The Complete Guide To Making Roasted Beans

You’ve probably tried roasted garbanzo beans. They’re crunchy and delicious. But have you experimented beyond the garbanzo bean and tried roasting black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, and others? Keep reading for the complete guide to making roasted beans.

Beans are a budget cook’s best friend. A simple can of beans can be the start of many different main course dishes from chili to vegetarian tacos to soup to casseroles.

But my favorite way of all to enjoy beans? Roasted.

Most people are familiar with roasted garbanzo beans, but virtually any kind of bean can be roasted!

When beans are roasted in the oven, they turn out crispy on the outside and have a melt-in-your-mouth texture on the inside.

I recently experimented by roasting 6 different kinds of beans (only 5 are pictured here): Kidney, cannellini, navy, black, garbanzo, and pinto.

Keep A Close Eye On The Beans To Avoid Burning!

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind when making roasted beans is the roasting time.

If you roast them too long, they’ll burn. If you don’t roast them long enough, they’ll be soft in the middle.

So you really have to watch them closely.

I have listed baking times, below, but keep in mind that this time may vary depending on the brand of bean you’ve purchased, your oven, and other factors.

So do me a favor and watch your beans closely as they roast! You may need to taste test to determine if they’ve been adequately roasted.

Basic Recipe

In experimenting with these 6 kinds of roasted beans, I followed the same formula:

• Drain and rinse 1 can of beans until the water runs clear
• Pat beans down with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture – get as much of the water off as possible. This will help make the beans extra crispy.
• Place on large, flat, shallow baking sheet, mix with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and add 1 teaspoon seasoning (I used Creole seasoning, but garlic powder, onion powder, or another seasoning blend would work)
• Bake for suggested time in a shallow pan (like a sheet pan) at 400F, mixing once to ensure beans are evenly roasted
• WATCH CLOSELY to avoid burning – there’s not much time between just right and burnt.

Uses For Roasted Beans

Roasted beans make a great snack. But there are other delicious ways to enjoy them:

• As a “crouton” for salads
• Sprinkled on top of creamy soups
• As a party snack
• As a protein-rich component in your child’s lunch box
• As a topping on these spiced sweet potato taco salad bowls
• As a topping on these roasted cauliflower and grape bowls
• As in ingredient in this Greek salad
• Combined with dried fruit and chocolate chips to make a totally unique trail mix

Roasted Kidney Beans

• Approximate baking time: 43 minutes
• Roasted kidney beans have a more mealy texture inside than other roasted beans.
• Try this recipe: Sweet and spicy roasted kidney beans

Roasted Cannellini Beans

• Approximate baking time: 51 minutes
• Try this recipe: Crispy white beans with garlic and herbs

Roasted Navy Beans

• Approximate baking time: 45 minutes
• Roasted navy beans turn out very small. Eat them by the handful or sprinkle on top of soups or salads. They virtually melt in your mouth!

Roasted Black Beans

• Approximate baking time: 45 minutes
• Roasted black beans have a stronger flavor than many roasted beans.

Roasted Pinto Beans

• Approximate baking time: 36 minutes
• Roasted pinto beans have a mealier texture than many other roasted beans.

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

• Approximate baking time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
• Everyone loves roasted garbanzo beans! These are perhaps the crunchiest beans of all. The interior holds up nice and doesn’t turn brittle.

My Favorite Roasted Beans

First things first, there really wasn’t a bad bean in the bunch. They were all legitimately tasty.

But I think my favorite of all was the roasted navy beans. These beans were smaller than the others and had a great crunch – but at the same time they melted in your mouth.

Can Other Kinds Of Beans Be Roasted?

Yes. Every kind of bean I roasted – kidney, cannellini, navy, black, pinto, and garbanzo – turned out great. While I used the same seasoning blend to flavor them all, each roasted bean had its own unique flavor and texture.

Can you roast other kinds of beans? Yes! I encourage you to experiment yourself! You can try roasting other kinds of beans like butter beans, black-eyed peas, lima beans, and even edamame – and you’ll likely to be satisfied with the end product.