These Roasted Cajun Spiced White Beans are a meal prep game-changer. Packed with flavor, these crispy nuggets of deliciousness are an excellent source of protein, folate, iron, and fiber. All you need is 5 minutes of prep and then let the oven do the rest. Prep them at the beginning of the week and add them to salads, tacos, or grain bowls for an extra dose of nutrition.
Spice up your meal prep life with these roasted cajun-spiced white beans! If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m a registered dietitian who is a huge fan of meal prep (I even made a meal plan program around it!). It’s one of my favorite kitchen hacks because I know it will save me time and energy while ensuring I always have quick and easy meal options to use throughout the week.
I’ve been making these cajun-spiced cannellini beans for years. I love how they soak up the cajun spice and how perfectly they crisp up in the oven – adding to the overall flavor profile and texture of any dish! Try them in my white bean and sweet potato tacos.
Whether you’re a meal prepping pro or new to the practice, these are great to throw into your rotation!
Meal prep tip: While these roast in the oven, cook up a grain (like quinoa, rice or farro) and chop up some veggies for the week. Your future self will thank you!
What You Need For This Meal Prep Recipe
White Beans: White beans (aka cannellini beans) are white kidney beans. They have a smooth texture and mild flavor making them super versatile. They’re a staple in our house. I love blending them into creamy dips like this White Bean, Spinach and Artichoke Dip for some extra protein and fiber without taking away from the flavor of the dish.
In this recipe, they crisp up on the outside while still having a creamy texture on the inside – it’s like a mini flavor explosion in each bite. If you don’t have white kidney beans, you can use black beans or chickpeas. If you do substitute for a different bean, cooking times may vary so check in on them more periodically.
Avocado oil: The beans are cooked at 425°F so you will want to use an oil with a high smoke point. I like using a neutral flavored oil like avocado oil for this recipe. If you want to learn more about the smoke points of oils or find alternative high heat oils, check out my blog comparing some of my favorite cooking oils here.
Cajun: You can’t have cajun-spiced beans without the cajun seasoning, it’s the secret behind the bold and flavorful profile of these roasted white beans. For this recipe, I used a cajun spice blend that I bought at the grocery store. I like having premixed blends in the pantry because they add a balance of flavors without needing to buy a long list of ingredients.
If you don’t have any cajun seasoning on-hand, you can make your own with a mix of paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
Garlic: I used fresh minced garlic for this recipe prepped with one of my fave kitchen tools – the microplane. You can also use garlic powder or leave out if you’re not a fan of garlic.
Salt & pepper: Salt brings out the flavors of the beans and spices. It also helps balance the heat from the Cajun seasoning. Pepper adds a touch of warmth to the overall dish and balances everything out.
How To Make Crispy Cajun-Spiced White Beans
I have made this recipe a million times and have made a few mistakes in my past that have led to less crispy beans. Follow these steps to ensure you get that crispy texture:
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Drain, rinse and pat the beans dry before seasoning. This is key to them crisping up! Toss the beans in the oil, Cajun seasoning, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Spread the beans out in a single layer between the two baking sheets, making sure to leave room in between pieces so the beans crisp up. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping and swapping rack halfway.
The beans are done when they’re crisp on the outside and fork tender on the inside. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Nutritional Benefits (Nutrition by Addition)
One thing I’m very passionate about is teaching my Make Food Feel Good clients the intuitive eating concept of nutrition by addition. This looks at what food you can add to your plate or what meal/snack you can add into your day so that you can feel your best. It can be a counterintuitive practice at first because we’ve often been programmed to look at what foods and meals we need to cut out or avoid.
If you’re new to intuitive eating or looking to strengthen your nutrition by addition muscle, I highly recommend trying ingredient meal prep. This will ensure that you have nourishing, delicious ingredients for you to toss into a salad, pasta sauce, or stir fry for a nutrition and flavor boost.
Whether it’s meal prepped cauliflower, sweet potatoes or these cajun-spiced beans, you won’t ever regret having extra proteins and veggies ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Here are some of the benefits of adding cannellini beans into your life:
Protein: Cannellini beans are an excellent plant-based source of protein. Protein is essential for the body’s growth, repair, and maintenance of tissues.
