I adore Navy Bean pie. If you have ever tried a bean pie and you didn’t grow up eating it like my children, chances are you remember your first bite. You might have even said “No thanks” after being offered it the first time. Of course, you were glad you changed your mind! Bean pie is so good. It sort of reminds you of pumpkin pie, but so much better.
Now, let me start by saying that I don’t know all of the ins and outs of making it. I pretty much went to google for the recipe and there are quite a few variations. I don’t know which variation is the original, but they all pretty much have the same ingredients. Navy beans, sugar, butter, eggs, evaporated milk and spices. I use half and half instead of evaporated milk, and I have even seen recipes that call for sweetened condensed milk. Maybe one day I will try it that way, but for now this one is good enough.
You can also use all brown or all granulated sugar. I like the flavor and color you get with the brown so I like to mix them both.
Mixing Your Ingredients
Depending on how you mix your ingredients and which aparatus you use, the end result may look different, but the taste is still going to be amazing. Sometimes I like to do everything in a food processor, sometimes my blender, but most times I like to use my stand mixer (Like in this video!).
I recommend that you make this pie however you like. These measurements are pretty standard, but I thought that the spices could use a slight increase. I learned that when you are trying a new recipe, it really is best to make it as written first and then adjust going forward. I generally will read a recipe and adjust it to my taste the first time. That doesn’t always work out.
How to make Navy Bean Pie in a blender
Start with about 2 cups of cooked navy beans. The first step is to puree them. You can do this with a food processor, a stand blender or even an emersion blender. Whatever you have. Some even use a potato masher. I like my navy beans super smooth so today I am during a blender.
Now, there could be something to the order in which you add the ingredients to getting the tops like they traditionally look. For now, I am going to add half and half and softened butter.
Next, I am going to add my eggs and granulated sugar.
Then finally spices, vanilla and flour.
I do blend in between ingredients, but I have see recipes where people just put everything in and give it a whirl until it’s all blended. I really don’t think there is necessarily a right or wrong way because in the end, however you blend these ingredients it’s going to taste amazing.
This recipe makes two pies, but it could probably make three depending your pie pans. Mine are pretty deep.
Bake for about an hour until set and enjoy!
Below are the results I get when I use a food processor and start by combining the butter and brown sugar, followed by the spices, vanilla, flour, beans, eggs and half and half.
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Peach Cream Tart with Recipe Hearts
Navy Bean Pie
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked Navy Beans
- 14 oz half and half or 14 ounce can of Evaporated Milk
- 1 stick of Butter softened
- 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons Flour
- 2 cups Sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons Vanilla Extract
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
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In blender or food processor, blend beans and milk, butter eggs, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and flour until smooth.
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Pour into pie shells.
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Bake for about one hour until set.
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If using a stand mixer, start with your butter and sugar. Mix until well combined and add your spices, vanilla and flour. Next add your pureed navy beans and mix until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at at time mixing in between and then add your half and half or evaporated milk. Mix well. Bake for one hour or until set.
Recipe Notes
You can use evaporated milk or half and half.
Sugar can be all granulated, all brown or a combination.
Adapted from multiculturalfamilia.com
Thank you sister. I have been looking for the perfect navy bean pie recipe and this is excellent.
That’s awesome Kandis! Thanks for stopping by!
PerfecT!!S
That’s so wonderful, Sis. Sharon! Thanks for stopping by!
Great YouTube!
Thanks for checking it out, Eartha!
Can you use canned Great Northern Beans?
Hey Kip! I have personally never used canned beans, but I have heard of some having success using canned beans for their pie. Just be sure to drain them really good. If you try it, let me know how it comes out! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
YES, I used Bush’s Navy Bean canned beans and drained and rinsed them well them reserved a little liquid for mixing. Recipe didn’t make 2 pies, so used the little leftover mixture and put it in a small dish and baked it as a custard. EXCELLENT! I put another REPLY in a different spot than here so you might see my reply twice.
That’s awesome!! Love the idea of using the extra filling for a custard. Thanks for sharing!
Can you use sweetened condensed milk and if so what would be the sugar adjustment?
Hey there! So I have heard of people using sweetened condensed milk in their bean pies. I have never tried it but would definitely cut down the sugar if I did. At least by half. Maybe even more. If you try it, definitely keep me posted on how that works out for you! Thanks for stopping by.
I made the Navy Bean Pie using canned beans.
I rinsed them well. It didn’t make two pies but there was a little leftover so I put it in a dish and baked it like a custard.
My brother had sent me your recipe and unknown to him, I didn’t tell him the pie I made was that recipe. He took a bite and said, “What is this, it tastes like Pumpkin Pie, not exactly, but it is delicious.” When I told him I’d made the recipe he’d sent me, he laughed and said he wanted to be sure to take some home with him.’
