I also have to tell you that at home I’m quite strict about a varied menu and the Mediterranean diet for everyone. The kids are growing up, and I like them to learn to eat healthily, to eat a variety of foods, and especially to appreciate legumes because they are very necessary and should be eaten often.
At home, we eat legumes two, and sometimes even three, times a week. We love all kinds, and they’re delicious, prepared in the many ways available, both in summer and winter! The key is to alternate between lentils, chickpeas, and beans so they don’t get bored.
Today I wanted to share a simple, easy, and very light stew recipe with you, as it doesn’t contain any fat (apart from a small piece of chorizo for flavor) but does have a wide variety of vegetables which enhances the flavor of the beans. This is our favorite; some days they eat it just as it is, but when I have leftovers, I save it to serve with rice another day, and they love it!
The vegetables add vitamins and flavor to this simple stew, so don’t leave any out! Then, if you like, once it’s finished cooking, you can remove them all and use a food mill or sieve to purée them and pour them back into the pot, so that those flavors are even more present in our stew.
Light White Bean Stew Recipe
A delicious and light bean stew, perfect for spring and autumn days when you don’t want a heavy stew but crave warm, hearty dishes with legumes. This recipe is incredibly easy and will become a go‑to recipe!
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Soak overnight: 8 hours
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Quality white beans | 400 g |
| Stewing chorizo (I use a good quality one – Galician or from León) | piece to taste |
| Fresh tomato (alternatively, tomato paste or 2‑3 tbsp natural tomato) | 1 |
| White onion | 1 |
| Small stalks of fresh celery | 2 |
| Carrots | 2 or 3 |
| Head of garlic (or a couple of cloves) | ½ |
| Green frying pepper | 1 |
| Sweet paprika from La Vera | 1 tbsp |
| Virgin olive oil | as needed |
| Water to cover in the pot | as needed |
| Salt (added right at the end to taste) | to taste |
Step‑by‑Step Preparation
- We start by putting the beans in a bowl to soak in cold water the night before, remember that they should soak for at least 8 hours.
- The next day, once drained, place them in the pot, casserole dish, or Dutch oven where you will cook them, cover them with clean water, and wait for it to come to a boil. You will see that they release a white foam; you will need to skim off the foam. To do this, drain them well and put them back in the pot, then cover them again with cold water, about two fingers above the beans (if using a pressure cooker, be careful not to add too much water, as they hardly release any steam during cooking).
- Wash and chop the vegetables and add them to the pot along with half a head of garlic. Add the chorizo and a tablespoon of paprika. Now add a generous drizzle of olive oil. Cover the pot and let it simmer over medium heat for a few minutes until it starts to boil. This is when you need to “shock” the beans; this prevents the skins from splitting. To do this, simply add a small glass of cold water to stop the boil.
- If you’re using a pressure cooker, cover it now and cook for about 14 minutes (depending on the type of cooker). Otherwise, this “shock” operation should be repeated at least a couple more times during cooking in a regular pot.
- We’ll leave our pot simmering gently, stirring occasionally so that the starch from the beans thickens the stew, always being very careful and gentle to avoid breaking the beans. It’s almost better to simply shake the pot gently with a couple of circular motions, and that’s it.
- Once the vegetables are tender, we can carefully remove them (but only a couple of cloves from the head of garlic, otherwise the flavor will be too strong) and place them in a food mill or blender. Then we purée the purée and return it to the pot. We would do this step at the end if our stew is made in a pressure cooker. I always do this with all my legume stews; that way, the little ones don’t pick at the “little pieces of vegetables” and, without realizing it, they eat them anyway.
- With our pot covered, we let them finish cooking for as long as necessary. And it’s now that we finally add the salt, since I don’t like to add it at the beginning because the legumes tend to harden.
- If you need the broth to thicken a bit more, simply simmer it uncovered over medium heat for a few minutes, and you can even add a spoonful of the mashed beans. Also, I have to say that at home, we prefer these kinds of stews made a day ahead! That resting time gives them a delicious texture and flavor. I hope you like it!
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: ~1 cup cooked white beans with light seasoning; assumes 1 tbsp olive oil for 4 servings; recipe yields 4 servings
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 245 kcal | 12% |
| Total Fat | 5 g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.5 g | 3% |
| Trans Fat | 0 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 180 mg | 8% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 35 g | 13% |
| Dietary Fiber | 9 g | 32% |
| Total Sugars | 1 g | |
| Protein | 12 g | 24% |
| Calcium | 100 mg | 8% |
| Iron | 3.5 mg | 19% |
Disclaimer: Nutrition estimates are for general guidance only, based on a 2,000‑calorie diet. Actual values vary with bean type, added oil, and seasonings.
Let me know if you’d like a version with specific additions (e.g., tomatoes, spinach, or bacon).