My journey with beans started as a chef looking for ways to feed people well without wrecking the planet. The more I worked with beans, the more they revealed themselves as reliable, sustainable and full of possibility. They became more than an ingredient – they became the backbone of a better way to eat.
Beans don’t usually get top billing. They hide in the back of the pantry, waiting to bulk out a stew or play sidekick to something more glamorous. But it’s time for that to change. Beans are having a moment, and frankly, it’s long overdue.
Beans for balance
Our food system is broken. We’re burning through land, water and energy at a rate that is unsustainable. We’re producing food that often does more harm than good, even while millions of people don’t have enough of it. At the same time, supermarkets are stacked with ultra-processed products pretending to be dinner. There’s no single silver-bullet solution to all these problems, but beans come pretty close.
These small but mighty ingredients tick every box that matters. Beans are nutrient-dense, affordable, climate-friendly and can be grown in a way that improves the soil rather than exhausts it. Beans give more than they take, and that’s rare.
But beans are also criminally underrated in the kitchen. They’re not just good for you, they’re good full stop. They can be creamy, crunchy, smoky, spicy, sweet, savoury and satisfying. And in the right hands, they’re anything but boring.
I like to put beans centre stage. Not in a worthy, preachy way, but because they deserve it. They’re delicious, adaptable and wildly underappreciated.
Try Ali's recipe for chilli beans served on smashed potatoes.
The future is delicious
Some of my earliest memories are of picking peas and beans in my grandparents’ garden, popping open the pods and eating them before they even made it to the kitchen. That early connection to food – the joy of growing it, harvesting it and savouring it fresh – stayed with me. That same sense of wonder and respect for the earth continues to drive everything I do today.
Throughout my 30-year career in kitchens and the food industry, zero-waste practices, seasonal, plant-focused dishes and responsible sourcing have always been priorities. More recently, I have dived into the broader world of food systems, working on regenerative farms, in community food projects and at global summits, all fuelled by one simple belief: we need to change the way we eat.
Good bean dishes aren’t about sacrifice, they’re about satisfaction
If we’re going to eat less meat (and we really should), then we need plant-based dishes that don’t feel like a downgrade. Beans have texture, body and real depth of flavour. They carry spices beautifully. They work across cultures and cuisines. And they fill you up without emptying your wallet or draining the planet’s resources.
When we eat more plants, especially protein-rich ones like beans, we lighten the load on the planet. But more importantly, we eat well. Good bean dishes aren’t about sacrifice, they’re about satisfaction, flavour and texture. Beans fill you up, fuel your body and taste like something you want to eat, not something you’re being told you should. Beans aren’t just a pantry staple – they’re the future. And the future is delicious.
Beans for life
Every project I take on is rooted in the idea that food should be delicious, nutritious, accessible and resilient for us, for the planet and for future generations. I’ve worked on everything from supporting the shift to plant-based protein options in mainstream diets to designing zero-waste menus for events and pop-ups and running circular-system-conscious catering events for the Blue Earth Summit, where we celebrated food that doesn’t just taste great, but feeds into a larger narrative of sustainability and waste reduction.
Try a clever use for bean pods with Ali's recipe for podka (pod vodka).
I’m deeply involved with initiatives like Beans Is How, where we champion beans as a crucial ingredient in a more sustainable, healthy and resilient food system. Beans are the unsung heroes of the plant-based world. They’re climate-resilient, nutritious and versatile. They require fewer resources than animal agriculture and can regenerate the soil, making them an essential part of the solution to the climate crisis.
As a member of the Chefs’ Manifesto, I also work with chefs around the world to promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals and advocate for sustainable, plant-forward food systems. I focus on making sustainable food choices not just accessible, but exciting, flavourful and easy to incorporate into everyday life.
Try Ali's kidney bean and beetroot falafel recipe.
For me, food has always been a way to connect, educate and inspire change. With my book, I hope to show that with beans, we can make a difference to our health, our communities and the planet. It’s my contribution to a larger movement towards a healthier, more sustainable food system. Every bean dish you cook is a small, silent protest against a broken food system. A delicious, nutritious rebellion.
This is an edited extract from Beans by Ali Honour (Hardie Grant). Photography by Jo Murphy.
Find more inspiration in SBS Food's bean and pulse recipe collection.
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