Bean Stew

Every culture around the world has a version of bean stew: a humble meal, costing little to prepare, and transforming a pantry staple into a comforting meal. This is our mom’s lazy bean stew, also known as “Bob Yahniya” in Bulgaria. Call up any Bulgarian you know, and ask them what they ate today. If they didn’t mention this bean stew, then they probably ate it yesterday. It’s that popular. This dish is a staple in almost every Balkan country and it’s a beloved addition to every Christmas Eve dinner. Our mom’s version has all the characteristics of the classically long-cooked stew—fragrant, broth rich in flavor, tender beans—and it comes together in about 30 minutes. So now you can enjoy Bulgarian bean stew, the straightforward way.

What stands out

Warm, comforting, filling bean stew in 30 minutes? We got you! What makes this recipe “lazy” is the use of canned beans which require nothing more than a can opener, instead of traditional dried beans, which need to be soaked overnight. This is a meal, which happens to be vegetarian but you can also bulk it up with sausage, kielbasa, pork chops, or ribs. You’ll want to fully cook the meat first and then nestle it into the prepared stew, for serving.

How to Prepare

First, follow our instructions to roasting bell peppers here. Once roasted, peel, chop, and set aside 1/3 cup chopped peppers.

Add the olive oil to a soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions, carrot, and celery. Stir.

Once the onions start to become translucent, add the roasted bell peppers and garlic. Stir for 1 minute, then add the seasoning: oregano, salt, paprika, and flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomato sauce making sure to stir, and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the broth and beans. Let the stew come to a boil then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 20 minutes or until the stew has reached your desired consistency. Finally, taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve and enjoy!

Kitchen tip

We roast bell peppers in the oven, peel them, and use 1/3 cup chopped for this recipe. You are more than welcome to use raw bell peppers or jarred roasted peppers but we feel like roasting your own gives this recipe the best flavor possible.

Swaps

1. While roasting your own bell peppers is ideal, you may use jarred roasted peppers, though we find them too acidic. You can also use raw peppers, but roasted add a depth of flavor and smokiness to the dish.
2. You can bulk up this stew with meat such as sausage, chorizo, kielbasa, pork chops, or ribs. Fully cook the meat first and then nestle it into the prepared stew, for serving.
3. Instead of oregano, it’s traditional to use summer savoury (chubritza in Bulgarian), a fresh herb that is part of the mint family.
4. Garnishes are optional but encouraged! We love a drizzle of hot pepper oil or even some thin sliced roasted jalapeños.

Serve it with

• A crusty loaf of bread is a must alongside stewed beans. You can serve this with GarlicCheddarOliveGluten Free and traditional No Knead Bread are all excellent options.
• We like to spice this up with some hot pepper oil; but feel free to use your favorite hot sauce of choice.
• Our straightforward, soft, slab focaccia is suited to dipping into this stew.
• You can’t go wrong with a Simple Green Salad and bean stew for dinner.

Questions

strong How long will leftovers keep?

You can store leftovers in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days. br

strong How should we serve this recipe?

We love to enjoy this by the bowl-full, as a soup, served alongside some crusty strong a bread. You can also serve it as side dish, alongside strong a meat and strong a salad, or with other strong a vegetarian dishes.

What is the traditional way to prepare this recipe?

Every Bulgarian has their own version of this recipe; but in our home, the traditional version is made with dried beans, which are soaked overnight, boiled until tender, and then used in place of canned beans. We also use the herb summer savoury instead of thyme.

how can we pack this recipe for our kids lunch?

Add boiling hot water into a thermos and seal it so that the thermos preheats. In the meantime, warm up the stew on the stove. Dump the hot water out of the thermos and add the soup. Leave some room at the top so that it doesn’t create a vacuum seal, making the thermos harder to open.

How can i make this spicy?

Feel free to garnish with hot pepper oil, your favorite hot sauce, red chile flakes, or roasted jalapeños.

Are there any shortcuts to make this recipe even easier?

You can save yourself a bit of time and labor by purchasing pre-cut mirepoix mix — aka a mix of diced onion, carrot, and celery.

Ingredients

Makes 3 servings

• ⅓ cup roasted bell peppers, chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery rib, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon oregano, dry
• 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ½ cup tomato sauce, plain
• 2 cups bone broth, I used unsalted beef broth but any works
• 2 cans white kidney beans, 19 oz cans, drained and rinsed

Equipment

• Large Pot
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Redmond Real Salt
• Garlic Press
• Nakiri Knife

Method

1. Note: we roast bell peppers in the oven, peel them, and use 1/3 cup chopped for this recipe. You are more than welcome to use raw bell peppers or roasted peppers from a jar but we feel like roasting your own gives this recipe the best flavor possible.
2. Follow our instructions to roasting bell peppers here. Once roasted, peel, chop, and set 1/3-1/2 cup of chopped peppers aside.
3. Add the olive oil to a soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onions, carrot, and celery. Stir.
4. Once the onions start to become translucent, add the bell peppers and garlic. Stir for 1 minute, then add the oregano, salt, paprika, and flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the tomato sauce making sure to stir, and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the broth and beans. Let the stew come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 20 minutes or until the stew has reached your desired consistency. Taste for salt and adjust as needed. Serve and enjoy!

Kitchen notes

Traditionally, we add summer savoury (chubritza in Bulgarian) instead of oregano as it’s more traditional, but feel free to use either or.