 3 tablespoons chopped
- Fresh mint: 3 tablespoons, finely chopped
Method
- Soak the lima beans for at least eight hours. Drain and rinse them, and place the beans in a big pot with cold water and a bay leaf. Put the lid on and heat until it boils, then turn the heat down to medium.
- The beans only need to simmer for 30 minutes to get soft but not quite cooked. Skim off any forming foam while cooking.
- With 1 cup of the cooking water and the bay leaf still in it, drain the beans and set them aside. Dissolve the bouillon cube in the 1 cup of hot bean liquid you left aside.
- Achieve a 375°F oven temperature. Grease a Dutch oven, baking dish, or casserole pan very lightly.
- When the Dutch oven or pan is heated, add the garlic and onion and cook for 3–4 minutes or until the onion becomes translucent.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes after adding the carrot. The next added ingredients are tomatoes, saved bean water, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, maple syrup, oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Stirring often, bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low for 10 to 12 minutes to thicken the sauce.
- Inspect the seasoning and, if necessary, add additional salt and pepper. Incorporate the beans, parsley, and mint.
- Bake beans for 30 to 40 minutes, tossing them once or twice until they are soft and creamy. If using a Dutch oven, transfer it to the oven after moving the beans.
- After removing the foil, roast the beans for 10-15 minutes to dry them gently and thicken the sauce.
- Before serving, let the dish cool for ten minutes after removing it from the oven and removing the bay leaf.
2. Mushroom And Bell Pepper Baked Beans
This baked beans dish is an excellent addition to practically any dinner. The tender red and green bell peppers are lightly sautéed with onion and garlic when simmering with Cannellini beans and a smokey aroma of spices.
While it can also be a filling toast topping in the morning, this meal works well as a side dish for lunch or dinner.
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes | Total time: 55 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Olive oil: 1-2 tablespoons
- Diced onion: ½
- Red pepper: ¼
- Green pepper: ¼
- Mushrooms: 4, diced
- Tomato: 1, diced
- Garlic: 2 cloves, finely diced
- Vegetable stock powder: 2 teaspoons
- Coriander, basil, and rosemary: ½-1 teaspoon each
- Sweet paprika: 1 teaspoon
- Smoked paprika: ½-1 teaspoon
- Cumin: 1 teaspoon
- Cannellini beans: 1 can partially rinsed and drained
- Cayenne pepper to taste
Method
- On medium heat, add the oil, followed by the diced bell peppers, mushroom, and onion. Fry everything until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the tomato and garlic and simmer the combination for about a minute to avoid burning anything.
- Once the liquid has decreased and the beans are ready to be served, whisk in the remaining ingredients, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the beans for 15-20 minutes.
3. Chickpea Baked Beans
Any baked beans are a definite recipe for success. This meal calls for chickpeas instead of the conventional navy beans featured in baked beans!
You'll want to serve these beans with everything once you've made a batch. They are delicious in a Buddha bowl and go nicely with bread, quinoa, or another grain.
You can prepare a huge amount because you know the variety of dishes you can use. As a result, your week will be considerably more accessible.
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes | Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
- Olive oil: 1-2 tablespoons
- Leek: ½, finely sliced
- Mushrooms: 1 cup, diced
- Green bell pepper: ⅓ diced
- Eggplant: 4 large slices, diced
- Tomatoes: 2
- Cabbage: 2-3 large leaves, finely cut
- Garlic: 1 clove, crushed
- Paprika: 1 teaspoon
- Thyme: ½ teaspoon
- Oregano: ½ teaspoon
- Rosemary: ½ teaspoon
- Tomato paste: 2 tablespoons
- Seeded mustard: 1 tablespoon
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce: 2-3 tablespoons
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Freshly soaked and cooked chickpeas: 1½ cups or 1 can of drained chickpeas
Method
- Leeks, mushrooms, pepper, and eggplant should be added to a hot skillet with oil and cooked until they begin to soften.
- You ought to include tomato, cabbage, and garlic. Stir and let the vegetables soften and blend for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients, whisk them in, lower the heat to a moderate simmer, and cook for 15-20 minutes.
4. Canadian Maple Baked Beans
The molasses and maple provide the sweetness and are perfectly balanced by the mustard, crushed tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce.
Although these beans are delicious, dipping them in crunchy, toasted bread is also a fantastic option!
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Cannellini or navy beans: 1- 19-oz can
- Small onion: 1 finely chopped
- Olive oil: ½ tablespoon
- Crushed tomatoes: ⅓ cup
- Molasses: 2 tablespoons
- Maple syrup: 2 tablespoons
- Brown, Dijon, or spicy mustard: 1 tablespoon
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
- Vegan Worcestershire sauce: 1 teaspoon
- Paprika: ½ teaspoon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Water: ¼-½ cup
Method
- In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add your chopped onion and simmer for 10 minutes over medium-low heat, occasionally stirring, until the onion caramelizes.
- Add the rinsed, drained beans to the skillet after draining them.
- Later, add the crushed tomatoes, molasses, maple syrup, brown mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper. Next, apply a medium-low temperature to the mixture.
- For five minutes, allow it to simmer over low heat. If your sauce gets too thick, add a little water to thin it out.
- Serve.
5. Creamy Baked Beans
While sweet potatoes and beans are a fantastic combination, they taste much better when covered in a tomato sauce with flavours of leeks, garlic, and mushrooms.
