Tag: beans

Arroz Con Pollo for One

In case you’re wondering, arroz con pollo just means chicken with rice. It’s a favorite Latin American dish, roughly similar to paella (but with a lot fewer steps and ingredients). I’ve adapted this from a Jacques Pépin recipe. I know what you’re thinking, isn’t he French? He is. But his wife is Puerto Rican and she taught him a thing or too.

Besides reducing the quantities, I’ve changed this recipe a bit. He used chickpeas  and bacon ((I never have chickpeas, so I went with beans instead and I usually get chorizo, more versatile).  He also put in cilantro stems. I like the dried version (coriander), but not fresh. And I’d never use it all anyway. So dried it is.

It’s all ready in about an hour. And, it only uses a single pot. Less cleanup is always a bonus as far as I’m concerned!







More Recipes with Beans

tuna cannellini bean saladTuna Cannellini Bean Salad Recipe for One

Want a quick meal? Just open a few cans and you’ve got an easy lunch. No actual cooking needed.

 

pasta e fagioli soupPasta e Fagioli (Bean) Soup

An Italian classic that’s filling and easy too. It’s flavored with pancetta and rosemary, for a meal that’s both both aromatic and delicious.

 

Brazilian chicken paprika stewBrazilian Chicken Paprika Stew

This is chicken paprikash that went south and stayed.  The cream is gone, replaced with sausage, lime, and beans. It’s rich and satisfying, and all in one pot!

 

black beans and rice recipe one personBlack Beans and Rice Recipe for One Person

Two meals in one! This can be an entree or a soup. It’s also pantry friendly. Just cook the beans slowly with garlic, onions, and two surprise ingredients. Cook it longer for a side dish/entree, or a bit less for soup.

 

Pork Chili Verde for One

I know, I’ve already got two chili recipes on here already: Chicken Chili Verde and Small Batch Spicy Stovetop Chili. So why a third? Because the chicken was frozen, and I found a pork chili verde recipe that appealed to me. It also seemed more authentic and actually was entirely green too. It’s made with ground pork, simmered in a salsa verde of jalapeños, garlic, onion, and cumin.

And, unlike the others, this recipe is ready fairly quickly. If you’ve already got cooked (or canned) beans, you can make this in about half an hour. If not, it’s a bit over an hour (still pretty speedy for chili).

The original recipe called for potatoes and corn. I had some pre-soaked cranberry beans leftover from something else, so I tossed those in instead.

The cranberry beans are firmer than kidney beans, and more colorful than the navy beans I usually buy.  I initially bought them because that’s all that was in the store, but I find I rather like them. One of the few pleasant outcomes of the quarantine!

If you don’t have pre-soaked beans, the canned ones are fine. And it will take only 35 minutes to cook, since you don’t have to wait for the beans to soften. Or, speed up the soaking/cooking process with my quick soak beans method.




Pork Chili Verde Substitutions and Variations

  • If you have access to Hatch chiles, use those instead of the jalapeños
  • Don’t want to use beans? Substitute 1 or 2 small potatoes instead (and/or 1/2 C of corn)
  • Make it with all beef, all pork, or a combination of the two
  • You can also use pork shoulder, but then you’d have to cook it longer
  • Skip the beans, double the broth and you have green chili sauce for enchiladas or burritos

More Chili (and Chile) Recipes

eggs with spinach and chili pepperEggs with Spinach and Chili Peppers

Just the thing for a fast lunch or brunch.  The spinach mellows out the peppers, the eggs cook quickly, and the whole thing is topped with cooling yogurt or sour cream.

 

chicken chili verde recipeChicken Chili Verde Recipe

A mild chili, with green chiles, chicken, and cumin. Not spicy, and easy to put together.

 

egg chili cheese wrapEgg Chili Cheese Wrap

Saute, scramble, and it’s a wrap.  A meal in minutes.

 

 

spicy stovetop chiliSmall Batch Spicy Stovetop Chili Recipe

If you’d rather have something that brings the heat, try this spicy chili. It’s flavored with sriracha, cumin, garlic, and onions. Slow-cooked for maximum flavor.

 




Brazilian Chicken Paprika Stew

I’ve always found it fascinating to see how people all over the world come up with similar foods (blintzes, crepes, tortillas). Or people take a dish from one country and then mix it up and change it to suit local tastes in a different country.  Brazilian chicken paprika stew is one of the latter. It’s a Brazilian take on Hungarian chicken paprikash.  The sour cream is gone, replaced with beans and sausage. I discovered this dish when I went to look for something to make with some extra beans, chicken, and half a lime. It’s a thick, rich, comforting stew, and not at all spicy. And it only requires one pot to make! I’m always in favor of less cleanup.

