17 gut-friendly bean recipes to prep ahead
- Emily Marten
loading...
Get 5 months for £5 when you subscribe today
Make a batch of weekday breakfasts and lunches with these prep-ahead recipes packed with hearty, fibre-rich beans and other nourishing ingredients
Why are beans so good for our gut? Beans contain two types of dietary fibre: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre – as the name suggests – breaks down in water and helps to slow down digestion, thereby helping to manage our blood sugar levels. Insoluble fibre, on the other hand, does not dissolve with water and therefore helps food to move through our digestive system. Beans are also rich in prebiotics which feed the gut's healthy bacteria, thus making them a great addition to our diets.
Ad
If you're new to beans, be mindful to introduce them slowly to give your body time to adapt to the increased fibre content. Once your body has adjusted, get ahead of healthy eating with our bean-packed recipes perfect for meal prep – from vibrant edamame bean sushi bowls to rainbow buddha bowls with chickpeas and a veg-packed burrito.
Next, discover more gut-friendly recipes, healthy bean recipes and our favourite grain salads for even more simple, fibre-rich meal prep.
Gut-friendly bean recipes for meal prep
Bean protein pot with soy marinated eggs and kimchi
This bean pot is designed to be a high-protein breakfast on the go that’s packed with gut health benefits.
Vegan sushi bowls
This is comforting bowl food with an edge – the fresh, zingy flavours of pickled ginger, nori, edamame and sriracha make it an ideal lunch or light dinner. Both edamame beans and the pickled elements make this a seriously gut-friendly dish.
Buddha bowls with sweet potato and chickpeas
Sweet potatoes contain both soluble and insoluble fibre which support digestive health. They are also loaded with beta-carotene, an antioxidant which can be converted to vitamin A in the body, playing an essential role in supporting gut-based immunity. Eat them roasted in this wholesome bowl recipe, loaded with veg and served with a creamy tahini drizzle.
Vegan burrito
A colourful, vegan burrito recipe, rammed with tomatoes, black beans, sweetcorn, lime, coriander, avocado and red chilli. It's a super lunch idea, ready in 30 minutes.
Mediterranean nourish bowls
Full of flavour, colour and texture, make these Mediterranean nourish bowls for a fast and simple midweek dinner.
Vegetarian caesar salad
This crispy chickpea and kale caesar salad is a great healthy twist on a classic. You can also eat the crispy chickpeas as a snack.
Cannellini bean and roast squash salad with basil dressing
You can roast the squash and tomatoes ahead for this easy salad and make the basil dressing ready for serving as a canapé at your next drinks party.
Tex-Mex black bean and avo salad
A quick and easy Tex-Mex black bean and avocado salad – perfect for midweek.
Healthy bean salad
Ready in just 20 minutes, this colourful salad is packed with green beans, kidney beans and cannellini beans, all drizzled with a green tahini dressing.
Black bean crunch wraps
Want a quick and easy veggie lunch? Check out these super simple crunch wraps with black beans. These wraps serve four and are packed with plenty of flavour.
Coronation chickpea and apple salad
Make this classic lunch favourite vegetarian by replacing the chicken with chickpeas. Refreshing, crunchy and full of flavour, this easy salad recipe is ready in just 20 minutes.
Black chickpea salad (kala channa masala)
Check out this crunchy black chickpea salad, it's packed with fresh and tangy flavours. This recipe comes from DUM Biryani House in London. Vegan and gluten free, this dish takes under 30 minutes to prepare.
Hasselback aubergine with green tahini and speedy grain salad
Hasselbacking works really well with aubergine to ensure it roasts to silky perfection.
Broad bean, peach and fennel salad
Try this brilliant medley of broad beans, thinly sliced peaches, fennel, fresh basil and courgette, dressed in a lemony red chilli dressing.
Roasted courgette, chickpea and lemon salad
Check out this quick and easy vegan salad recipe with roasted courgettes and crunchy chickpeas tossed in punchy harissa. It's ready in 20 minutes and low in calories, too.
Summer butter bean salad
The flavours in this lively salad only get better over time, so it’s a great one to prep ahead. Even better, it only takes 15 minutes to assemble.
Ad
Chickpea, pepper and bulgur wheat salad
Make our vibrant veggie salad for a nutritious midweek meal ready in less than half an hour.
Authors
Emily MartenDigital Content Producer
Comments, questions and tips
Choose the type of message you'd like to post
Choose the type of message you'd like to post
CommentQuestionTip
Ad
Ad
Loading...
Ad
Loading...
Want to see this content?
This page contains olivemagazine content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.
Accept and continue