This is excellent news for this recipe because we all know summer is the finest season for tomatoes!
This summer, include tomatoes in your dishes because they are delicious and highly healthy. I'll start you off with a delightful lunch.
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 50 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- Butter beans: 1- 8.8-oz can
- Red kidney beans: 1- 8.8-oz can
- Leek: 1 medium-sized, chopped
- Sweet potato: 1 medium-sized, cut into small cubes
- Garlic: 2 cloves minced
- White button mushrooms: 3.5 oz, sliced
- Crushed tomatoes: 1- 8.8-oz can
- Water or vegetable broth: ¾ cup plus 1½ tablespoons
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to a pan and add the minced garlic, leek, and mushroom. 5 minutes of sautéing.
- Add crushed tomatoes to the same pan and simmer for five minutes.
- The beans must be dehydrated before adding the beans to the pan with the sweet potato cubes and 0.8 cups of water or vegetable broth. To taste, add pepper and salt.
- Stir constantly, and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 345°F. Pour the mixture into an ovenproof dish and bake for between 25 and 30 minutes.
6. Greek Taverna Baked Beans
These baked beans aren't your standard variety. Fava beans, flavourful tomatoes, caramelized onions, and garlic are combined to make this simple and protein-packed Greek casserole.
It's a full dish that's excellent for a potluck without going over budget or for eating for supper every night of the week.
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes | Servings: 5
Ingredients
- Gigantes, elephant, or fava beans: 1 pound
- Crushed tomatoes: 1 28-oz can
- Garlic: 5 cloves, minced
- Onions: 2, finely diced or shredded on the micro planer
- Tomato paste: 2 tablespoons
- Fresh oregano: 2 tablespoons
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
- Vegan feta cheese crumbles to use as a topping
- Parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- First, soak the beans overnight by putting them in a big saucepan and covering them entirely with water. Because the beans will expand, a large pot is necessary. Drain and rinse the beans once they are ready to use.
- Turn the heat to high and add fresh water to the pot. After being drained, rinsed, and cooked for 40 to an hour in the water, the beans ought to be soft but not mushy.
- You must boil the beans for sufficient time; otherwise, even after baking, the beans will be too hard to consume.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In the meantime, making the sauce involves blending or microplaning shredded onion. Similarly, treat the garlic.
- Cook the onion and garlic until fragrant in heated oil.
- Include the tomato paste, parsley, oregano, and puréed tomatoes. As you season, taste.
- For about 15 minutes, let it simmer until the sauce thickens.
- Drain the beans once they have reached the ideal texture.
- The beans should be added to the sauce in the pot and coated.
- A skillet can be baked in the oven; lightly spray with oil or pan before filling with saucy beans.
- Place in the oven for around 40 minutes while covered with foil.
- Remove the foil once the beans are tender, and let the tops caramelize slightly.
- Add some almond feta and garnish with parsley.
Possible Disadvantages Of Baked Beans
1. High in Sugar
Typically, baked beans include one or more sweeteners like sugar or maple syrup.
Whether homemade or canned, baked beans typically include 3 teaspoons (12 grams) of added sugar in every ½ cup (130 grams) serving, which amounts to 20% of the daily 2,000-calorie allowance.
Too much added sugar increases the risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and memory issues, causing tooth decay.
At least one American brand produces baked beans with 25% less sugar. A different European brand offers baked beans only sweetened with stevia, a calorie-free natural sweetener.
You can manage the amount of added sugars if you cook baked beans at home using canned or dry navy beans.
2. Usually Salty
Another nutrient of concern to certain people is sodium, especially for those predisposed to high blood pressure due to an increased salt intake.
Per ½-cup (130-gram) serving, canned baked beans typically contain 19% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) for sodium, mostly from salt that has been added.
Several brands provide reduced-sodium options, but not all retailers have them.
You can use less salt when making handmade versions. To cut the salt by roughly 40% when making baked beans with canned beans rather than dried beans, rinse and drain the beans first.
3. BPA-related Contaminants Possible
The chemical bisphenol A (BPA), which can seep into meals, is frequently found in the internal lining of bean cans.
Although many scientists disagree, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deemed the chemical safe for currently-able purposes.
According to research, BPA may raise the risk of obesity and lower fertility, among other potential health issues.
Baked beans were one of 55 foods tested in a study of foods gathered from supermarkets, and they had the fourth-highest BPA content.
Only a few organic baked bean brands are offered in BPA-free or similarly chemical-free cans. But these brands are more expensive.
4. Potentially Gassy
Beans have indigestible carbohydrates fermented by microorganisms in your gut and fibre that could make you pass more gas.
However, research indicated that fewer than half of those who increased their regular intake of baked beans to ½ cup (130 grams) did so without experiencing increased gas.
In addition, after eating beans every day for two to three weeks, 75% of participants who first experienced increased gas stated it reverted to normal levels.
Conclusion
Protein, fiber, other minerals, and healthy plant components are abundant in baked beans. They might raise cholesterol levels and benefit gut health.
Although handy, canned foods frequently include a lot of added sugar, salt, chemicals, and BPA pollutants. To make them from scratch, using dried beans is your healthiest option.
If baked beans are prepared with minimal sugar and minimal salt, they can be a beneficial addition to a balanced diet.
I trust you enjoyed this article about the 6 Best Vegan Baked Bean Recipes For Your Kids. Please stay tuned for more blog posts to come shortly. Take care!
JeannetteZ
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