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    Home » Soups

    Bean Stew

    Published: Oct 8, 2022 · by Nico

    Jump to Recipe

    This bean stew is easy, fulfilling, and delicious, made with simple ingredients you might already have in your pantry.

    It's an excellent recipe for a quick but fulfilling weeknight dinner, ready in just over 30 minutes, but also great as a meal prep recipe.

    Bean stew served with couscous
    On this page:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Tips
    • Storage
    • More fall and winter recipes
    • Recipe

    Check out our best easy dinner recipe collection!

    Our bean stew is a simple and flavorful recipe you can make in one pot in half an hour, and you can eat it for a weeknight dinner with rice, couscous, polenta, or a slice of crusty bread.

    The recipe is inspired by a famous Italian bean stew called "Fagioli all'uccelletto." Like most Italian recipes, it's made with very simple ingredients but has a rich and delicious taste.

    To make them, we first prepare a flavor base with olive oil, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, sage, and rosemary.

    Gently frying those veggies for a couple of minutes with a tiny bit of olive oil will make the bean stew super flavorful.

    We then add canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, canned beans, salt, and black pepper, and we let the stew simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until thick and flavorful.

    Simple right? You can put together this wholesome, tasty, and nutritious meal with almost no effort and enjoy it with your family as an everyday dinner.

    Ps. The bean stew is also great for meal prep as it keeps in the fridge for a few days, and you can freeze it for several months.

    bean stew with spoon and bread

    Ingredients

    ingredients with beans and vegetables

    Beans

    You can use canned beans or dry beans.

    If you use dry beans, you must first soak them for 8 hours, then boil them in plenty of salted boiling water until tender.

    I like to make this stew with canned pinto beans or cranberry beans, but you can also use white beans, cannellini beans, black beans, or red kidney beans.

    You can even substitute chickpeas for beans.

    Tomatoes

    The best tomatoes for this recipe are canned whole canned peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes. If you can't find those, then go for chopped canned tomatoes.

    Onion, celery, carrot, and garlic

    We gently cook these veggies for a couple of minutes in little good quality extra virgin olive oil to make the flavor base.

    You can use red, white, or yellow onion.

    Aromatics

    Beans are a perfect match with sage and rosemary. Try to get them fresh if you can. Also, we add a bit of dried chili or red pepper flakes to spice things up. Finally, you can add a couple of bay leaves to make the bean stew earthier and more aromatic.

    Olive oil

    Best if extra virgin; we use it to gently fry the vegetables. If you have an excellent EVOO, you can also drizzle some on top of the stew before serving it.

    Parsley

    Sprinkle on top and add a touch of freshness to the dish. Flat-leaf parsley would be best.

    Salt and pepper

    We use sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

    Serve with

    You can serve this Italian bean stew in a bowl with crusty bread, polenta, white rice, brown rice, pasta, couscous, quinoa, and other grains. You can even serve it with flatbread or rosemary focaccia. It goes well with a side of sautéed spinach or kale or with a simple side salad.

    Bean stew with couscous and fork

    Instructions

    To make any stew taste delicious, it's good practice to start with a flavor base of onion, celery, and carrots. 

    To a large pan, skillet, or dutch oven, add the extra virgin olive oil, chopped onion, carrot, and celery, and fry gently on medium-low heat for 3 - 5 minutes.

    Tip: you can finely chop the veggies by hand with a chef's knife or save time with a food processor.

    vegetables frying in a Dutch oven

    Finely chop sage leaves, rosemary needles removed from the rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves, and add them to the pan. Fry for one more minute. Here you can also add a bay leaf if you like.

    fresh herbs and fried vegetables
    finely chopped sage and chili

    Add the canned tomatoes, season with salt and black pepper, and simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes.

    canned tomatoes mashed with a fork

    Add the drained and rinsed beans and a cup of water or vegetable broth.

    pinto beans added to the stew

    Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until you reach your desired consistency.

    bean stew after simmering

    Serve with your favorite grain, pasta, or bread, then sprinkle with parsley, and drizzle with a few drops of good quality extra virgin olive oil.

    bean stew served with couscous

    Serving suggestions

    We love serving our bean stew with grains and a side of sautéed veggies such as kale or spinach. Also:

    • For a quick 5-min preparation, we go for couscous. No stirring is required; it's a perfect grain choice for busy weeknights.
    • Increase your veggie intake and make a quick portion of cauliflower rice. You can have the cauliflower rice instead of the white rice or do half-half.
    • Serve it with crusty bread or with our rosemary focaccia, flatbread, or Italian piadina.
    • Make it Italian and serve it with instant polenta. It's a creamy and wholesome side dish of cornmeal, and you can make it in 5 minutes.
    • How to cook couscous (in 5 minutes)
    • Cauliflower Rice
    • Italian Flatbread (Piadina)
    • Focaccia

    How to make instant polenta

    Stir the polenta in hot water with a pinch of salt, slowly, with a whisk, then simmer while stirring it for about 5 minutes. The ratios of water to polenta should be on the package.

    corn instant polenta

    Corn and beans have been eaten together for centuries, and they complement each other well from a nutritional point of view. They also taste delicious together!

    Arrange the polenta onto a plate, add the bean stew, and sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley. It's an earthy, comforting, and nutritious dinner that will satiate your family too.

    Bean stew on polenta

    Tips

    Save chopping time

    If you are often in a hurry and don't have time to chop celery, onion, and carrot, you can use a food processor to chop up the vegetables. 