The original recipe was for 6 or 8 servings, which is way too many for one person, so I reduced it.  It also called for both chicken breasts and boneless thighs, but I much prefer the thighs, so I skipped the breasts entirely. I only had bone-in thighs, so I just cut them up and left the bones in to cook. Yes, I took them out for the photo! They’ll turn into more chicken broth later.

I used spicy chicken sausage for this, but mild is fine if you prefer less spicy food.

I served this with crusty super-easy single loaf Kitchenaid bread, but rice works too. Or whatever starch you like: potatoes, noodles, etc. to sop up the sauce.

One thing on the paprika, it turns stale pretty quickly, so use a fresh jar/box or buy it in a spice store if you can.




Brazilian Chicken Paprika Stew Substitutions and Variations

  • try it with lemon juice instead of lime
  • add some chopped peanuts and ginger
  • add some mild pepper, like poblano, either fresh or dried (ancho chili)
  •  substitute smoky paprika for extra depth of flavor

More Chicken and Bean Recipes

moroccan chicken soupMoroccan Chicken and Lentil Soup

Based on a Jewish version of harira,  this savory soup is traditionally made with lamb and lentils. I switched it up with chicken and beans, then flavored it with sharp/sweet ginger and turmeric.

pasta e fagioli soupPasta e Fagioli Soup (Small Batch)

Hearty, fragrant with aromatics, and elevated out of the ordinary by salty, smoky pancetta.  Perfect for a cold day (bonus: it heats your home too).

 

white bean salad with sun-dried tomatoesWhite Bean Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes

A fancy bean and sun-dried tomato salad, at a fraction of the price.  Healthy, tasty, and no cooking required either.

 


lentil bean sausage soupLentil Bean Sausage Soup

A chunky, hearty soup rich with ham, sausage, beans, and lentils. Simmered slowly to bring out the flavors.

 




Tuna Cannellini Bean Salad Recipe for One

Tuna cannellini bean salad is a great meal for those days when you just don’t feel like “cooking.” Maybe you got home late from work, or you’ve been out running errands all day, or it’s just too hot to fuss.  This meal requires nothing more complicated than opening a few cans, sprinkling some seasonings, and a little bit of chopping. Easy.

Everything comes straight from your pantry.  The beans are canned, the tuna is canned, and the only fresh ingredient you need is some scallions, and maybe the lemon juice. Even that isn’t essential; if you don’t have scallions, use onion instead.  If you’re out of fresh lemons, the bottled juice will do just fine.

If you do have the time and energy, this is a bit better with freshly cooked beans. The canned beans tend to be slightly mushy, and sometimes they’re a little salty.   If you go the dried bean route, use my quick soak method to speed things up.  If not, no harm, no foul.

The recipe is enough for two lunches or one dinner (depending  how hungry you are).  I usually find that I eat a whole 5 oz. can of tuna for lunch if I just make ordinary tuna salad, but adding the beans stretches it enough for two meals.

I’ve adapted it slightly from one of  Pierre Franey’s Sixty Minute Gourmet cookbooks. I reduced the quantity and eliminated the parsley (never had any use for parsley). This is not only better than sixty minutes, it only takes about ten.

Serve with some fresh fruit and you have a fast lunch in under fifteen minutes.  Add crusty bread to that and you have dinner.




Tuna Cannellini Bean Salad Substitutions and Variations

  • add some capers
  • mix in some cherry tomatoes
  • try red onion instead of the scallions
  • serve over romaine lettuce
  • mix some greens (watercress, arugula, or one of those baby greens mixtures) right into the salad

 

More Cannellini Bean Recipes

white bean salad with sun-dried tomatoesWhite Bean Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes

I saw this fancy salad at a store for about $10 a pound. I thought I can make that myself for a lot less. So I did.

 

pasta e fagioli soupPasta e Fagioli Soup (Small Batch)

An Italian classic in a scaled-down version that’s perfect for single person cooking. And it’s nearly entirely pantry ingredients too (just the pancetta, but that will keep in the fridge).

Brazilian chicken paprika stew

Brazilian Chicken Paprika Stew

A Brazilian twist on Hungarian chicken paprikash. This version has beans and sausage, with no sour cream in sight. It’s comforting, filling, and only uses one pot.

