This White Bean and Vegetable Stew is hearty, nourishing and stick-to-your-ribs good. White wine adds a depth of flavor that sets this stew over the top!
Ingredients for White Bean and Vegetable stew
White Beans: I use cannelini beans for this recipe as they are soft and soak in the flavor of the flavorful broth. Other white beans such as navy beans or great northern beans would also work.
Onion and garlic: Any type of onion will do here! I have made it with white and red, both delicious. And garlic because, duh.
Celery and Carrot: This duo helps to form a deep flavor base for the stew.
Potato: The starchiness of the potato thickens up the stew as it cooks, making it creamy and filling.
Parsnips: I´m not gonna lie, I´m slightly obsessed with parsnips. They are slightly sweet and have a unique earthy nuttiness to them. As they are quite starchy, when you cook them in soups they resemble potatoes. I love how it makes me feel like I´m eating carbs but really I´m eating vegetables! They are also delicious roasted or pureed. More parsnip recipes to come!
White wine: This one in KEY! The crisp flavor of the wine provides acidity that balances out the flavors of the sweet vegetables, starchy potatoes, and vegetable broth. Plus, it will make your kitchen smell amazing! The wine gives this stew that somethin´somethin´ flavor that sets it apart from other vegetable stews.
Tomato paste: This ingredient is important! While this stew does not taste “tomatoey” at all, the tomato paste rounds out the flavor of the stew, providing it wil an added richness.
Herbs: For this recipe we use 1tsp of each dried rosemary and thyme. When you add them to the stew, crush them up with your fingers to allow them to release their flavors. If you prefer fresh herbs, use 1 tbs of each. I usually use dried as I always have them on hand.
Kale: Kale adds a different texture, an earthy taste and added nutrients. It just makes the stew that much healthier!
Salt and black pepper: It is very important to salt at every stage in this stew! Every time you add an ingredient, add a pinch of salt. This allows all of the flavors to come out and makes the end result truly delicious. Freshly ground black pepper is a must for this stew as well!
White Bean and Vegetable Stew
Ingredients
- 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained (15oz/400g)
- 1 onion, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into half moons or quarters
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into about 1 inch cubes
- 1 large potato, cut into about 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 cup white wine (90ml)
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 2 cups vegetable broth 2 cups makes a very thick stew. Add more if you would like it more of a soup consistency.
- 3 handfuls kale, hard stems removed chopped into ~2 inch pieces
Instructions
- Heat 2tbs of olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add the chopped onion, and while that is cooking, cut up your carrot and celery. Add the carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and another drizzle of olive oil and cook together on a medium-low heat for about 5 minutees, until the onion turns translucent.
- Add the white wine and tomato paste and cook, uncovered for about 10 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Add the vegetable broth, parsnips, potato, thyme and rosemary, and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the vegetables are nice and soft but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Check after 10 minutes to make sure that they are not getting too soft.
- Taste the soup, add more salt and herbs to your liking!
- Stir in the kale, cover, and allow to simmer for another 5-10 minutes so that the kale is soft.
- Enjoy with a nice piece of crusty whole grain bread! This soup stays good in the fridge for about 3 days and in the freezer for longer storage. Add some water or broth when reheating, if necessary
