the white bean and tomato stew recipe that changed my perspective
if you’re new to beans, this is the recipe -a savoury, filling and comforting vegan stew that’s dairy and gluten-free, heals your gut and works all year-round through all climates
Since embarking on this journey of diving head first into my passion for food, creating content and sharing recipes, I’ve been struggling with some reoccurring questions :
is this recipe worth sharing? Is it too simple? Too boring?
Those self-limiting beliefs have been kind of cornering my creativity and self-expression, and 2025 is the year I want to let go of that :) And weirdly enough, this Mediterranean inspired vegetarian stew recipe is my starting point lmao. For all the reasons listed above, I initially thought it was a stretch to post a picture of this dish on my Instagram story lol, but people were interested in knowing more about the recipe! (special thanks to my friend Katarina’s support, love u gurl)
But this simple, comforting and very nutritious recipe also represents another personal milestone for me, as I’ve seriously been trying to incorporate beans into my diet for the last 6 months. You see, even though they’re an amazing plant-based protein and have sooo many different health benefits, I just could not get myself to gravitate towards that ingredient. I’ve saved recipes, I’ve bought them canned for easy use, I’ve bought them dry to pre soak them (and then forget them in my fridge lol…), nothing worked, and it all boiled down to one thing : it didn’t seem like a FUN and savoury ingredient to me.
But this week, it finally happened. I’ve been staying at my aunt’s house up in the Spanish mountains (overlooking the Mediterranean Sea…yup), and the grocery store is not easily accessible. As a vegetarian that’s currently trying to avoid dairy and gluten, the responsible part of my brain bought groceries for the week that followed my diet. On the third day, as I was dying for some cheese and pasta, I reluctantly grabbed the white beans in the pantry. I was going for a kind of chili recipe that you eat on its own (…with some cheese on top…). The whole time I was cooking -caramelizing my red onions, cutting my zucchinis, smashing my garlic- I was so annoyed lmao. I was already disappointed in my dinner (and honestly disappointed in myself for my diet resolutions lol). You know, the same way you get annoyed when you finally get around to doing something that’s good for you? And it actually turns out to make u feel better? Like starting yoga, getting enough sleep, drinking and smoking less, make you feel better. Yeah. Ugh.
ANYWAY. Turns out that I had an epiphany when I tasted this Mediterranean inspired white beans, tomato & zucchini stew. I even went for seconds. Mind blown, that’s the moment I became a fierce bean supporter. It’s so filling, comforting and nutritious that I can’t wait to try it again and perfect the recipe. It’s so easy to make and works year round - whether you’re battling the cold weather or overlooking the sunny mountains. Join the bean army, and try the recipe below (now?).
Serves 4
Ingredients
400 grams white beans (presoaked and cooked)
500 grams of whole canned tomatoes
2 finely diced big yellow onions
1 finely diced carrot
6 small red onions, sliced
2 zucchinis, sliced
2 fresh chili peppers
3 pressed garlic cloves
Rosemary
Thyme
Nutmeg
Parsley
Paprika
Instructions
Add a generous amount of olive oil to a heated pan. Sweat the yellow onions, and add a generous amount of salt when they become translucent (that’s the moment they absorb the flavors best).
Add the carrot & red onions to the pan and let them brown on high heat. The natural sugars of the carrot will balance the acidity of the sauce without the need to add sugar !
Add the sliced zucchinis, and readjust with salt and pepper. Let it cook on high heat, stirring until they’ve softened (right before they’re about to form a paste).
Peel and press the garlic cloves. Let them golden in the pan for a couple of minutes, stirring regularly.
Deglaze with a glass of white wine, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan!
When it has evaporated a bit, add your seasonings as well as salt and pepper. Mix well, take the heat down, add a bit of olive oil and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add whole peeled tomatoes and readjust with salt and pepper (readjusting all spices as you go helps building a more complex flavor profile, especially for vegetarian dishes!).
Bring to a boil, cover, and let simmer for at least an hour on low heat, stirring occasionally.
Add the white beans to your tomato sauce, cover and let it simmer for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve as is, over rice, as a side dish, … but enjoy!!!!