 

pork chili verdePork Chili Verde for One

A taste of the Southwest, with a twist. This chili is green (not red), and has lots of green chilis, pork, and garlic.

 

 




Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Small Batch)

I should probably refer to this pasta e fagioli soup as “blizzard soup.” The forecast called for up to 20 inches of snow (though we only got seven).  I was determined to keep the stove going and get a batch of hot soup. Besides, there is more snow coming tomorrow!

Therefore, I deliberately made this the “hard” way.  First, I soaked the beans overnight.  Then I cooked the beans and sort of followed a recipe from The New York Times.  I cut it in  half and added pancetta (don’t know why they left that out).

I even made my own vegetable stock.  If you spot potatoes in the photo, it’s because they were in the homemade vegetable stock recipe .   Potatoes aren’t traditional for pasta e fagioli soup, but I left them in anyway. Why toss perfectly good veggies? I didn’t include them in the recipe here though.




You can use vegetable stock, or chicken stock if you prefer. I would  have made chicken stock but I didn’t have enough chicken bones. And I certainly wasn’t going out to get some in a blizzard!

Don’t be put off by the wait time on this recipe.  That includes soaking the beans overnight. You can speed this up by using my quick soak method. That cuts the soaking time down from 8 hours to only one.

If you’re really in a hurry, and don’t have the time or patience to soak and cook the beans for an hour or more, use a can of white cannellini beans instead. Make the rest of the soup, then add the can of beans.  Just cook them long enough to heat through.

Substitutions and Variations for Pasta e Fagioli Soup

  • Save time and use canned beans
  • Try different kinds of beans: pinto, kidney, or cranberry
  • Use chicken stock instead of vegetable stock
  • Use bacon or pork fat instead of pancetta (I even used soppressata salami once)
  • Add one potato (cut into chunks) to the soup
  • Chop up a handful of spinach and add that with the pasta

More White Bean and Soup Recipes

easy Italian wedding soupEasy Italian Wedding Soup

This should probably be called “dump” soup. All you do is pour the ingredients into a pot and heat them up. It’s a classic Italian soup that’s super-easy to make.

 

white bean salad with sun-dried tomatoesWhite Bean Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes

I took an expensive pre-made grocery store salad and turned it into a budget-friendly side dish/salad by making it myself!

 

pork chili verdePork Chili Verde for One

Ground pork simmered in a green sauce of  hot peppers, potatoes, beans, and cumin.  A meal in one bowl (heats the house too).

 

lentil bean sausage soupLentil Bean Sausage Soup

A hearty meal all by itself.  Packed with lentils, beans, sausage, potatoes, and sweet carrots. Perfect for chilly weather.

 

 




White Bean Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes

I spotted this white bean salad with sun dried tomatoes when I was shopping.  It sounded delicious: beans, sun dried tomatoes, olive oil, spinach.  Healthy and tasty!

The price was a bit of a turn off though: $8.00 a pound?! For beans?  Nope.  I had dry beans at home, but it was too hot to start cooking them. So, I trotted over to the canned beans section. Instead of $8.00 a pound, I got a whole can of beans for 88 cents (on sale!).  Score!

The rest was easy (and no cooking needed on a hot day).

Just soak the sun dried tomatoes, pour the beans into a bowl, roughly chop the spinach, chop some onion, and let it sit for a while to let the flavor develop.




Substitutions and Variations for White Bean Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes

  • Add some olives and mozzarella cheese
  • Substitute fresh basil for the dried oregano
  • Make it a dip: roast some garlic, add that to the salad, and put it in your mini-chopper or blender. Or, do this with the remaining beans.
  • Use different colored beans or several different kinds. Put the rest of the can(s) in soup or chili.

More Bean Recipes

black beans and rice recipe one personBlack Beans and Rice Recipe for One Person

A meal that’s budget and pantry-friendly, that somehow feels indulgent.  Simmer the beans with garlic, onions, and two surprise ingredients for a rich, delicious meal. Cook it less for soup, longer for a side dish/entree.

tuna cannellini bean saladTuna Cannellini Bean Salad Recipe for One

Open a couple of cans, add a few standard ingredients, and you’ve got a meal. No cooking needed.

 

Brazilian chicken paprika stewBrazilian Chicken Paprika Stew

Essentially Brazilian chicken paprikash, but with a South American twist. The cream is gone, and replaced with beans and sausage. It’s rich and satisfying, even without the cream. One pot meal!

