Autumnal Bean and Root Vegetable Stew
This hearty yet beautifully nourishing stew uses store cupboard staples and long-lasting root veg that live in the often-neglected bottom drawer of the fridge, making it a perfect dish to whip up without dashing to the shops. It also freezes well so cook up a big batch and divide into smaller Tupperware that you can quickly defrost and serve in a few different ways! Some ideas are listed below the recipe – my favourite for a crowd is the sausage casserole, however if cooking for myself I simply serve it with a poached egg and chunky sourdough to sweep up the sauce.
Servings: 6-8 Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
3 red onions, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp mixed herbs
1kg root veg (butternut squash/beetroot/celeriac/carrots etc), peeled cut into bite-size chunks
2 tsp harissa paste
2 tsp miso paste
2x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
250ml vegetable stock
2x can mixed beans (butter bean, cannellini, haricot)
1 cup frozen spinach (or fresh spinach if you have it in the fridge)
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed casserole dish over medium-heat and sauté the onions for 5-10 minutes until starting to soften.
- Add the garlic, paprika and mixed herbs and cook for another 2 minutes stirring regularly, then add the root vegetables and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Next add the harissa paste, miso paste, chopped tomatoes, and vegetable stock and cook over high heat for 10 minutes then add the beans, salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat and cook for 30 minutes until the root vegetables are tender and the sauce thickens. Add more water during cooking time if need be to loosen.
- Finally stir through the frozen (or fresh) spinach and taste for salt and pepper.
Serving ideas:
- Veggie Stew with Chunky Sourdough and a Fried egg
- Sausage Casserole topped with Breadcrumbs and Parsley
- Chicken Stew with Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Greens
