How To Cook Bean Stew Recipe

Bean stew is a traditional Bulgarian dish. The main ingredients for its preparation are ripe beans, vegetables and spices. Thicken with the addition of flour, spices and oil (fried or not). Every grandmother has her own secret recipe for cooking a delicious bean stew. In different parts of Bulgaria you can try the dish prepared with different types of beans - white, red, colorful or canned. Bean stew can be served both lean and with meat (pork, sausage or other). The use of home-made products will make the dish even tastier and rich in useful nutrients. Here are 6 different recipes on how to cook a delicious bean stew.

A classic recipe for lean bean stew

• 500 grams of beans
• 1 diced carrot
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 red pepper, cut into cubes
• 1 diced tomato (tomato juice or puree)
• oil
• salt, paprika and mint to taste

Ingredients for thickening bean stew :

• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 50-60 ml of oil

Soak the beans in cold water from the night before or for a few hours to swell and boil more easily. Pour out the water, rinse and transfer the pulp to a saucepan with enough water to cover it. Once it boils, pour out the water and replace it with a new one. Repeat once more after boiling (optional), then add onions, carrots and peppers. Season with salt, paprika, mint and a little oil. Reduce the heat, cook until the beans boil, stirring occasionally so as not to burn the bottom. Add the chopped tomatoes and salt to the cooked beans and make the stir-fry.

For this purpose fry in oil heated flour with paprika for a few seconds, then pour roux a trickle to a bean stew and mix. After boiling, remove the beans from the heat and serve. If you avoid frying, mix the thickening ingredients in another saucepan and scoop out the bean soup with a ladle and pour in a thin stream onto the thickening mixture, stirring constantly.

Bean stew with prosciutto and kale

• 80 grams of prosciutto, chopped into pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1 head of fennel, cut into cubes
• salt to taste
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon hot red pepper
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 150 milliliters of white wine (or chicken broth)
• 2 cans of oil beans
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 200 grams of kale

Fry the prosciutto in a dry pan until crispy and remove with a slotted spoon in a saucer. Reduce heat and fry the fennel. Season with salt and cook until soft. Add the garlic, hot pepper and thyme and fry for 2 minutes, then pour the white wine or chicken broth and let it cook over low heat.

Pour the two canned beans together with their liquid and diced tomatoes. Season to taste and simmer for 5 minutes without stirring. Add the kale and cook until soft. Remove the thyme sprigs, serve the stew in bowls and garnish with prosciutto.

Bean stew with white wine and bacon

• 300 grams of beans
• 60 grams of butter
• 1 onion, grated
• 150 grams of chopped bacon
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed
• 100 milliliters of white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• a few sprigs of chopped fresh parsley

Soak the beans in salted water overnight and boil it in the morning. Use the water from the broth as a natural thickener, strain it and set aside. Heat the butter in a pan and fry the onion. Add the bacon, turmeric, salt, pepper and garlic. Stir and add the beans, white wine and bay leaf. Season with parsley and pour the boiling broth. Let the dish simmer on low heat for an hour, then cool, pour into bowls and serve.

Bean stew with prunes

• 2 cups red beans
• frying oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• a few sprigs of fresh parsley, chopped
• fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 10 pitted prunes
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 500 milliliters of vegetable broth

Soak the beans for one night, and the next day rinse and boil. Heat oil in a saucepan, fry the red onion and add the beans. Season with salt, black and red pepper. Stir and sprinkle with parsley and mint. Add prunes, vinegar and broth. Reduce heat and cook over low heat for 30-40 minutes or until done. Cool, pour the dish into bowls and serve.

Bean stew with dock and pork

• 500 grams of beans
• frying oil
• 700 grams of pork
• salt, pepper and cumin to taste
• 1-2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 soft tomato, grated
• 1 head old onion, chopped
• 2 links fresh dock, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon water
• hot peppers for serving (optional)

Soak the beans for one night, and the next day rinse and boil in salted water, then strain and set aside. In a saucepan, heat oil and fry the pork, pre-seasoned with salt, pepper and cumin to taste. Add garlic, onion and tomato. Stir and after 10 minutes add the dock and mint. Season with paprika, add beans and about 1 teaspoon of water. Let the dish simmer on low heat for 40 minutes. Cool, pour portions and serve the stew, garnished with a few hot peppers if desired.

Bean stew with pork ears

• 500 grams of beans
• 2-3 pieces of pork ears
• 1-2 tablespoons oil
• 1-2 onions, finely chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 100 grams of tomato puree
• a few sprigs of fresh mint
• a few bay leaves
• 2-3 chopped garlic cloves
• 100 milliliters of red wine

Wash and soak the beans and ears in two different dishes. Boil in salted water, drain and cool. Cut the offal into strips and set aside. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onion, pork ears and season with salt and pepper. Add beans, red pepper, tomato paste and season with mint, bay leaf, garlic. Stir, pour the wine and simmer over low heat for 30-40 minutes. Serve the stew warm, garnished with chopped fresh spices of your choice.