Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (2024)

Spain on a Fork > All Recipes > Main Dishes > Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe

Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (2)

All Recipes, Main Dishes / November 29, 2021

354 Shares

This Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew, is truly one of Spain´s most iconic dishes. It´s made with the humblest ingredients, filled with so many great flavors and easy to make. Serve it next to a crunchy baguette and a bottle of Spanish wine for the ultimate Spanish experience.

Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (3)
This is a dish that dates back hundreds of years, where Spanish farmers would grown their own ingredients to create dishes just like this. Healthy, affordable and filling your body with so much goodness.

Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (4)
To make this recipe, I used plain small dried white beans. But you can use any dried white beans you like. Such as navy beans or cannellini beans. Of course, you can take the short-cut here and use canned white beans instead. But to keep things traditonal, I used dried white beans.

Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (5)

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The secret to working with dried beans is easy. First rinse them and then soak in water for at least 8 hours. Once you add them into the pan, add the liquid and bring to a boil. Then place a lid and lower to a low-medium heat. In my case, it took 1 hour to cook the beans, but it might take you less or more. Just keep and eye on them after 45 minutes, and add more liquid as needed. Remember to season at the end, otherwise the beans will take longer to cook and end up with a tough texture.

Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (6)

Key Ingredients & Cookware I used in this Recipe:
MY NONSTICK FRYING PAN
EXTRA VIRGIN SPANISH OLIVE OIL
SPANISH PAPRIKA
HOMEMADE VEGETABLE BROTH
SPANISH SEA SALT

If you´re not already subscribed to my youtube channel, become a subscriber and click on the bell icon to be notified everytime I release a new video.

Support Spain on a Fork. Get your Spain on a Fork T-shirt and other awesome Merchandise here.
Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (7)

Join Me on Patreon!
Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (8)

Watch the Video Below on How to Make this Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew

Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (9)

Print

Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew

CourseMain Course

CuisineSpanish

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Resting Time 12 hours

Servings 2

Calories 518 kcal

Author Albert Bevia @ Spain on a Fork

Ingredients

  • 1cupdried white beans180 grams
  • 2tbspextra virgin olive oil30 ml
  • 1/2onion
  • 4clovesgarlic
  • 1tspsweet smoked Spanish paprika2.30 grams
  • 5cupsvegetable broth1200 ml
  • 2bay leafs
  • pinchsea salt
  • dashblack pepper

Instructions

  1. Measure out 1 cup dried white beans, add into a colander and rinse under cold water, making sure to remove any broken beans and/or debris, then transfer the beans into a large bowl, add in 4 cups (1 liter) cold water and let the beans sit for 8 to 16 hours

  2. After at least 8 hours, drain the beans back into the colander and give them one final rinse under cold water

  3. Heat a stock pot with a medium heat and add in 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

  4. After 2 minutes, add in 1/2 onion finely diced and 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped, mix with the olive oil, after 3 minutes and the onions are translucent, add in 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika, quickly mix together, then add in the rinsed beans and mix, next add in 5 cups vegetable broth and 2 bay leafs, raise the heat to a high heat and bring to a boil, then place a lid on the pan and lower the heat to a low-medium heat

  5. After 1 hour, the beans should be perfectly cooked, remove the lid (if your beans are still not done, cook for another 10 to 30 minutes, adding more broth as needed), season with sea salt & black pepper, gently mix together and simmer for another 2 minutes, then remove from the heat

  6. Transfer into shallow bowls and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley, enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew

Amount Per Serving

Calories 518Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 10g

Sodium 891mg39%

Potassium 1895mg54%

Carbohydrates 73g24%

Fiber 19g79%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 27g54%

Vitamin A 500IU10%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 261mg26%

Iron 11mg61%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Disclosure: At Spain on a Fork, we offer affiliate links to help you find what you need to re-create our recipes. If you like what we do, you can support us through our chosen links, which earn us a commission, but you still pay the same price. Learn more here.

354 Shares

Tags: bay leaves, beans, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, gluten free, onions, poor man´s bean stew, recipe, stew, sweet smoked spanish paprika, vegan, vegetable broth, white bean stew, white beans

Share:

You May Also Like

All Recipes, Tapas

All Recipes, Tapas

Got Canned Sardines? Make these Spanish-Style Fried Sardines

All Recipes, Main Dishes

HEARTY Kidney Bean “Meatballs” | Spanish-Style in Garlic Sauce

10 Comments

  1. Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (13)

    Evangelina

    This is an easy, wonderful way to cook the beans, especially if you’re not really a cook. Can you use other kinds of beans, like navy beans or pinto beans? Thanks fir the great recope.

    12 . Jun . 2023

    • Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (14)

      Spain on a Fork

      Yes any type of bean can be used here 🙂 Much love

      13 . Jun . 2023

  2. Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (15)

    Chas

    Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (16)
    Thank you oh so very much!
    DELICIOUS ‼️🏆

    21 . Mar . 2023

    • Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (17)

      Spain on a Fork

      So happy to hear that! Thanks for the comment 🙂 Much love

      22 . Mar . 2023

  3. Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (18)

    Marina

    Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (19)
    Just made this for dinner here in Australia & we are totally in love with this dish! It is so flavourful, though only using basic ingredients. We followed your recipe exactly & it turned out fantastic! Thank you for sharing this beautiful Spanish dish with us!

    06 . Dec . 2021

    • Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (20)

      Spain on a Fork

      So happy to hear that!!! Thanks for the comment Marina 🙂 much love

      07 . Dec . 2021

  4. Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (21)

    Joe Vee

    Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (22)
    EXCELLENT! (but then, I love all kind of beans . . .)

