Make Ahead
Tuscan Umami Vegetarian Triple Bean Kale Stew
- Prep time 30 minutes
- Cook time 1 hour 10 minutes
- Serves 5-6
Author Notes
This hearty vegetarian stew relies on layered umami notes bringing savory, beefy flavor. A blended addition of pinto beans with a savory sofrito produces a creamy, delicious dish that proudly stands alone as a hearty, crowd-pleaser that will have your guests searching for the beef in disbelief. —MarcelosRange
What You'll Need
Ingredients
-
1/3 cup
Extra virgin olive oil
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1.5
Medium Spanish onions, chopped medium fine
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3
Large peeled carrots, chopped
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3
Stalks celery, chopped
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2 tablespoons
Kosher salt
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1 tablespoon
Freshly ground black pepper
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2 tablespoons
Tomato paste
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2 teaspoons
Fennel seed, whole
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2 teaspoons
Dried oregano
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2 teaspoons
Dried basil
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1 teaspoon
Chili flakes
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2 teaspoons
Onion powder
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1 tablespoon
Garlic powder
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1.5 teaspoons
Hungarian paprika
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1 cup
Red wine - Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot
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6
Garlic cloves, minced
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8
small red potatoes, unpeeled, chopped in 1 inch pieces
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4
stalks Tuscan or curly kale, leaves removed from stems and julienned
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1
Red bell pepper, chopped in 1-inch pieces
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1
zucchini, chopped in 1 inch pieces
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1
24-oz can crushed tomatoes
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1
15.5 oz can pinto beans
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1
15.5 oz can triple beans (black, kidney, pinto)
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4 tablespoons
Fresh squeezed lemon juice
Directions
- In large pot, heat 1/2 cup of the oil over medium heat until shimmering, add onions, celery and carrots. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, add salt and pepper. Sauté another 7-8 minutes until lightly browning and fond develops.
- Make well in middle of pot and add tomato paste and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining oil along with spices and garlic and sauté together with onion mixture for 2-3 minutes. Add wine, scraping off fond from bottom of pot and cook for 2-3 minutes until reduces a bit.
- Remove half of onion, celery, carrot and spice mixture and add to a blender with the pinto beans and it’s canning liquid. Blend for about 15-20 seconds to a rough puree (does not need to be completely smooth)
- Add bell pepper, kale and potatoes to pot and sauté for 3 minutes, add crushed tomatoes. Fill 3/4 of tomatoes can with water and add to pot. Add can of trio beans along with its canning liquid. Add puréed pinto bean mixture. Increase heat to high to reach boil, then cover and reduce to low simmer, producing intermittent bubbling, for 45 minutes. Add lemon juice and remove from heat.
- Let sit for 20 minutes before serving, perhaps alongside crusty country loaf to sop up the delicious stew as you can’t help but wonder incessantly “Where’s the beef?!”
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