Hahahahaha!! That’s great!
Over the years, I have found that by putting a pan of water in the bottom of your oven, the top will not crack of form ‘the skin’…this also works well with cakes.
I absolutely love this recipe! I’ve made it 3 times using the dark and light brown sugar. My family loves it and we can’t keep a pie past a couple of days. By the way, I’ve used canned and bag, with similar results. For a busy mom and impatient family, can it is for last minute prep. Thank you so much!
That’s so wonderful to hear! Hey, nothing wrong with short cuts here. You definitely have to do what’s best for you and your family. So glad that you gave this recipe a try! Thanks for stopping by.
I see in your ingredients you didn’t add the brown sugar like you did in the video. Was this done intentionally?
So in the instructions there are two methods of combining that I list and depending on which method you use, the end result will slightly different. The video is the way I prefer, but my husband likes it done the way it’s laid out in the post. I recommend playing around with the methods and finding the one you like most. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks! I will try this recipe out today
Awesome! Hope you love it.
As Salaam Alaikum beloved and Ramadan Mubarak! Though it is 3 years later since you made this post I had to reach out to you and say Thank you! I am so thankful to Allah for you sharing such a magnificent bean pie recipe. Ever since we have had to shelter in place it has given me an opportunity to attempt and complete some of the tasks I have long desired to do; successfully making a bean pie was one of them! Your video tutorial played a very critical role in my success of competing this task. I have already started sharing with family and friends. I also have to post this experience on my blog along with your blog post. I’ll definitely be checking out some of your other recipes as well. So thankful to Allah for you again sis!!!!! 🙂
Walaikum Salaam sis! Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to share. That is wonderful PbtA! So happy I could help And thanks for sharing your blog. Looking forward to exploring!
Amazing! I can’t get these locally and went looking for a recipe and chose yours because I am not crazy about condensed milk and wasn’t sure if I could replace it. I did the half white sugar half brown sugar version and baked it in an all butter crust. It was perfect! Looked like I had been baking bean pies all my life. Thanks so much for this recipe and the video. This was delicious.
Hey Alissa! That’s great! So glad that you decided to make it. I feel the same way about the condensed milk. My husband is always asking me to try it with sweetened condensed milk but I’m not so sure about how that would turn out. I’m really not into experimenting with a recipe that’s already great! Lol. Keep baking!
Hello Sis- I used your recipe to make my first pies from scratch. My people liked them but they taste like sweet potato pie to me? I’m from Philly and Ali bean pies are every were always around me growing up. I’m going to try again until I get that original bean pie taste but using your recipe my pies came out real good. FYI- I’m a Brother Lol
Hey Brother! Definitely play around with it. Unfortunately, I’ve never had the opportunity to taste the original bean pie but I’ve heard only great things! Thanks for stopping by and I’m glad to hear your people liked them!
Cant wait to make my first bean pie. My mouth is watering just looking at your pics. I’ll let you know how it turns out
Hi Linda! Thanks for stopping by. I hope you were able to give this recipe a try. Definitely keep me posted. I’d love to hear how it turned out.
Finished my first pie today. It was a success.
That’s fantastic, Omar! Thanks for stopping by and giving this recipe a try. So glad to hear it was a success for you.
Made it with can beans I used brown and white sugar my pies was great thanks
Hey Trevea! So glad to hear your pies turned out great. You are very welcome. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi and thanks for the Recipe. I love Bean Pies but the problem I have making it is getting the sugary top you have in the video. I can never make that top. Do you suggest use of the food processor instead of a blender?
Bean Pies are heavenly 🙂
Thanks
They are so heavenly! Thanks for stopping my. I have definitely had success with a food processor so if you are not able to achieve the top with a mixer, definitely try it. I hope it works! Keep me posted.
Thanks so much. I will do it for New Years/.
Keep up the good work !!
You are very welcome! I hope that you had success with this recipe. Thanks for stopping by.
Muchas gracias. ?Como puedo iniciar sesion?
You are very welcome! De nada ?
Yes ma’am, Do I measure out 2 cups of beans and cook them after they Doak of course, then when there done cooking and cooled down then measure out 2 cups for the pie? What I noticed is beans swell and then there’s more then 2 cups cooked
Asalamlakha
Hi there Lugennia! Thanks for stopping by. Great question! So you actually want to cook your beans first and then measure them out. You are absolutely right about how much beans swell and if you start with 2 cups of dry beans you will have close double that or more once cooked. Hope this helps!
I have never heard of a bean pie, until my son asked me to make it. I found your recipe, and I must say it’s a winner. My son says it taste like the ones the brothers have been giving him. Thanks for your help.