    02 . Dec . 2021

    • Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (23)

      Spain on a Fork

      Yes!! me too 🙂 Much love

      03 . Dec . 2021

  5. Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (24)

    Johan

    Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (25)
    if you use canned beans- do we reduce the amount of broth or the same amount?

    30 . Nov . 2021

    • Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (26)

      Spain on a Fork

      I would add in about 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) broth and then add in more if needed 🙂 much love

      30 . Nov . 2021

Leave A Comment

Spanish Poor Man´s Bean Stew | Potaje de Alubias a lo Pobre Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are alubia beans in English? ›

Cannellini beans or alubia blanca in Spanish, are white, large kidney shaped beans with a slightly nutty, mild flavour and soft texture. Because of their distinct shape, they are also referred to as white kidney beans.

How to cook dried alubia beans? ›

First rinse them and then soak in water for at least 8 hours. Once you add them into the pan, add the liquid and bring to a boil. Then place a lid and lower to a low-medium heat. In my case, it took 1 hour to cook the beans, but it might take you less or more.

What are the large white beans from Spain? ›

Big, kidney-shaped beans with white skin. Smooth and glossy and they don´t lose their skin when cooked. These beans take a long time to cook, but once cooked they are soft and firm.

What is bean stew made of? ›

This is the kind of winter food that makes you feel cozy inside. Every bite feels like a bit of Italian indulgence, but it's made with wholesome plant-based ingredients: beans, aromatics, garlic, herbs, tomatoes, olive oil, and vegetable broth. Okay, and a little white wine!

What kind of bean is alubia? ›

Alubia beans also known as White Kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are largely grown in Argentina. Argentina is well recognized by the world market as a high quality source for these beans with a remarkable appearance and extraordinary taste. These beans are creamy and succulent in texture.

Are alubia beans the same as cannellini beans? ›

White Kidney Beans

Also known as cannellini or alubia beans, they are white or cream-coloured. When puréed, they are similar to creamy mashed potatoes and make a perfect low-fat base for dips and spreads.

How long do you soak alubia beans for? ›

Place the beans in a large bowl. Discard any stones or debris. Cover with 2 to 3 inches of water and discard any beans that float. Soak at room temperature for 8 hours or over overnight.

How long to soak alubia beans? ›

Before cooking, all dried beans need to be rehydrated by soaking. The 10- to 12-hour overnight soak is the easy and always effective method, but you can quick-soak beans by bringing them to the boil for one minute, then covering the pan and letting them sit for one hour.

Does adding baking soda to beans reduce gas? ›

But, according to a study from 1985, adding a little baking soda to the water while soaking dried beans decreases the amount of gas-causing oligosaccharides in cooked beans. (Yes, you can cook beans in the same water they were soaked in.

What do people in Spain call beans? ›

On the one hand, we find what in Spain it's called “alubias” or “judías” (beans), which can be red (“alubias pintas”) or white (“alubias blancas” or “judías blancas”).

What kind of beans do they eat in Spain? ›

The Spanish word for "bean" also has many a regional variation, depending on who you are talking to they may be called habas, alubias, judías, habichuelas… the list goes on. White kidney beans are the most popular. Large, flat white beans such as the faba asturiana are now very much in demand.

What kind of beans do Hispanics eat? ›

The pinto bean is perhaps one of the most common type of beans used in most Mexican dishes. Like the black bean, the pinto bean is also loaded with nutritious elements including high fiber and protein. Pinto beans are served both whole and mashed, which will become the refried bean.

What is the thickener in a white bean soup? ›

What is the thickener in a white bean soup? In this recipe, what really thickens up the soup is the 15 oz of white beans that you are mashing and the starches from the potatoes. We aren't using cornstarch or a thickening agent in this recipe, it really doesn't need it!

Why do we soak beans before stewing? ›

Soaking beans can help improve the texture of the final product once the beans are cooked and reduce the gas produced when the food is being digested. But it isn't necessary to soak them. To cook beans without soaking them first, follow these steps: Sort and rinse your dried beans.

How do you thicken beans for stew? ›

In a separate bowl, dissolve a teaspoon or two of cornstarch or all-purpose flour in a small amount of cold water. Add the slurry to the bubbling soup. The soup should thicken up.

Where do alubia beans come from? ›

Small, nutty Alubia is versatile and perfect for hearty entrées and refreshing salads alike. Its name has Arabic origins and variations are grown from the Mediterranean to Mexico.

What is the other name for Baguio beans? ›

Green beans are known by many common names, including French beans (French: haricot vert), string beans (although most modern varieties are "stringless"), and snap beans or simply "snaps." In the Philippines, they are also known as "Baguio beans" or "habichuelas" to distinguish them from yardlong beans.

What do Argentina call beans? ›

Beans (frijoles) are porotos; Strawberries (fresas) are frutillas (remember the different sound of the double lls); And bacon (tocina) is borderline Italian; it's panceta.

What are the 4 types of white beans? ›

What Are White Beans? White beans as a category includes navy beans, great northern beans, cannellini beans, baby lima beans, butter beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, etc. These are the most popular types of white beans (cooked white beans), however each type has its own unique peculiarities and features.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kelle Weber

Last Updated:

Views: 5865

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kelle Weber

Birthday: 2000-08-05

Address: 6796 Juan Square, Markfort, MN 58988

Phone: +8215934114615

Job: Hospitality Director

Hobby: tabletop games, Foreign language learning, Leather crafting, Horseback riding, Swimming, Knapping, Handball

Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.