Mixed Bean and Winter Squash Stew with Fresh Basil
Updated April 12, 2023
- Total Time
- About 2 hours 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1pound mixed beans, like pintos, borlottis, white beans, red beans and giant limas, soaked for 6 hours or overnight in 2 quarts water
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1medium onion, chopped
- 3large garlic cloves, minced or put through a press
- A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf, a Parmesan rind and a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1½pounds winter squash, peeled and cut into cubes
- ½pound fresh or frozen lima beans
- 1pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 1 14-ounce can, with liquid
- Salt
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- ¼cup chopped or slivered fresh basil
- Freshly grated Parmesan for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
260 calories; 7 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 785 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Drain the beans through a strainer set over a bowl. Transfer to a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Measure the liquid in the bowl and add enough water to measure 2 quarts. Add to the beans and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer 1 hour. Add salt to taste and the bouquet garni, and continue to simmer until tender but intact, about 30 minutes.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy frying pan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes, and add the paprika. Stir together for about a minute, and add the garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, for a minute or two, until the garlic and onions are very fragrant, and stir in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes are cooked down and fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add a ladleful of broth from the beans and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
- Step 3
Stir the onion mixture into the beans. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the winter squash and lima beans. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the squash and all the beans are tender. Taste and adjust salt, and add freshly ground pepper. Remove the bouquet garni. Just before serving stir in the fresh basil. Serve in wide soup bowls, passing Parmesan for sprinkling.
- Advance preparation: This will keep for five days in the refrigerator and is best eaten a day after it is made. Add the basil just before serving.
Private Notes
Comments
I followed this recipe to a T and it turned out perfect. Like many of MRS recipes, it is layered beautifully with flavors and textures. The beans had substance to them, the tomato & paprika & the bouquet garni & the basil with that final touch of parmesan: all combined to make a yummy dish. It is both hearty, and elegant. Highly recommend it!
This is delicious. I usually double the recipe, and we eat it for several days. I omit the lima beans and use more dried beans instead. I also vary the herbs, since fresh basil is not a winter ingredient.
Quite good. As a Southerner I simmered ham hocks for a stock and used it instead of the bean broth. Recommended!
As written I found this to be lacking. I used Rancho Gordo Rio Zape beans, perfect for this application. Definitely need to be generous with the salt. Made per instructions minus the limas, almost impossible to find these days, especially if you’re looking for organic. Made per recipe it was missing acid and heat. At the table we decided to “fix” it - added a healthy splash of citrus champagne vinegar and Calabrian chili to taste, perfect. The dish was pretty brothy so we added the ends from my homemade sourdough, always keep them frozen for soup. Going to freeze the leftovers as it’s just too hot for this dish during the east coast heat wave, what was I thinking. Made it because I picked up an acorn squash at the local farmers market (yes, the south, Charleston, harvests winter squash in June!!!) and had to use it now or never. It will taste even better in the fall and with the alterations.
Went down very well with highly fussy vegetarian teen daughter. Added a couple of dashes of worchester sauce to enhance the flavour a tiny bit more, but great either way. Yum. Bookmarking it.
Excellent recipe!! I transformed it into "Porotos con Maiz" that we eat in Chile by substituting the Lima beans by 1 drained can of corn kernels. I also added 2 tsp cumin. Superb!! Thank you.