Spiced Bean & Kale Stew
Clock Image
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins
New season kale adds its earthy savouriness to this beautiful autumn bean stew, brimming with rich, juicy tomatoes, warming mixed spice and aromatic ground cumin, plus a pinch of smokiness from paprika.
This recipe is a:
See this week's box.
Recipe Box Recipe Main Image
216 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
  • 3 onions
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 carrots
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • ½- 1 tsp mixed spice
  • 400g vine tomatoes
  • 2 x 400g tins of cannellini beans
  • 400g tin of borlotti beans
  • 300g kale
  • 1 lemon
From your kitchen
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 800ml boiling water
You'll need
  • Large pan with a lid
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Peel and chop the onions. Peel the garlic cloves and crush or finely grate them. Trim and scrub the carrots, and roughly chop them.

  • 2.

    Pour 1 tbsp oil into a large pan and bring to a medium heat. When hot, slide in the onions, garlic and carrots. Stir in 2 tsp each smoked paprika and ground cumin and ½ tsp mixed spice. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper and fry gently for 5 mins, till slightly softened.

  • 3.

    While the onions cook, roughly chop the tomatoes. Drain the cannellini beans and rinse well under cold water. When the veg in the pan are starting to soften, tip in the tomatoes and cannellini beans. Pour in the borlotti beans and the liquid from their tin. Pour in 800ml boiling water. Stir to mix.

  • 4.

    Bring everything in the pan to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover the pan with a lid.. Cook for 30 mins, stirring occasionally.

  • 5.

    While the bean stew simmers, slice away any tough stalks from the kale leaves and roughly shred the leaves. Stir the leaves into the stew and cook for a further 5 mins, till wilted and tender.

  • 6.

    Grate the lemon zest into the stew. Have a taste and add a little more salt and pepper or mixed spice if needed. Spoon the stew into deep bowls and serve with wedges of the lemon for squeezing.

  • Tip

    Eat & Keep
    This stew will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Simply divide it into individual portions, cool completely then freeze in freezerproof tubs. Defrost thoroughly and reheat till piping hot.

  • Tip

    Rice as nice
    This stew makes a hearty bowlful by itself or you can make it go further by cooking up some rice and spooning it into the serving bowls, then ladling the stew over the top. Because the stew is pretty chunky, you don't need much rice - allow 50g per person.

This recipe is from