 




Black Beans and Rice Recipe for One Person

A friend’s mom made this black beans and rice recipe for me many years ago on Thanksgiving.  We had the traditional turkey, and also a slow-cooked pork roast that was divine.  The beans were so good I asked her to have her mom send me the recipe.

The great thing about this is that you feel you’re eating something rich and luxurious, even though it’s a “budget” meal.  This particular recipe is also vegetarian.  Of course, if you want, you can add some pork or bacon in with the seasoning mixture and cook that before you combine it all with the beans.

It’s also versatile.  Cook it down more and you have black beans and rice. Cook a bit less and you end up with black bean soup.

The recipe here is portioned to be a substantial main dish for dinner (or two lunches). Or, use it for two side dishes.

There are two ingredients in it that are a bit unusual for black beans and rice (at least unusual to me): balsamic vinegar and port.  You just use a little of each, but it adds an extra depth of flavor which wouldn’t be there otherwise.

I don’t usually have port, so I used brandy instead.

I nearly always get the dried black beans instead of the canned ones. The canned beans tend to have extra salt and additives to “keep them fresh” (which never made sense to me; canned food should last without preservatives). Besides the dried beans are a better value and will last indefinitely.

It does take a bit of time to make this (not so much because of the cooking as because of soaking the dried beans). However,  you can just let them soak overnight or use my quick soak method.  Or, if you’re in a big hurry, use canned beans.  Half the can should do it.

I used leftover rice that I already had.  If you don’t have leftover rice, start the rice while the bean and onion mixture is simmering.




Substitutions and Variations for Black Beans and Rice Recipe for One Person

  • Use brandy instead of port
  • If you don’t feel like opening an entire can of tomato sauce to use a small amount, use ketchup (add a little more water)
  • Add 1/4 pound pork stew to the onion mixture (when you start it)
  • Try some pork fat or bacon or a ham hock
  • For more kick, add some cumin or cayenne

More Recipes with Beans and Rice

tuna cannellini bean saladTuna Cannellini Bean Salad Recipe for One

Open a few cans, mix everything together and instant food! No actual cooking, heating, or baking required.

 

Brazilian chicken paprika stewBrazilian Chicken Paprika Stew

A Brazilian take on chicken paprikash.  Rich, satisfying, not too spicy, and only one pot!

 

pasta e fagioli soupPasta e Fagioli Soup (Small Batch)

A classic Italian soup that’s made entirely with pantry ingredients you likely already have in your cupboard.  And, as my mom would point out, beans and starch equals a complete protein!

bibimbap rice bowlBibimbap Rice Bowl with Meat and Vegetables

Layers of flavor piled into one bowl.  First the meat, then the sweet carrots, balanced by the sharp cabbage, and spicy chili garlic sauce. All topped with a slightly crispy fried egg.  A whole meal at once.

 




Small Batch Spicy Stovetop Chili Recipe

I have been making my spicy stovetop chili recipe the same way for years — until recently. There was a blizzard raging outside and I figured chili would keep me (and the apartment warm).  The recipe has evolved since I first started making it, but I’ve been consistently using kidney beans, green and red bell peppers and threw in some chopped jalapeños and a couple of spoonfuls of salsa.

However, I didn’t have any of those ingredients on hand and had no intention of going outside to get them! So, I improvised.  Instead of kidney beans I used cooked small white beans (which I had leftover from making this delicious garlicky bean dip).  If you don’t have cooked beans ready, use this quick soaking method to speed up the process, or just use half a can.

That solved the bean problem, but there was still the question of adding more heat.  I did have plenty of sriracha sauce and ground cayenne, so I used that and added a pinch of cinnamon to balance it out.

The chili came out so well I think I may make it this way going forward.  Less chopping!

This makes about three or four servings.  You can make it for company, eat it several times in one week, or freeze individual portions for later use.




Substitutions and Variations for Spicy Stovetop Chili Recipe

  • use kidney beans instead of white beans
  • replace the sriracha with Tabasco sauce
  • add a teaspoon or two of salsa
  • add jalapeño peppers to taste
  • add about 1/4 each red and green bell pepper about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time (so they keep a bit of crunch)
  • use 2/3 pound beef and 1/3 lb. pork

More Ground Beef Recipes

compound butter cheeseburgerCompound Butter Cheeseburger

A few simple extra ingredients transform your burger from ordinary to fantastic.  The secret is compound butters mixed in with the ground beef.

