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Iahnie de fasole
White bean stew
Iahnie de fasole: Romanian Lenten white bean stew with onion, tomato and bay
Iahnie de fasole is one of the most loved dishes of the Romanian Orthodox fasting periods: the seven weeks of Great Lent before Easter, and the Christmas fast. White beans are cooked until creamy, then baked or simmered with a lot of slowly fried onion, tomato paste, bay, thyme and paprika until thick and sweet. It is vegan, high in protein and eaten with pickles and bread. Chef's tip: fry the onion slowly in plenty of oil until golden and jammy; the onion is the heart of the stew.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb dried white beanssoaked overnight
- 5 tbsp sunflower oil
- 3 onionsfinely chopped
- 1 carrotgrated
- 3 cloves garlicchopped
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 handful dill or parsleychopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Drain 1 ⅛ lb dried white beans, cover with fresh water by 5 cm, add 3 bay leaves and simmer for 60–75 minutes, until creamy inside. Don't salt yet.
70 minStep 2: Meanwhile fry 3 onions in 5 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring, until soft and golden. Add 1 carrot and 3 cloves garlic for 3 minutes.
18 minStep 3: Stir in 3 tbsp tomato purée, 2 tsp sweet paprika and 1 tsp dried thyme and cook for 2 minutes, until the paste darkens.
Step 4: Drain the beans, keeping 400 ml of their cooking water. Add the beans and water to the onions with 2 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.
Step 5: Simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, or bake in a dish at 350°F (325°F fan) for 30 minutes, until thick and the top is lightly caramelised. A common mistake is salting the beans while boiling, which keeps their skins tough.
25 minStep 6: Scatter with 1 handful dill or parsley and serve warm or at room temperature with pickles.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 14 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does iahnie de fasole take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 105 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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