Dressed Up Canned Beans in Tomato Sauce

With the help of some fresh vegetables and a few herbs and spices from your pantry or spice rack, this Dressed Up Canned Beans in Tomato Sauce uses plain canned beans and transforms them so that they are extraordinarily flavourful and tastes homemade too!

Lord Byron’s Kitchen is no stranger to canned beans. I have no problem with admitting it either! In a perfect world, we would all have time to soak dried beans and make our own beans in tomato sauce. But, there is no perfect world, so I say it’s canned beans to the rescue!

If, by any chance, you are anti-canned beans, you can certainly make beans first and then add the other ingredients to make your own dressed up version. I happen to have the perfect recipe for Sweet and Smoky Baked Beans right here!

But, as I said, there’s no shame in using store-bought canned beans. In fact, I highly encourage you all to have a well-stocked pantry which includes canned beans. They’re good for you, they’re inexpensive, and you can add them to many recipes for heartiness and protein. Now, let’s talk about these Dressed Up Canned Beans in Tomato Sauce!

CANNED BEANS – EVERYONE EATS THEM

Whether you like to admit or not, you do eat canned beans. That burrito you ate in the food court last week probably had canned beans. Your dad’s chili recipe – probably beans there too! Dips, salads, casseroles, soups, etc., all have beans. And, most of those beans are from a can, because most home cooks don’t have the time or the desire to make beans from scratch.

There are so many different brands of canned beans on the market. And, if you’re much like me, you have a favourite. If I’m buying beans to use in soup or chili or whatever, I will buy Heinz or Bush’s. But, if I’m buying beans to just reheat as is, I usually by Clark’s.

Once a week, we have what John.e calls college dinner. It gives me a little break from thinking about what to make for dinner every night. There’s very little effort and we love it. College dinner is basically breakfast for dinner. I warm canned beans in tomato sauce, scramble a bunch of eggs, make piles of toast, and we did in. If it’s college dinner, it has to be Clark brand.

WHY DRESS UP BEANS ANYWAY?

Once you’ve dressed up or doctored your beans, not only have you created a brand new dish with more flavour, but you’ve also opened a door of possibilities. With the beans you see in the photos, I served them over rice to make a complete dinner.

But, you could also ladle them over a baked potato. One of my favourite things to do with them is to place some on a tortilla. Add some sour cream, guacamole, and some cheese. It’s the easiest and tastiest burrito you’ve ever had!

Once you’ve prepared canned beans like this, you might not go back to eating plain canned beans When you come home from work, you can cook some diced chicken breasts or ground beef. Add the prepared beans and dinner is ready! It does make weeknight dinners a little bit easier, that’s for sure.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Olive Oil
• White Onion – I use yellow, white, and sweet onions interchangeably.  Either of them will do just fine.
• Garlic
• Red and Green Bell Pepper – If you only have one colour, you can use it.
• Jalapenos – These are optional, but I love the little bit of heat they add to the finished recipe.
• Canned Beans in Tomato Sauce
• Spices & Seasonings – Chili powder, dried red chili flakes (optional), dried basil, ground black pepper, dried thyme, and salt.

HOW TO MAKE DRESSED UP CANNED BEANS IN TOMATO SAUCE

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, saute the onions in olive oil until translucent – about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir into the onions. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Next, add the red and green bell peppers and jalapenos. Stir into the onion and garlic mixture. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add all of the herbs and spices. Stir into the vegetables and cook for 5 more minutes. Lastly, add the canned beans. Stir to combine and cook until heated through – about 5 minutes. Garnish and serve.

VARIATIONS

As you can see from the recipe card below, I made my version of dressed up beans a little spicy. I’ve been craving and eating a lot of spicy food lately. You can skip the addition of the jalapeno pepper and the chili powder if you wish. Or, if you want, you can add more spice – it’s totally up to you.

Once all is said and done, the beans do take on a more homemade flavour. The aromatic onions and garlic, along with the earthiness of the dried thyme and basil, come together to create a very homey dish.

So, now that you’ve upgraded your own canned beans, how will you serve them? I’d love to hear your ideas. Leave me a comment below!

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!