Fiber: These little nuggets are also rich in dietary fiber. Fiber is crucial for digestive health, helping keep us regular and supporting a healthy gut microbiome. Fiber is also bulkier and takes longer to digest. This not only keeps us feeling full for longer but also helps keep our blood sugars stable throughout the day.
Carbs: These beans provide complex carbohydrates, which are a steady and sustainable source of fuel for our bodies. They help maintain stable blood sugar levels and prevent rapid spikes and crashes in our energy.
Vitamins and minerals: Not only are these beans fueling us with energy and providing us with protein and fiber, they’re also packed with vitamins and minerals that help our bodies.
How To Use These Oven Roasted White Beans
One of my fave things about meal prepping cannellini beans is that they are super versatile. Here are some of my go to ways of incorporating more beans onto my plate:
Tacos: You can use these beans as a source of protein and fiber in almost any taco recipe. Try them in my white bean and sweet potato tacos. You can also use them instead of chickpeas in these delicious Roasted Cauliflower Tacos or substitute for the shrimp in these Shrimp and Dragon Fruit Street Tacos.
Salads: Don’t feel like cooking one night? Throw these beans on a salad and you have a tasty balanced meal. Add them to this Crunchy Kale and Pomegranate Salad or substitute the beans for the chicken in this Oven Roasted Kale and Broccoli Salad.
Bowls: Bowls are one of my go to meals. They’re a great way to use leftovers up in the fridge and the combinations you can create are unlimited. Build your own bowl with veggies, grains and a protein (like these beans) or use the beans as your protein source in one of these bowl recipes:
- Fiesta Tempeh Taco Bowl (Use as a substitute for the tempeh)
- Buddha Bowl with Lemon Tahini Dressing (Sub the cannellini beans for the chickpeas)
- Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Bowl (Add in for some protein)
Storage & Reheating Tips
These don’t last long in our household so I usually store them in an airtight container in the fridge to use over the next 4 to 5 days. You can enjoy them cold or warm them up depending on which dish you’re adding them to and your personal preference.
To reheat
Microwave: In a microwave-safe bowl, add a drizzle of avocado oil to the beans (this will prevent them from drying out) and microwave the beans in 20 to 30 second increments, until heated through. Make sure to stir in between so that the pieces are evenly heated.
Stove top: In a frying pan over medium-low heat, add the beans with a drizzle of avocado oil and cook until warmed through.
Oven or toaster oven: Bake at 350F in a single later on a parchment lined baking sheet until warmed through and crisp on the outside, about 10 minutes
If you try this recipe, it would make my day if you would leave a comment and/or star rating below— I love hearing your feedback! And don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @lindsaypleskot.rd so I can see your versions! It makes me so happy to see these recipes come to life in your kitchens! Xo
PrintPrep Ahead Roasted Cajun Spiced White Beans
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
These Roasted Cajun Spiced White Beans are a meal prep game-changer. Packed with flavor, these crispy nuggets of deliciousness are an excellent source of protein, folate, iron, and fiber. All you need is 5 minutes of prep and then let the oven do the rest. Prep them at the beginning of the week and add them to salads, tacos, or grain bowls for an extra dose of nutrition.
Ingredients
2 x 19 oz cans of white kidney (cannellini) beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry
1–2 tbsp avocado oil
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
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In a bowl, toss the beans in the oil, Cajun seasoning, garlic, salt, and pepper.
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Spread the beans out in a single layer between the two baking sheets, making sure to leave room in between pieces so the beans crisp up. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping and swapping rack halfway.
-
The beans are done when they’re crisp on the outside and fork tender on the inside.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
Leona says
I made this recipe with sweet potatoes on Sunday for my meal prep. We used them in salads, bowls, and tacos this week. They made meal times super easy. To reheat the beans, I did it in the frying pan and did need to add a little avocado oil.
Lindsay Pleskot, RD says
Yes! Two of my favorite meal prep recipes! So happy to hear you’re enjoying them Leona! Great tip about using the avocado oil for reheating. Thanks for sharing!