Spicy Tomato White Bean Stew Recipe (2024)

The first ingredient in this "vegetarian stew" recipe is bacon; #8 is chicken broth. Perhaps this recipe should have been billed a stew that could be altered to be vegetarian.

I would not list bacon or pancetta in an article on vegetarian soups . I know it says optional but I would hav omitted it .

I made this tonight and it was very good. There are only 2 of us eating so I used 2 cans of beans (Great Northern and Pinto). I halved the red pepper flakes because my husband doesn’t like spicy food. I used 2/3 cup chicken broth and one 14 oz can of diced tomatoes. Otherwise I made the recipe exactly as written including 3 slices of bacon. Quick and easy. Honestly, I wish I had made more.

When I saw the title of this recipe, Spicy Tomato White Bean Stew, I thought, "Oh, a recipe with harissa!" Well, harissa is not an ingredient listed in the recipe but for me this is going to be a recipe with harissa.

@JoanneThe bacon/pancetta is listed as optional, the chicken stock is listed as an alternative to vegetable stock

For those recipes calling for 14oz cans of plum tomatoes, I do one of 3 things, depending on the effect I want - 1- sub a can of diced tomatoes 2 - sub a can of crushed tomatoes3 - divide a 28oz can of whole tomatoes and freeze 1/2 for the next time

I like my soups chunky so I added diced fennel, onion and carrot to the bacon fat before adding in the sliced garlic. I served it with a warm baguette and it was a really delicious meal on a cold, windy night.

Do people actually find smaller than 28oz can of whole tomatoes? I imagine this would be subsititud with 14 oz crushed, which should still be excellent.Soup sounds delightful, can't wait to try.

Substitute sh*take mushroom powder (1.5T) for the bacon to make it vegetarian. Also, I'd sauteed a chopped onion, and cut back on the garlic. I'd also add some tomato paste.

Would be interested to know what white beans others are using…cannellini, butter, great Northern, or…?

Looking at the stew in the pot, it reminds me of a very hearty pasta sauce. All the elements are there, plus beans. I could see serving this over rotini or penne if I were 30 years younger with the metabolism to match! Instead, I stirred in some arugula. Still excellent.

I make a version of this to which I add 1T thyme (the secret ingredient). I saute onion first, add garlic, also chopped sweet peppers, shredded carrot, tomato paste, and I use canned cannelini beans, canned diced tomatoes, and quartered Aidell's apple chicken sausage. Yum! Be sure to have garlic toast to slop up the liquid.

This was incredible, though I changed the recipe slightly by using shallots and garlic instead of garlic alone. For seasoning I included some TJ’s dried sofrito.

I added a shallot, turkey meatballs and baby spinach to mine for a little “rounder” of a meal. I also needed to add a bit more stock to accommodate the additional ingredients. Otherwise, I stuck to the recipe and really enjoy it!

Really tasty and easy mid-week meal. I'm vegetarian, so skipped the bacon and used fire roasted tomatoes for smoky flavor. Added a chopped zucchini and a bit of green onion I had on hand. Served with garlic bread and a fried egg on top. Would definitely make this again.

This was almost embarrassingly easy and good. I did add more garlic because I always do. I also it used my immersion blender a bit rather than trying to smash beans on the side of the pot.

I didn’t have bacon or pancetta on hand, but I had a package of Serrano ham. OMG- what a delicious stew. We had it with a slab of baked salmon on top. Great meal.

Added baby spinachAdded sage and shallots and onionAdded harissaAdded finely diced carrot

I made it with one pound of Rancho Gordo's Rio Zape beans, and used the bean broth in place of the vegetable stock. I added a chopped onion before the garlic - I'm not sure that it was necessary. I stirred in some chopped red chard for the last ten minutes. The combination of the beans and garlic, with a touch of heat and a bit of sweetness from the tomatoes, was tone perfect. I cooked the beans in a slow cooker while out running errands.

I added fermented chili paste and since I only eat seafood, I used anchovies just before adding the tomato. Only had one can of cannellini and one can of butter beans so that’s what I tossed in and I have zero regrets. Don’t get hung up on details in a recipe, try something and try something else the next time. You may hate one of those attempts but that is ok! Next time try something different. Also threw in some mushrooms for some chewiness and it was perfect for this snowy night.

Lovely recipe for the end of winter! Using rancho Gordo beans definitely amped up the flavor, as did using the bacon (but I’m sure it would still be good without). We will be making this again!

I notice this called for drained (canned) beans. I have always rinsed mine and might have assumed that was what was called for, but Melissa Clarke is always blessed precise, which leaves me wondering, why not rinse?

This is the first recipe I’ve cooked postpartum. It looked manageable enough – something I could pull off while baby slept – and am relieved the experience matched my expectation. It turned out well (hard to mess up, thankfully) and my husband loved the “vegan” version (my preference). I plan to make it again, next time for my family, though probably without the red pepper flakes but with the bacon. I’m optimistic!

This is absolutely delicious! Used the oil from chili crisp and the crisp itself instead of the olive oil/red pepper flakes and added kale at the end, but otherwise made exactly as written. I can’t imagine making this without the pancetta, though capers would be a great substitute

Easy and awesome. We used Field Roast Italian Fennel and Sage sausage instead of the pancetta for a vegetarian option.

My husband just described this as absolutely, bloody wonderful. So easy to put together. Made in pressure cooker(pc) with avocado oil to saute garlic and pepper, and added a few cubed red potatoes minus sea salt. PC for 5 minutes after adding broth and rest of ingredients with quick release. Topped with freshly grated locatalli reggiano, evoo and smoked paprika. Delightful, warming, full of flavor!

Made as directed, with the addition of carrots and onion, per one commenter, ground mushroom powder instead of pancetta per another commenter, and used chili-infused oil when sautéing it all. My husband’s comment was, “It smells delicious and tastes like another bowl.”

Also, accidentally picked up one can of butter beans, and they worked great in the mix!