Turn A Can Of Beans Into Dinner By Giving Them The Enchilada Treatment

Whether you're looking to cut grocery costs or just want to use some of those canned goods in your pantry, canned beans make a great base for an affordable dinner. Canned beans are common in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine, and you can easily turn them into an enchilada-style dinner with just two additional ingredients: enchilada sauce and cheese.

The concept is simple and similar to making pizza beans: Add a can of the legumes to an oven-safe dish or skillet; whether you're using pinto or black beans, season them how you want (dried or fresh herbs like oregano and thyme are popular additions), cover with a jar of store-bought sauce and a layer of shredded cheese, then bake for around five minutes until everything is fully melted and the beans are nice and tender. The result is a filling meal for two that, depending on where you shop, could cost less than $5. Plus, with so few ingredients, it comes together in minutes thanks to the minimal prep work. But if you have a few more canned goods or fresh vegetables on hand, you can take your beans up a notch and turn this into something seriously delicious without buying any additional groceries.

To build on this simple dish, add complementary vegetables for an easy upgrade. Maybe you have half an onion in the fridge or some bell peppers in the crisper drawer. Chop them and fold them into the beans to make the base even more filling. You can also be resourceful with your garnishes — an avocado meant for toast can instead be sliced and layered over the finished dish; the same goes for spooning leftover sour cream or crema.

For additional flavor, you can bolster your beans by busting out your favorite herbs and spices. Add a pinch of onion powder, a sprinkle of garlic powder, and maybe some ancho chile powder for a little spice. If you happen to have taco seasoning lying around, use it. Other spices, like ground cayenne pepper, are perfect if you want more heat.

You can use either red or green enchilada sauce here. The main difference is the chiles: red sauce is often made with dried ancho and guajillo chiles, while green sauce uses green peppers and tart tomatillos. You can substitute salsa for red sauce, but keep in mind it won't have the exact same flavor. For the cheese, using a pre-shredded Mexican blend is easiest. To get it a little crisp on top, put the skillet under the broiler for just a few minutes, until it's bubbly and browned to your liking.