Romanian bean stew or iahnie de fasole. Vegan Romanian beans with vegetables, just like my grandma used to make them.
Iahnie de fasole, a Romanian bean stew, is what my grandmother used to make very often when I was a child.
A super healthy and vegan white bean recipe, not that would have made a difference for my grandma; I am sure she never even heard the word vegan in her life. In Romania, this was a fasting meal that you would normally eat during the fasting time before Easter or Christmas or during the two fasting days in the week: Wednesday and Friday.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a delicious, healthy, and totally satisfying meal, here it is; for me, one of the best ways of eating beans, and I do love them in every possible way. Have a look at these Flourless Black Bean Brownies or this White Bean Red Pepper Hummus.
Recipe ingredients
White beans:
- They should be white; they are the typical Romanian beans; I actually don’t even remember if we ever had any other sort.
- The size is not important.
- I used some huge ones this time, but you can make it with other-sized white beans as well.
- However, adjust the cooking time accordingly; smaller sorts will not need as long as the large ones.
Vegetables: onions, carrots, red pepper, garlic, and tomatoes.
How to make Romanian bean stew?
- Prepare beans: Soak them overnight. Cook them with one halved (unpeeled) onion, carrot, and bay leaves until soft. Drain but reserve the cooking liquid.
- Saute vegetables: Cook the second chopped onion in the oil. Add the pepper, tomatoes, and garlic.
- Simmer bean stew: Add beans and stir well. Add some cooking liquid, enough to almost cover the beans and vegetables. Add the second bay leaf and the vegetable stock cube. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes or so.
- Thicken the sauce with flour or cornstarch slurry.
Expert tips
To save time, cook the beans in a pressure cooker or instant pot according to the machine’s instructions.
Recipe FAQ
White beans like butter beans (lima beans), Great Northern Beans, or cannellini beans.
Depending on the size and age of the beans, the cooking time can vary considerably. Smaller beans will need at least 40 minutes, large beans longer. Just check.
Refrigerate leftover Romanian bean stew in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat before serving.
How to serve?
- Serve the Romanian bean stew immediately or reheat it.
- Serve with pickled vegetables like Pickled Green Tomatoes, sour cucumbers, or hot peppers and bread. Try the Flaxseed Bread or the Easy Yogurt Soda Bread.
- If you don’t care about eating vegan, some sausages or Brats in the Oven will make a perfect addition.
Other bean recipes
- Pork Rib Soup
- Bone Broth Bean Soup
- Rice and Beans Soup
- Romanian White Bean Dip – Fasole batuta
- Spanish Rice and Beans
Romanian Bean Stew (Iahnie)
Ingredients
- 300 g dried white beans large or small, 10.5 oz
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 onions
- 1 carrot
- 1 large red pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2-3 medium tomatoes
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon powdered vegetable stock or ½ a cube
- 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour Note
- 1 large tablespoon tomato paste
- fine sea salt and pepper
Instructions
- Soak the beans in water overnight.
- Cook beans: Drain, place the beans, one halved and unpeeled onion, the carrot, and 1 bay leaf in a large pot, cover with plenty of water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the beans are soft. The cooking time depends on the size and age of the beans. Small beans will need at least 40 minutes, larger ones longer.
- Drain the beans reserving the cooking liquid, and discard the onion and the carrot.
- Chop the second onion, red pepper, garlic, and tomatoes.
- Cook stew: Heat the oil in a pan and braise the onion lightly, adding a little bit of salt. Add the pepper, tomatoes, garlic, and cooked beans and stir well. Add some cooking liquid, enough to almost cover the beans and vegetables. Add the second bay leaf and the vegetable stock cube. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes or so.
- Thicken bean stew: In a small bowl, mix the flour, tomato paste, and enough cooking liquid to form a runny paste. Slowly drizzle in the stew while whisking all the time. Whisk on the outer surface of the sauce and use a wooden spoon to mix everything well afterward. You might not need all the paste; incorporate it little by little in the sauce until you get the desired consistency.
- Adjust taste: Stir thoroughly and bring everything to a boil again. Cook for a couple of minutes, adjust the taste with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.