Last Updated on June 1, 2025 by Nico
Ready in under 15 minutes, popped beans are an easy high protein snack that will give you a quick boost of energy. Garlic, herbs, healthy oil, and beans are combined for a delicious and savoury treat.
Popped beans are essentially cooked beans that are tossed in hot oil until they are crispy and browned. Then you add any herbs or spices you want and top them off with a generous dose of sea salt. They’re a simple snack that is full of healthy fibre and protein.
Now that spring has officially sprung, and garden-fresh herbs are in abundance, it’s a great time to whip up a batch of garlic and herb popped beans.
In a recent post I showed you how I made a hanging herb garden for our small city backyard. (Here is a video tutorial if you prefer that!)
Well our herbs have been loving their home over the past months and are thriving. Our parsley and thyme are doing especially well, and so I thought I would use those herbs in the garlic and herb popped beans I made today.
But you can use any herbs you have or any spices you prefer.
Watch the video
Ingredients
Cooked beans of your choice – Canned or dried. I like white beans and broad beans because they have a lot of surface area for the spice! If you’re growing your own beans this spring or summer and have some ready to eat, those would be a delicious choice!
Oil to fry in – I prefer coconut oil but you can use what you have on hand. I would recommend staying away from refined oils like vegetable or canola oil however, because they have minimal health benefits.
Garlic
Herbs – whichever you prefer or have on hand!
Raw apple cider vinegar – if you are soaking beans
For complete measurements, see the printable recipe card below.
How To Make Garlic and Herb Popped Beans
If you are starting with dry beans, soak the beans overnight in a bowl.
Add in a splash of raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to help break down the sugars in the beans that are difficult for your body to digest.
The next day, simmer the beans on low heat in water or broth until tender. This usually takes about an hour for us.
Next, heat your oil in a cast iron skillet or pan.
Add the beans into the hot oil.
Use a wooden spoon to move the beans around the skillet to ensure all sides become browned and crispy.
Mince the garlic and chop up the herbs.
Add both into the beans use a wooden spoon to incorporate the herbs and garlic.
After about a minute, turn off the heat.
Allow the beans to sit in the pan for another few minutes to ensure the garlic and herb flavour melts into the beans.
Scoop them out of the skillet and into a bowl.
Enjoy!
How to enjoy popped beans
1. By the handful: I like to eat these garlic and herb popped beans by themselves as an afternoon snack!
2. On top of soup: Popped beans are great soup toppers. They would be especially delicious on tomato or creamy leek soup.
3. On top of a salad: You could add these popped beans to the top of a kale or spinach salad for extra protein or flavour.
FAQ
They are most delicious straight out of the skillet. You can put them in a sealed container into the fridge for a few days. But if you do, I would recommend heating them in your skillet for a few minutes again before eating them. This will help to melt the oil again, which will harden in the fridge.
Any bean can work to make popped beans. I have tried broad beans and white beans because they have a large surface area for adding spices and herbs. But black beans and kidney beans would work great too. Or any that are garden fresh from your patch!
I coconut oil because in moderation it is a healthy fat and we always have it on had. You could experiment with using other oils but I would recommend saying away from highly refined oils like canola oil and grapeseed oil.
Yes. Use ½ tablespoon of dried herbs per cup of beans.
Try These Other Simple Snack Ideas
Simple Homemade High Protein Granola Recipe
Simple & Tasty Sourdough Discard Banana Bread Recipe
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please consider giving it 5 stars. Find me on Instagram @documentingsimpleliving and show me what you’ve made!
Simple And Nutritious Garlic and Herb Popped Beans
Ingredients
Method
- If you are starting with dry beans, soak the beans overnight in a bowl.
- Add in a splash of raw apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to help break down the sugars in the beans that are difficult for your body to digest.
- The next day, simmer the beans on low heat in water or broth until tender. This usually takes about an hour for us.
- Next, heat your oil in a cast iron skillet or pan.
- Add the beans into the hot oil.
- Use a wooden spoon to move the beans around the skillet to ensure all sides become browned and crispy.
- Mince the garlic and chop up the herbs.
- Add both into the beans use a wooden spoon to incorporate the herbs and garlic.
- After about a minute, turn off the heat.
- Allow the beans to sit in the pan for another few minutes to ensure the garlic and herb flavour melts into the beans.
- Scoop them out of the skillet and into a bowl.
- Enjoy!
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