Balkan Roasted Pepper Bean Stew 🌶️✨

Description

Balkan Roasted Pepper Bean Stew is a rich, comforting plant-based dish made with sweet roasted red peppers, tender beans, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and gentle smoky spices. It is hearty without being heavy, deeply savory, and perfect for a warm rustic lunch or dinner with good bread on the side.
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Sweet roasted peppers, soft beans, tomato, garlic, and paprika come together in one cozy Balkan fasting stew that tastes simple, soulful, and deeply satisfying. 🫘

Ingredients

• Roasted peppers 🌶️
• 🌶️ 700 g red bell peppers, halved and seeded (5–6 medium / 1.54 lb)
• 🫒 15 ml olive oil (1 tbsp / 0.5 fl oz)
• ‌
• Base 🧅
• 🫒 30 ml olive oil (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🧅 180 g onion, finely chopped (1½ cups / 6.3 oz)
• 🥕 100 g carrot, finely diced (¾ cup / 3.5 oz)
• 🧄 5 garlic cloves, minced (5 cloves / 0.9 oz)
• 🍅 25 g tomato paste (1½ tbsp / 0.9 oz)
• 🌶️ 5 g sweet paprika (2 tsp / 0.17 oz)
• 🌫️ 2 g smoked paprika (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🥄 2 g dried oregano (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🧂 6 g fine sea salt, or to taste (1 tsp / 0.2 oz)
• ⚫ 2 g black pepper (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• ‌
• Stew 🫘
• 🫘 500 g cooked white beans, drained (3 cups / 1.1 lb)
• 🍅 400 g crushed tomatoes (1½ cups / 14.1 oz)
• 💧 500 ml vegetable stock (2 cups / 17 fl oz)
• 🍃 2 bay leaves
• 🌶️ 1 small dried chili, optional
• ‌
• Finish 🌿
• 🍋 10 ml red wine vinegar or lemon juice (2 tsp / 0.3 fl oz)
• 🌿 20 g fresh parsley, chopped (½ cup loose / 0.7 oz)
• 🫒 10 ml olive oil for finishing (2 tsp / 0.3 fl oz)
• 🥖 rustic bread, for serving, optional

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Roast the peppers 🌶️
2. ‌
3. Place the red peppers on a tray, brush with 15 ml olive oil, and roast at 220°C (425°F) for 22 min, until softened and lightly charred. Transfer to a bowl, cover for 10 min, then peel and slice into strips.
4. ‌
5. 2️⃣ Build the flavor base 🧅
6. ‌
7. Heat 30 ml olive oil in a deep pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and carrot, and cook for 8 min until soft and lightly golden. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 min more.
8. ‌
9. 3️⃣ Add the tomato and spices 🍅
10. ‌
11. Stir in tomato paste, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 min, stirring constantly, so the tomato paste darkens slightly and the spices bloom.
12. ‌
13. 4️⃣ Simmer the stew 🫘
14. ‌
15. Add the roasted pepper strips, white beans, crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaves, and dried chili if using. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered over low heat for 25 min, stirring occasionally.
16. ‌
17. 5️⃣ Finish and balance 🌿
18. ‌
19. Remove the bay leaves. Lightly mash a small portion of the beans with the back of a spoon to thicken the stew naturally. Stir in the vinegar or lemon juice, parsley, and the final drizzle of olive oil. Simmer for 2 min more.
20. ‌
21. 6️⃣ Rest and serve 🍞
22. ‌
23. Let the stew rest for 10 min before serving. Spoon into bowls and serve warm with rustic bread if desired.

Total Time

⏱ Prep: 20 min
🔥 Cook/Bake: 38 min
🛋 Rest: 20 min
⏰ Total: 1 h 18 min

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