These hearty Spanish Beans in a tomato sauce are made mostly of store cupboard staples and it is a budget friendly, healthy meal that is easy to make vegan. A slightly sweet and smoky tomato sauce, with protein packed butter beans and a green boost from with spinach. All cooked in one pan and ready in under 20 minutes.
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This hearty, but healthy, Spanish Bean Stew is just 450 calories for a big comforting bowl and is delicious as a main meal with some chunks of crusty bread, or as a side as part of a tapas spread.
Once you have the intense smoky sauce perfected, this is easy to adapt with other ingredients like chicken or prawns.
If you are looking for other ways to use beans, then why not try our quick Butter Bean Salad, creamy Butter Bean Soup, easy Mexican Beans on Toast, or our tasty Three Bean Curry?
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Why You Will Love It
- Protein packed - Butter beans are protein packed and they are super versatile too.
- Quick - These Spanish beans are ready in under 20 minutes so they are perfect for a quick and filling meal.
- Just a few ingredients - This is so easy to make and you probably have most of the ingredients in your kitchen already.
- Easy to adapt - Use this recipe as a base and then adapt it with our suggestions below.
- Can be vegan - We added chorizo for extra smokey flavour, but it can easily be left out to keep it vegan.
- Versatile - These Spanish beans are delicious as part of a tapas spread or just eaten with some chunky crusty bread.
What are Spanish Beans?
Spanish beans are large beans like butter beans (which we have used in this recipe) or lima beans in a thick and rich smoky tomato sauce. It has all the flavours you know and love from Spanish food.
The sauce is made with a base of shallots and garlic (heavy on the garlic) and then chorizo to give it a tonne of flavour (but this is optional and can be left out if you want to make it vegan.
The tomato sauce is then built up with canned tomatoes, a generous amount of paprika to intensify that smoky flavour and some olives for extra saltiness.
We then stirred through some spinach at the end, as it's always good to give a dish a green veggie boost if you can.
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Butter beans - We used canned butter beans. You could use cannellini beans or chickpeas if you prefer.
- Shallots - These are the base of the dish and add a nice sweetness. You could use a small brown onion if you prefer.
- Garlic - Fresh is always best and you will need to make sure it is well crushed, almost into a paste to ensure even distribution. You could use frozen garlic if you prefer.
- Tomatoes - This is what makes up the sauce. Try to use the best quality that you can, as the cheaper tomatoes tend to be watery and you will end up with a watery sauce. You can always add some tomato puree to thicken it up.
- Spinach - This adds a nice green veggie boost. You can use fresh of frozen.
- Olives - An easy way to add some extra Mediterranean flavour. Use your favourite olives.
- Paprika - This adds a lovely smoky flavour. Use smoked paprika for extra flavour. Make sure your paprika hasn't been open longer than 6 months, otherwise it won't have much flavour.
- Chorizo - This adds a real flavour burst and a little goes a long way. You can leave it out to make it vegetarian.
- Red bell pepper - Adds some nice crunch to the dish.
Variations
The great thing about this dish is that you can add any vegetables to it. You could add courgette (zucchini) mushrooms, aubergine (eggplant) or even sweetcorn. Really, anything that you have in your fridge that might need using up. It's a great fridge raid meal.
Whilst it doesn't need it, you could add some grated parmesan on top before serving, or even some crumbled feta. If you wanted to make it vegetarian, then leave out the chorizo. You might want to add a little extra paprika for more smokiness.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: Heat a little oil in a pan and add the shallots, pepper, chorizo and garlic and gently cook for 3 minutes.
- Step 2: Add the rest of the ingredients, expect spinach.
- Step 3: Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Step 4: Stir in the spinach 3 minutes before finished cooking.
Budget Tip
We used a can of butter beans, which are still good value. However, if you want to make these Spanish Beans even more budget friendly, then you can use dried butter beans. Soak them in water for at least 6 hours, but ideally overnight. Drain and since them and then boil them for 50 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
This is search a hearty meal all in itself, it doesn't really need to be served with anything. If you are making the portions smaller so extra people can have some, then you could serve with some chunks of crusty bread and a nice green salad. We also like it with our Easy Homemade Flatbreads or Naan Breads.
Potatoes are always a good side dish and here are some of our recipes that will go perfectly with this:
Storage
Store: This can be kept in the fridge for two to three days if stored in an air-tight container.
Freeze: To freeze, put in rigid, air-tight containers, leaving a half-inch (1.5cm) gap at the top. This will be good in the freezer for up to six months.
