Beans! Our Favorite Ways to Cook Lentils, Chickpeas, White Beans, and More
Beans! Our Favorite Ways to Cook Lentils, Chickpeas, White Beans, and More  
Podcast: Food Friends: Home Cooking Made Easy
Published On: Tue Jan 06 2026
Description: Are you staring at a bag of lentils in your pantry that you fully meant to cook… and somehow never do? Or maybe you’ve got a few cans of chickpeas that always feel like a good idea in theory, but never quite turn into dinner.If beans have ever felt bland, boring, or confusing, today’s episode is for you.By the end of this episode, you’ll:Discover how to make lentils, chickpeas, and other pantry beans actually craveable — from using up quick cooking red lentils in an unexpected pasta dish, to a vegetarian date-studded chickpea stew that relies on canned beansFind out go-to weeknight bean-centric meals that you can whip up in 30 minutes or lessLearn about two fresh takes on bean soup: one that uses white beans and has been served in the US Senate for decades, and another that relies on simple black beans combined with a few surprising, flavorful winter veggies Press play now if you want affordable, comforting dinners that finally make good on all those beans in your pantry!***Links:LentilsOur favorite coconut red lentils from our free SubstackCurried tomato tortellini soup from 101 CookbooksEcuadorian lentil stew from Laylita.comAlison Roman’s  lentils with fried lemon or garlic (you can use red or yellow) ChickpeasOur chickpea episode with Sarah Bond from Live, Eat, LearnChickpea stew with dates, almonds, and orange Chickpea butternut squash tacos by Laura FuentesYotam Ottolenghi’s confit tandoori chickpeas Other Beans:Amy Chaplin’s spicy black bean soup, with squash, cabbage, loads of veggies Cheesy mashed white beans with kale and parm and runny egg, from Serious EatsMung bean curry from Pride of IndiaSenate bean soup by The Country CookAlso: Kari’s famous white bean soup with oregano and parm, and Sonya’s take on Yemenite white bean soup with zhoug***Got a cooking question?...