Kidney beans are a staple food for people all around the world. And the fact that you can pick up a can of kidney beans for next to nothing from the supermarket makes them an ideal protein source, particularly for vegans and vegetarians.
But what’s the deal with leftover kidney beans? Can you reheat them? Yes, you can!
To reheat kidney beans, you can pop them into the microwave or in a pot on the stove. If you reheat them on their own, they will lose much of their flavour and perhaps even go mushy.
How to Reheat Kidney Beans
It’s crucial to start this section with a caveat – you should only reheat kidney beans if they are part of a dish such as chill con carne or veggie chilli. If you reheat kidney beans on their own, they won’t taste great, and their texture will likely spoil.
But if you’ve prepared a delicious pot of chilli and have some leftovers, then reheating kidney beans is super straightforward. There are two simple ways to reheat kidney beans, as we introduce below:
How to Reheat Kidney Beans in the Microwave
What would we do without the microwave?! It’s ideal for reheating kidney beans, and here’s how to go about it:
- Prepare Kidney Beans
Place your kidney bean dish in a microwave-safe dish or bowl. Make sure there is enough liquid – add more sauce or even a splash of water if your dish looks a little dry. Then, cover your kidney beans with a paper towel or a lid if your microwave-safe dish has one. - Reheat
Place your kidney beans in the microwave and reheat for ninety seconds on full power. If you’re reheating a dish containing kidney beans and meat (chilli con carne, for example), you will need to remove the dish from the microwave and check that its internal temperature is at least 75C or 165F before serving. - Serve and Enjoy
When your dish is piping hot, your kidney beans are ready to serve up and enjoy alongside your chosen accompaniments – we recommend tacos and guac!
How to Reheat Kidney Beans on the Stovetop
If you don’t fancy the microwave method, you can reheat kidney beans on the stovetop. Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Prepare Kidney Beans
Add your kidney beans (in sauce or as part of a dish such as a chilli con carne) into a sufficiently sized pan. Check there is sufficient liquid in the pan to cover the kidney beans – you can always add some more sauce or a splash of water if you think your kidney beans look a little dry. - Reheat
Turn on the heat to medium and reheat your kidney beans for 6-7 minutes. You will need to stir them continuously to ensure they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Again, if you’re reheating kidney beans alongside meat, you will need to check that the temperature of the dish is at least 75C or 165F before serving. - Serve and Enjoy
You’re all set to tuck into your kidney beans with your chosen accompaniments.
How to Reheat Kidney Beans Successfully
To ensure that things go well when reheating kidney beans, we would recommend sticking with the following 3 tips:
- Reheat Once – We advise you only to reheat your kidney beans once. If you were to reheat them several times, you would find that their taste and texture would alter, and they may not be safe to enjoy.
- Make Sure There’s Enough Moisture – When you’re preparing your kidney beans, it’s important to ensure there’s sufficient moisture in your pan or bowl before you reheat them. If you don’t check the moisture levels, you will find that your beans will dry out during the reheating process.
- Store Them Correctly – When you’re dealing with pulses, you need to ensure you store them correctly. Kidney beans should be preserved in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to reheat them and not left out at room temperature.
Is It Safe to Reheat Kidney Beans?
Yes, it’s perfectly safe to reheat kidney beans. Consider the fact that tinned kidney beans have already been cooked, so reheating them won’t do you any harm.
That said, it’s always best to reheat kidney beans when they’re already part of a prepared dish such as chilli, or at the very least in some sauce.
Reheating kidney beans on their own or in water will impact their taste or texture, and they will be far from inviting when you come to eat them!
Reheating Kidney Beans FAQs
If you still have questions about reheating kidney beans, then have a look at these:
No, reheating kidney beans twice is not a good idea. They will quickly turn to mush, disintegrating and leaving the rest of your dish with a grainy and rough texture.
Ross is a freelance writer with a passion for delicious food and drinks, having worked in the hospitality industry in the past. He began working with Let’s Foodie when it first launched to provide information on how to reheat, freeze and microwave different foods.
