Beans are cooked with bacon, garlic & chicken stock to make this tasty white bean stew. Topped with a homemade pesto for a comforting winter dinner.
The other day I was hunting for something for dinner in our recipe database (yes, we have a recipe database, more about that a different day!) and came across this recipe for a white bean stew from one of my favourite food bloggers that I'd saved a while ago.
I was fully convinced by the time I read the words creamy and parmesan.
Ingredients you need to make this white bean stew with pesto:
- Olive Oil
- Chilli Flakes
- Bacon - Feel free to leave out if you want to keep it veggie
- Shallots
- Smoked Paprika
- Garlic
- White Beans
- Chicken Stock
- Fish Sauce
- Parmesan
- Spinach
- Rocket
- Pine Nuts
- Garlic
- Basil
- Olive Oil
Keep scrolling to get the full recipe for this white bean stew...
I didn't have anchovies so I subbed fish sauce which worked amazingly well. Fish sauce is probs my new favourite thing.
I also used tinned beans because I didn't have time do the whole soaking malarky. I added a homemade pesto which was so freaking delicious. You really need to make this meal like right now.
We had this with rice because Will is incapable of eating anything without a designated carb but serving it with some crusty bread and loads of parmesan is plenty. Delicious!
Don't miss all my other vegetarian recipes!
Keep scrolling to get the full recipe...
WONDERING WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVER INGREDIENTS YOU’VE GOT FROM MAKING WHITE BEAN STEW WITH PESTO?
If you’re anything like me then you’re always looking for ways to save money and avoid food waste so I want to make sure you’ve get plenty of ideas on how to use up any ingredients that are leftover from my recipes!
Baked White Beans with Feta, Garlic Yoghurt and Paprika Butter
Recipe
White Bean Stew with Pesto
Ingredients
White Bean Stew
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon Chilli Flakes or more if you like it spicy
- 2 slices Bacon diced
- 5 Shallots diced
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 5 cloves Garlic crushed
- 3 400g tins White Beans I used 2 of cannellini and one butter beans
- 800 ml Chicken Stock
- 500 ml Water
- 2 teaspoon Fish Sauce
- 1 Parmesan Cheese Rind
- A few handfuls of Spinach
- A few handfuls of Rocket
- Parmesan for grating
- Salt and pepper
Pesto
- 75 g Pinenuts
- 1 clove of Garlic
- 150 g Fresh Basil
- Parmesan Cheese to taste about a handful
- Olive Oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the bacon, shallots, chilli flakes and smoked paprika to the pan with a large sprinkling of salt and pepper. Stir and leave to cook for a few minutes. You want the bacon to get a bit crispy and the shallot to be soft and translucent. Add the garlic and allow it to cook for a few more minutes. Add the stock, water, fish sauce, parmesan rind and beans. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes.
- Make the pesto. Throw the pinenuts, garlic and basil into a blender. Add some olive oil and blend. You can kind of play it by ear here, add as much oil as you need until it gets to the consistency you want.
- Once the stew has been cooking for 45 minutes grab a potato masher and crush some of the beans to help thicken the stew. Once it looks like it's the right consistency add the greens and stir in gently, allowing them to wilt into the stew. Remove the parmesan rind and ladle out into bowls, top with the pesto and a big grating of parmesan.
Notes
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Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says
This looks like the perfect bowl of comfort food for sure! I'm loving how you topped it with pesto! Yum!
Ashley - Forking Up says
White bean stew is such a staple, but I've never had it with pesto! Looks like a match made in heaven 🙂
Sandi says
This is a gorgeous soup...love the pesto in it.
Jeni @ Biscuits & Booze says
The pesto on it is gorgeous! And I think fish sauce is a great substitution!
Mindy Fewless says
Such a great dish! Full of flavor and so comforting! 🙂