    To save time during the week, we like to chop more vegetables than needed on a Sunday evening. I use a food processor for that but without over-processing the veggies. 

    Then I put them in a freezer-friendly food container, like one for baby food, and I freeze the whole thing.

    Storage

    The bean stew stores well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, best if in an air-tight container. Then, warm it up on the stovetop with a dash of water or in the microwave.

    You can also freeze the Italian bean stew for up to three months and thaw it in the microwave or stovetop at your convenience.

    More fall and winter recipes

    If you love this bean stew, try one of our other easy and wholesome stews and soups next. They're warming and comforting during cold winter nights:

    • Tuscan bean soup with leafy greens and white beans
    • Lentil soup with wholesome ingredients- a perfect comfort meal for winter
    • Butternut squash soup: an easy-to-follow soup recipe with a bake and blend technique
    • One-pot chickpea stew with sweet potato, tomato, and plant-based protein
    • Lentil curry with a rich, earthy, and endlessly creamy texture
    • Lentil bolognese with chewy lentils and real Italian flavor
    • Chickpea curry: an easy curry recipe ready in 30 minutes
    • Kung pao tofu with a spicy and sticky sauce - a perfect weeknight meal!
    • Tuscan Soup
    • Lentil Soup
    • Butternut Squash Soup
    • Chickpea Stew
    • Lentil Curry
    • Chickpea Curry
    • Lentil bolognese
    • Kung Pao Tofu

    Recipe

    Bean stew in a bowl with fork

    Bean stew

    Author: Nico
    This bean stew is easy, fulfilling, and delicious, made with simple ingredients you might already have in your pantry.
    It's an excellent recipe for a quick but fulfilling weeknight dinner, ready in just over 30 minutes, but also great as a meal prep recipe.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe
    5 from 6 votes
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Amrican-Italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 267 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    For the Italian bean stew

    • 1 - 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • 1 large onion
    • 2 medium carrots
    • 2 stalks celery
    • 5 leaves sage
    • 1 sprig rosemary
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1 large can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
    • 1 cup vegetable broth or water
    • 2 cans (15 oz each) beans cranberry beans, pinto beans, red kidney beans - that's 3 cups of cooked beans.
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 twists black pepper
    • 1 handful parsley

    Serving suggestions

    • 1½ cups instant polenta read cooking instructions on package
    • 1½ cups couscous read cooking instructions on package
    • 4 slices rustic bread toasted
    • rice or pasta

    Instructions
     

    • Finely chop onion, celery and carrot. You can use a food processor if you like.
      Warm up the olive oil in a large pan. When the oil is hot, add the chopped vegetables and fry on medium heat for 3 - 5 minutes.
      vegetables frying in a Dutch oven
    • Finely chop sage, rosemary, and garlic, and add to the pan. Add red pepper flakes and fry for one more minute.
      fresh herbs and fried vegetables
    • Add the canned tomatoes, rinse the tomato can with 1 cup of vegetable broth, and add that to the pan.
      Season with salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Crush the tomatoes with a fork once they are soft.
      canned tomatoes mashed with a fork
    • Add drained and rinsed beans to the pan, stir and simmer for about 20 minutes, until you reach your desired consistency.
      bean stew after simmering
    • Taste the bean stew, adjust for salt and pepper before serving with bread, on pasta, couscous, polenta, or with your favorite grain.
      Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley on top, and if you like, a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil.
      bean stew served with couscous

    Notes

    Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 portion of bean stew of 4 portions, without the grains.

    Nutritional Values

    Nutrition Facts
    Bean stew
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 267 Calories from Fat 45
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 5g8%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Trans Fat 0g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 3g
    Cholesterol 0mg0%
    Potassium 1103mg32%
    Carbohydrates 47g16%
    Dietary Fiber 14g58%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 13g26%
    Vitamin A 5670IU113%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin C 27mg33%
    Vitamin E 3mg20%
    Vitamin K 39µg37%
    Calcium 149mg15%
    Folate 236µg59%
    Iron 5mg28%
    Manganese 1mg50%
    Magnesium 91mg23%
    Zinc 2mg13%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Did you like this recipe?We are not much on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Leave us a comment below instead, it would mean the world to us 🙂

    You might also like the following:

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rachel

      October 18, 2022 at 6:46 pm

      5 stars
      Just what I was looking for now autumn is here. I'm not a big fan of sage but whenever I have tried one of your recipes it is delicious, and this was no exception. The sage and rosemary together makes the stew really warming and tasty. The only different thing I did was to add some parsnip that needed using up. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Nico

        October 19, 2022 at 5:22 am

        Hi Rachel, thanks so much for coming back and leaving a comment - I'm so happy to hear you liked the stew (and the sage)! Great idea to add parsnip, you just have me an idea for another recipe! Have a great day. Nico

        Reply
    2. Mike

      July 04, 2022 at 6:09 pm

      5 stars
      So tasty and really easy to make.

      Reply
      • Nico

        July 04, 2022 at 7:37 pm

        I'm delighted to hear, Mike! Thanks for commenting 🙂 Cheers, Nico

        Reply
    3. Geetha

      February 06, 2022 at 10:39 pm

      5 stars
      It tasted great! Added some green beans as well, but pretty much followed the recipe (for the ingredients, not the measurements). Grazie Nico.

      Reply
      • Chef Nico

        February 12, 2022 at 8:14 am

        Thank you, Geetha! I'm happy you liked the recipe. Cheers, Nico

        Reply

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