So many requests for Chorizo and bean stew
For years my husband has been begging me to make him chorizo and bean stew. BUT not just any chorizo and bean stew recipe that I submitted before his demanding and high maintenance feet. The rules were that it had to be tomato-based with a deep dark flavor and absolutely nothing resembling spinach should be found anywhere near it.
So I scoured the internet trying to find one that is suitable to his needs. Nothing came up. Nothing came close to what he had in his mind of what the perfect chorizo and bean stew should be.
So being that we are on pandemic lockdown here in Malaysia and had a little time of my hands being couped up, I decided to try my hand at perfecting his ideal stew. With a pantry full of goods, the experiment began.
What you need and any substitutions that you can make
This stew is fairly simple to cook up. You will need some Spanish-style chorizo or any other kind of meat that you prefer and have got kicking around. Fortunately for us, spicy chorizo is not a big favorite in Malaysia so we were able to get the last of it to use on homemade pizza, pasta sauce, sandwiches and stews.
If you are all out or it is simply is not your taste, have no worries. Just swap it out with ground sausage, ground pork or beef or even some chopped bacon. Just be sure to add a little paprika to give it some color and spice.
In terms of pantry goods, all you need is a can of stewed tomatoes (something we are never out of thanks to my British husband who panic buys these as a matter of course) and 2 cans of white beans like cannellini or borlotti.
For the rest of the stew, you will need some broth (a bouillon cube and some water is just fine) and a sprinkling of dried herbs and spices like oregano and paprika. AND of course, no stew would start out without some chopped onions and minced garlic.
The secret to making this stew a success is letting it slow-cook for as long as you can in order for it to develop that rich and flavorful broth. I find that an hour is best at a simmer but you can cook it longer if you would like.
This stew is best served with carbs. I like to serve it over steamed brown rice, mashed potatoes or with slices of crusty bread for a delicious lunch or dinner.
How to make easy crusty bread at home
Just an FYI, I make an easy no-knead bread courtesy of Pinch of Yum from time to time. I try to always have the ingredients or even a batch of dough kicking around in case of a bread emergency. This is the recipe that I use but there are many others out there kicking around. Just simply type in the words ‘no-knead bread’ into Google and find one to your liking (plain, whole wheat, rosemary and garlic, etc, etc).
If you are more adventurous and really want to give bread making your all, give sourdough a try. The Ultimate Guide to Sourdough Bread courtesy of Alice’s Kitchen will surely start you off in the right direction.
Happy eating!
Spanish style Chorizo and Borlotti Bean Stew
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 3-4 1x
Description
Spanish chorizo and Borlotti beans stewed with tomatoes, beef broth, onions, garlic and spices. Serve over rice, mashed potatoes or with crusty bread. #soup #stew #chorizo #beans #hearty
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions (diced)
2–3 cloves of garlic (minced)
3–4 oz diced Spanish chorizo (can substitute with ground pork or beef, sausage or bacon)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp paprika (optional and only necessary if you are not using chorizo)
2 (400 g / 14 oz) cans of Borlotti beans (drained and washed)
1 (400 g / 14 oz) can of diced tomatoes
2 cups of beef broth OR 1 beef bullion cube and 2 cups of water
Instructions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cut the chorizo into small pieces and add to the oil. Let cook for 3-5 minutes or until the oil has picked up the reddish color of the chorizo.
Add diced onions and continue to cook until soft and translucent. Add minced garlic, dried oregano and paprika (optional and only necessary if you are not cooking with chorizo). Let cook for a minute or so until fragrant.
Add diced tomatoes and beef broth. Stir together and increase heat to high until you reach a boil. Add drained and washed beans to the stew. Carefully stir together and cook for a minute or so at high heat (just until it reaches a boil). Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 mins to 1 hour. Make sure to give it a stir every once in a while to prevent anything sticking to the bottom and burning.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice, mashed potatoes or with a loaf of good crusty bread.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 80 min
- Category: Soup / Stew
- Method: simmering
- Cuisine: Western
Keywords: Spanish, chorizo, beans, paprika, oregano, tomatoes, soup, stew
Are you a chorizo fiend? Satisfy your cravings with these recipes:
Slow Roasted Pork Belly with Chorizo Cassoulet
Spicy Spanish Chorizo and Tomato Pasta Sauce
Kind of Cajun’ Chicken Thighs with Crispy Skin
SpicePaw’s Pork Shoulder and Spanish Chorizo Ragu
Pork Cannelloni with Chorizo Sauce and Bechamel