Defrost: You can defrost it in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: To reheat, simply microwave, or heat through in a pan on the hob (stove top).
Dannii's Top Tips
- You can adapt the vegetables that are used in this dish to use up whatever you have in your fridge.
- To make this vegan, leave out the chorizo. You might want to add a little extra paprika for some more flavour.
- You could also swap the beans for leftover chicken or fry up some king prawns, or even add them to the beans.
- We used canned beans, however you could use dried. Just make sure that you soak them overnight, then drain and rinse them and boil for around 50 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make this vegetarian, simply omit the chorizo. By doing this, it will actually make this dish vegan. The chorizo does add a lovely, rich smokiness to the meal, so if you do leave the chorizo out, we recommend adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika. If you still wanted some kind of meaty texture, you could add some tofu or cubes of quickly fried halloumi cheese.
Yes, this recipe works really well in the slow cooker. Follow steps one and two and then add everything to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Add the spinach 30 minutes before it has finished.
More Spanish Recipes
If you've tried this chorizo and bean stew, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Spanish Beans
Ingredients
- 400 g (14 oz) of Butter beans - canned; drained and rinsed
- 0.5 tablespoon of Olive oil
- 4 Shallots - diced
- 2 Garlic clove - crushed
- 400 g (2.5 cups) of Chopped tomatoes - canned
- 80 g (2.5 cups) of Spinach
- 20 g (0.25 cups) of Olives - halved
- 1 teaspoon of Paprika
- 1 pinch of Sea salt
- 1 pinch of Ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoon of Fresh parsley - chopped
- 1 Red bell pepper - finely chopped
- 100 g (3.5 oz) of Chorizo - finely chopped
- Cress - (to serve)
Instructions
- Heat 0.5 tbsp of Olive oil in a pan and add 4 Shallots, 1 Red bell pepper, 100 g of Chorizo and 2 Garlic clove and gently cook for 3 minutes.
- Add 400 g of Chopped tomatoes, 400 g of Butter beans, 20 g of Olives, 1 tsp of Paprika, 4 tbsp of Fresh parsley and 1 pinch of Sea saltSimmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in 80 g of Spinach 3 minutes before finished cooking
- Sprinkle with Cress before serving
Recipe Tips
- You can adapt the vegetables that are used in this dish to use up whatever you have in your fridge.
- To make this vegan, leave out the chorizo. You might want to add a little extra paprika for some more flavour.
- You could also swap the beans for leftover chicken or fry up some king prawns, or even add them to the beans.
- We used canned beans, however you could use dried. Just make sure that you soak them overnight, then drain and rinse them and boil for around 50 minutes.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Leanne says
Great recipe! I've been to Barcelona before and absolutely loved it! Reminds me I need to book a city break soon!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
This looks like such a fun (and colorful!) trip. Makes me want to hop on a plane and visit!
Now this stew makes me want to run to the kitchen and make it right away! Love all the fresh veggies!
Ana De- Jesus says
I love olives, so I definitely can't resist this.
Liz Mays says
How exciting! I need to go to Spain. That stew looks so good!
Tori Gabriel says
What a delicious Spanish stew.
marcie says
Spain is on top of my list of places I'd like to visit -- great pics! I love the looks of this dish and those delicious butterbeans! This sounds so hearty and flavorful.
karrie @ Tasty Ever After says
This recipe sounds and looks delicious! Love that you used butter beans for the protein and I'll have to make this soon.
Natasha Mairs says
This looks lovely, i wouldn't add the olives and celery as I don't like them. Looks very healthy
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks says
This is such a great way to use butter beans.
Emma White says
oh wow would never think to make something like this but may just have to try it out now
Andi says
This was amazing. So much flavour and really easy to make too.
cheri says
Love the stew. Very colourful.
Anna @AnnaTheApple says
This reminded me of my friend at university who literally snacked on butterbeans out of the tin. I mean really, that is a bit weird right?!
This sounds delicious! And the Spanish getaway sounds amaaaazing!! Very jealous indeed.
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
LOVE your hat.. you totally need to rock that daily, Dannii! ;) And I am loving this Spanish stew! So much delicious flavor going on here! This looks perfectly cozy and packed full of flavor! Gimme! Cheers, doll!
David @ Spiced says
So at first, I was a little sad that the Italian recipes are on break...but I think I can get on board with Spanish recipes instead. I will definitely be trying this.