Black Bean

This would be nice with warm tortillas.

Have we found Tex-Mex heaven? This very easy vegetarian meal satisfies with the heft of beans and melted mixed cheese.

Plopped on a creamy tomato sauce, these peppers are a repeat-worthy one-dish dinner.

Our genius solution for a black bean burger that’s not at all gummy: Treat it like a smash burger, griddle until crispy, and devour with lots of chipotle mayo.

Everything you could possibly want in a tostada (and then some): shredded chicken smothered with a smoky, spicy tomato salsa, bacony refried beans, and a smattering of cilantro and cheese.

This deeply comforting Haitian meal consists of sos pwa nwa, black bean sauce enriched with coconut milk, served alongside mayi moulen, a creamy cornmeal porridge flavored with garlic and herbs.

Top these creamy, beany enfrijoladas with a fried egg, chorizo or roasted vegetables, and queso fresco!

There are countless variations of arepas all over Colombia and Venezuela, but whether they’re stuffed with cheese, chicken, or pork, the dough starts in the same way: with arepa flour.

This black bean soup is seasoned with a heavy hand. If you are salt- or spice-averse, decrease the amount of salt to 1½ tsp. and use 1 chipotle chile with 1 tsp. adobo sauce instead.

The vegan patties in this burger recipe go straight from the mixing bowl to the grill without falling apart—all in about 20 minutes.

If you're not feeling sandwich-y, try with toasted or fried tortillas.

Veggie burgers are not easy to make awesome, but we think this one nails it. We solved the “mush” factor by folding in bouncy mushrooms and pleasantly firm black beans, threw a hard sear on it for crisp texture on the outside, and seasoned it aggressively to combat any blandness. There’s no imitation protein or weird ingredients, just a rich, moist mixture of vegetables, grains, and nuts that work with any toppings you want to throw at it. It may not be vegan, but it’s pretty darn good. This is .…

Some kids like it hot. If so, add a small handful of pickled jalapeños or a few dashes of their favorite hot sauce to the mix.

You might have more of the salsas than you need; serve them on the side for dipping. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Separate compartments are key to packing this lunch. Switch up the fixings to keep it fresh: Salsa, guac, and sour cream are all good options.