Are you looking for a flavor packed crunchy snack that isn't loaded with fat and preservatives?
These Black Bean Pesto Crackers used up items I had around the house and ended up being aΒ tasty andΒ healthy snack. Win-Win!
Homemade crackers are surprisingly easy to make. You just need a little flour, fat and flavor. Roll them out thin and bake until crispy.
And you can tailor them to your tastes, like I did with these Black Bean Pesto Crackers. I had some fresh basil that needed to be used right away and I combined it with what was in the pantry to make them.
These can be made gluten-free (I used a gluten-free flour blend) and vegan (use vegan cheese, a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast or eliminate it and increase the fat a bit). Plus, if you use no salt added black beans they are low-sodium, low-fat and high in fiber.
And despite all of that, they are still delicious.
Tips for Homemade Crackers
A few tips if you have never made crackers before:
- Yes, you need some fat in it. You can reduce it like I did, but the cheese and nuts will not provide enough and you will end up with a crumbly hard mess. If you want to reduce the fat content further, use fewer or no nuts.
- Go easy on the flour. For the same reason as above, you will end up with a dry crumbly mess. add just enough to be able to roll the dough out.
- Do not over mix the flour in the dough, especially if using all purpose flour. You willΒ end up withΒ a tough cracker.
- Experiment with other cheeses,Β flavors and seasonings. (like these Cheddar Crackers).
I hope you give these a try and enjoy them as much as I did.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can 15 ounce no salt added black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2 ounce parmesan cheese
- ΒΌ cup fresh basil (or more!)
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- ΒΌ cup pine nuts (or your favorite nuts or seeds)
- 2 tablespoons fat (butter, shortening, coconut oil, olive oil)
- ΒΎ -1 cups flour (all-purpose or gluten free)
- salt to taste
OPTIONAL
- cooking spray
- seasoning (seasoned salt, sea salt, garlic powder, salt free seasoning, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375β. Drain and rinse the black beans.
- Put parmesan, basil and garlic in the food processor and pulse until chunky.
- Add black beans, nuts/seeds and fat. Blend until a smooth consistency. This can take several minutes. Add salt to taste.
- Add Β½ cup of flour and mix by hand just until blended. If dough seems too moist add more flour a small amount at a time. It should be firm enough to roll and cut, but not so much flour that it is crumbly. Roll dough to about β " thick (thinner is better) and cut into desired shapes.
- Place on baking sheet, spray with cooking spray and a sprinkle of seasoning.
- Bake 15-20 minutes until starting to crisp. remove from oven and let cool a few minutes. Test a cracker for crispness and return to the oven if too soft.
Until next time, happy eating!
~Audrey
Jamie
Those look good and good for you - love those kind!! π
Maureen
This looks like a great snack to have around the house and seems easy to make (I'm not a good baker!) Thank you for sharing.
Miranda Gonzalez
I have never made crackers before, but I think I will have to try these. My kids love snacking on crackers, and these look like they are a lot healthier than the store bought ones they usually eat. Maybe I can even get some beans into my picky eater this way! I'm pinning for later.
Kara
Great recipe! Totally pinning this and sharing with my sister as she's gluten free!
Crystal Green
I have never made crackers before either. However, I think this would be something worth trying to make since my husband does like black beans a lot.
Kelly
I'm excited to give these a try! I love the black bean chips they have in the health food section. This would be even healthier! Pinning!
Alli
I always have black beans in my pantry - always! I'm a bean lover and black beans are my personal favorite. I can make a quick vegan chili and I'm going to try those black bean brownies one of these days, but I've never thought about making crackers with black beans. They look so good! Thanks!
You talk about that rare snowstorm all you want. We rarely get a big snow here in SC (it was 72 a few days ago), so when we do, it's big news. Your snow pic is beautiful.
Jessy @ The Life Jolie
This is a really fantastic idea (I wish I could think of great ideas like this!). I love black beans- I'll definitely be pinning this!
Jenna @ A Savory Feast
I would have never thought of this recipe! I do like black beans, though, so it would be worth a try. It sounds really healthy! Thanks for joining us for Hump Day Happenings.
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai
I have never made crackers before--always thought they'd be hard to make. This looks really simple. Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty π
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Kristina @ My Own Home Blog
These would be so good with some hummus!
Thanks for linking up at Talented Tuesday link party!
Jen
Ooooh these look really tasty! I've made vegan pesto with walnuts and just omitted the cheese in favor of olive oil and I'd do the same with this recipe. I love that it's versatile enough to suit different dietary needs. Thanks for sharing!
Jen @ The Halfway Homemaker
Looks delicious. Thanks for sharing with Tasty Tuesdays!
Cat @ therusticwillow
These look so interesting! I could definitely see these being delicious with hummus. And thanks for linking up at On Display Thursday--we hope to see you back there tomorrow morning!
elaine
Looks yummy. Thanks for sharing on the Healthy Living Link Party
Audrey
Thanks Elaine, they are quite tasty.
Ann
It looks like a fun treat, alright! For some reason, my gluten free always ended up as a fail! #homematters
Audrey
Been there done that.
Wendy @ Living Almost Naturally
These look really yummy! Thanks for sharing! #HomeMattersParty
Vicki
these are not vegan if they have parm cheese and butter in them. Vegan means no animal products.
Audrey
You are absolutely right, Vicki. I mention to use vegan cheese (or nutritional yeast) and a vegan fat in the blog post itself. Maybe I should add that as a note in the recipe too to avoid confusion.
Liane Linner
Hi! I made crackers once and said I'd never do it again ~ years later here I am searching for bean chips recipes!
This sounds sooo do-able, thank you, posting so I can come back to it π
Audrey
I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
Ben Groeneveld
Made these on 4/30/2022 and the recipe is spot on - they came out wonderful. After rolling out and placing them on two large cookie sheets, cut them into cracker sizes before baking. Thanks for sharing! Ben.
Audrey
I haven't made them in too long. I am glad you enjoyed them.