Legumes are back: how to make beans and lentils genuinely delicious

Let’s be honest: when you think of “beans”, you probably think of a mandatory school-canteen meal rather than something you’d invite your friends over for. Time to adjust that image, because legumes are back — although they never really went away. Restaurants proudly put them on the menu, foodies roast chickpeas as if their lives depended on it, and they’re also incredibly cheap. The food trend your wallet will love, then.

But you do have to prepare them properly. Here’s how.

Why everyone is (back) on the bean bandwagon

Three reasons. One: the protein transition is in full swing, and beans and lentils are the easiest way to eat less meat without going hungry — packed with protein and fibre. Two: your budget. A portion of lentils costs just a few cents, and with today’s grocery prices, that’s no small detail. Three: sustainability. Legumes are among the most climate-friendly foods there are.

In short: healthy, affordable and good for the planet. Now all they need to be is delicious.

5 ways to make beans and lentils genuinely delicious

• Season as if you mean it. Beans are a sponge for flavour, but you do need to give them something to soak up. Cumin, smoked paprika, curry, chilli: be generous. A well-stocked spice cupboard is half the job — stock up on your herbs and spices in large bags, so you never have to hold back again
• Roast your chickpeas. Oven at 200 degrees, pat the chickpeas dry, add oil, salt and paprika, and roast for 25 minutes. A crispy snack or salad topping you’ll keep coming back to
• Braise them gently and slowly. White beans in tomato sauce with garlic and rosemary, simmered for twenty minutes: suddenly you understand why half of Italy revolves around this
• Make a dahl. Red lentils, onion, garlic, ginger, curry and coconut milk. In twenty minutes, you’ll have a curry on the table that tastes like it took far more effort
• Give your salad acidity and crunch. Bean salad boring? Not with a generous splash of vinegar, red onion, something crunchy and fresh herbs. Acidity is a bean’s best friend

Dried or canned?

Canned is perfectly fine for weeknights — no shame in that. But dried legumes cost roughly half as much per serving, have a fuller flavour and are less likely to turn mushy. The only thing they ask of you is an overnight soak and an hour of cooking (red lentils don’t even need that — they’re ready in fifteen minutes, without soaking).

Smart move: cook a large pot straight away and freeze the beans in portions. You still get the convenience of canned beans, but they’re tastier and cheaper.

3 bean facts to impress people at parties

• The cooking liquid from chickpeas is called aquafaba and whips up like egg white. Vegan chocolate mousse from a “waste product” — try it once and you’ll understand the hype
• Black beans in brownies sound like a punishment, but they make for the fudgiest batch you’ve ever made. No one can taste them, and everyone asks for the recipe
• Brown beans with bacon are centuries-old Dutch street food avant la lettre — so legumes have never really disappeared here; we had simply forgotten about them for a while

Stock up smart

Buying loose bags at the supermarket is the expensive way. If you’re serious about legumes, simply order dried beans, lentils and chickpeas by the kilo online. The British webshop Whole Food Earth has more than 3,600 organic products in bulk packaging at near-wholesale prices and also delivers to the Netherlands and the rest of the EU. One order and your pantry can be stocked for months.

Store them in tightly sealed jars in a dry, dark place. They’ll even look nice on the kitchen counter — win-win.

Get started

So legumes are healthy, sustainable, ridiculously affordable and — with the right approach — genuinely delicious. Start with that dahl tonight, roast a batch of chickpeas this weekend, and before you know it you’ll be one of those people who can make “something quick with beans” and genuinely look forward to it. Grab your pan, set your timer and cook along.