 

easy Italian meatballs for oneEasy Italian Meatball Recipe for One

Just enough meatballs for one serving of spaghetti (or eat them on their own with sauce).  Or, serve them with the soup below. No extras, no leftovers.

 

sloppy joes one person recipeSloppy Joe Recipe for One Person

Sure it’s messy. Says so right in the name. But this Sloppy Joe recipe is worth it.  It’s got a bit of a kick too (there’s sriracha in there!).  Soooo good.

 

easy Italian wedding soupEasy Italian Wedding Soup

Soup in a matter of minutes! Once you’ve got the meatballs (make them or buy them) all you have to do is add a couple of ingredients and eat them up!

 




Lentil Bean Sausage Soup

I’ve mind melded two lentil soup recipes for this and added a few variations to make lentil bean sausage soup. I was going to make bean and sausage soup but looked in the cupboard and found I was woefully short on beans.  There just weren’t enough to make anything with.  But, I did have more lentils.  And, a friend was talking about the bean, sausage, and potato soup she was making.

That gave me an idea.  Bean, lentil, potato, and sausage, plus a bit of manchego rind for some savor.

Manchego, parmesan, and romano cheese rinds are great, by the way, for soup or for grating cheese when there’s plenty left on the rind, but not enough to serve.

The nice thing about lentils is that unlike beans, you don’t have to soak them first to use them.

If you only have lentils, skip the beans entirely.  If you only have beans, use my quick soak method to speed up the process.




Ingredients and Tools for Lentil Bean Sausage Soup

mesh tea strainer ball

2 pcs Stainless Steel Mesh Tea Ball Strainer

Tea strainers are great for tea, but they also have a second use for making soup and other recipes.  Many recipes call for cheesecloth (which I’ve never seen in a store, and seems wasteful anyway).  Instead, I use the tea ball for bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, and herb mixtures that have to be added (and then removed) from soup or other recipes. Because, who wants to bite down into a peppercorn?!

Silver Palate Cookbook
The Silver Palate Cookbook

I’m on my third copy of this! The other half of the soup recipe comes from the bean and sausage soup in this cookbook. The peasant vegetable is also wonderful, as is the six onion soup. Actually, I’ve never had a bad recipe from this one. Plus there are suggestions and variations for many of the recipes, which I like.

More Lentil and Bean Soup Recipes

red lentil carrot soupRed Lentil Soup with Carrots

Cumin, garlic, and ginger for mellow, warm spiciness, and a bit of red pepper flakes for a kick.  Warming, filling, and delicious. Quick too, since red lentils take less time to cook than the brown ones.

lamb and lentil soupLamb and Lentil Soup Recipe

Take the bones from your lamb breast, make a broth, and transform that into soup. Extra meals, with not much extra cost.

 

pasta e fagioli soupPasta e Faglioli (Bean) Soup

An Italian classic soup, downsized for one person. Flavored with pancetta, rosemary, beans, and pasta, it’s both aromatic and delicious.

 

ham and lentil soupEasy Ham and Lentil Soup for One Person

Only one pot! Easy too, just a bit of chopping, and then let it simmer.

 




Quick Soak Beans in an Hour

Waiting for dried beans to soak overnight can be a real pain (especially if you’re hungry).  You can, of course, buy them in cans, but the canned beans often have extra salt and/or preservatives in them.  Luckily, there is a way to speed up the process and quick soak the beans in an hour, rather than waiting overnight. Much better!

Here’s all you have to do.  Just measure out the amount of beans you need.  Put them in a large saucepan and cover them with water (about an inch or two over the top of the beans).  Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Let the beans boil for two minutes.

Turn off the heat, and allow them to rest for an hour.

They’re now ready to cook. These are cranberry (or Roman) beans, by the way. Sadly, they lose most of their color when you cook them. They are rather pretty though. And, I find they are firmer and tastier than kidney beans.

Recipes with Quick-Soak Beans

pasta e fagioli soupPasta e Fagioli Soup (Small Batch)

A classic Italian pasta and bean soup in a rich tomato broth. Downsized so it’s perfect for one person.

 

black beans and rice recipe one personBlack Beans and Rice Recipe for One Person

Pantry-friendly, and made with an ingredient you might not expect. Plus, it’s two recipes in one (cook it more you have beans, less and it’s soup).

 

spicy stovetop chiliSmall Batch Spicy Stovetop Chili Recipe

Ground beef, chili powder, garlic, and sriracha! Plus a bit of cinnamon to add warm spice and balance out the heat.