Tuscan Stewed Beans
User Reviews
5
Tuscan Stewed Beans
Description
Tuscan Stewed Beans combines flavorful ingredients starting with extra virgin olive oil and aromatic vegetables such as onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Red pepper flakes add a subtle heat, while fresh parsley and sage infuse herbal notes. Tomato paste is cooked down with dry white wine to deepen the base's richness before adding crushed tomatoes and bay leaf. Finally, cannellini beans and vegetable broth are included to produce a hearty, thick stew.
The cooking involves sautéing vegetables until golden and fragrant, then gradually building flavor by deglazing with wine and simmering the tomato base. The beans absorb these layers resulting in a savory, rich texture typical of Tuscan cuisine. Fresh basil added near the end brings brightness.
This stew is suitable as a warm appetizer or a side, offering satisfying plant-based protein and a comforting mouthfeel. It pairs well with crusty bread or as part of a light meal. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (56 mL) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped, medium
- 2 carrot peeled and finely chopped, medium or large
- 2 celery diced, ribs
- 4 garlic finely chopped, cloves
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup (4g) flat-leaf parsley minced, leaves and tender stems
- 1 tablespoon sage minced, fresh
- 4 1/2 tablespoons (67g) tomato paste (in a tube, not a can)*
- ¾ cup (180 mL) dry white wine
- 1 ounce (800g) tomatoes crushed by hand, canned, whole peeled
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- black pepper freshly cracked
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 cups (360 mL) vegetable broth plus more as desired
- 2 (15-ounce/425g) cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- ½ cup (8g) basil slivered, fresh
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, and season with a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, until golden, stirring occasionally. Add in the carrot, celery, and garlic, with another pinch of salt and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, parsley, and sage and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring almost continuously, for 1 to 2 minutes, until it's a bit darker in color.
- Pour the white wine in and deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Allow wine to simmer rapidly for 3 minutes, or until mostly evaporated and it no longer smells like wine, stirring often.
- Add tomatoes along with their juices, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and several cracks of black pepper. Cook at a rapid simmer, stirring fairly often, until the tomatoes are fully broken down and most of the liquid has evaporated, 12 to 13 minutes.
- Add the veggie broth and 2 cans of beans. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and maintain a decent simmer for 30 minutes, stirring once in a while. If you want the stew to be thicker, towards the end of cooking, use the back of a wooden spoon or a spatula to gently smash a small portion of the beans.
- Taste, adding a pinch of sugar if needed (if your tomatoes are good-quality, it should not be necessary). Remove the bay leaf. Finish with chopped basil. Season to taste, adding salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Use tomato paste from a tube rather than canned for a fresher flavor without metallic notes, especially since a large quantity is used.
- Choose a dry, crisp white wine like Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc for deglazing to add complexity; verify the wine's vegan status if needed via Barnivore.com.
- If avoiding alcohol, substitute with half the amount of no-sugar-added white grape juice or combine vegetable broth with white wine vinegar for similar acidity.
- In the absence of fresh basil, flat-leaf parsley can be used as a substitute.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 472 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 472kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 59g | 20% |
| Protein | 18g | 36% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Sodium | 1117mg | 47% |
| Potassium | 1503mg | 32% |
| Fiber | 14g | 56% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 8442IU | 169% |
| Vitamin C | 34mg | 38% |
| Calcium | 274mg | 27% |
| Iron | 9mg | 50% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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