White Beans Vegan Stew

Ingredients:

	Name	Units	TIP
	Soaked (brined) dried beans	2 cups
	Vegetable Oil	4 tablespoons
	Onions	2
	Medium Carrots, shredded	3
	Head of a Garlic	1
	Sundried Tomatoes	4
	Bay Leaf	1
	Whole Black Pepper	10
	Salt, to taste	1 tsp

Optional Ingredients :

	1 tablespoon Oregano
	1 tablespoon Thyme
	Crushed Red Pepper flakes, to taste

Steps:

Step 1

Overnight Soak. Rinse the beans (2 cups), place them in a large bowl and add water to cover them by 2 inches, add salt (2 tbsp), mix thoroughly and let them soak overnight. Drain and rinse beans before using.

Step 2

Place soaked beans in a large pot. Cover them by 3-inches with fresh water (or for each cup of soaked beans use 3 cups of water) and bring to a boil. Some foam might gather on top of the pot, skim it off with a spoon as necessary.

Step 3

Reduce heat, add any flavorings of choice: bay leaf (1), whole carrot (1), whole onion (1), celery stalks (2), garlic cloves (4), whole black peppers (10), vegetable oil (1 tbsp), and simmer gently covered until beans are tender. 15 minutes before the beans are ready, stir in 1 tablespoon of salt.

Step 4

Most beans will cook in 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the variety.

Step 5

Next, heat the vegetable oil (3 tbsp) in a wide, heavy-based pan and cook chopped onion (1) until it turns a light brown color and has a slightly caramelized appearance for about 10 -15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Adding some salt at the start of the process will draw out some of the water, helping them brown faster.

Step 6

Add garlic (2 cloves), shreded carrots (2), whole sun-dried tomatoes (4) and continue cooking for about 10 more minutes.

Step 7

Add cooked beans and veggie broth (water from boiled beans which is full of flavor and good nutrients), add salt, and thyme. Mix well and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and continue cooking for 15 more minutes.

Step 8

Finish with minced garlic (3 cloves), crushed red pepper flakes and parsley. Taste and adjust seasonig, then let sit to cool and thicken.

Step 9

Serve with a piece of warm, crusty bread (Buckwheat Millet Oat Bread)

Comments:

White Beans Vegan Stew

This white bean stew is absolutely delicious as is, but if you're looking to customize the flavor you can try to add more vegetables to the stew, consider adding diced celery, potatoes, leaks, peas, or even zucchini. These vegetables can add extra flavor, texture, and nutritional value to the dish. Simply sauté them along with the onion and garlic before adding the beans. Just before serving, squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over the stew. It can help enhance the taste of the beans, vegetables, and herbs in the stew. How to serve:
- Crusty bread: Serve the bean stew with slices of crusty bread.
- Rice or grains: As a side dish, accompany the stew with cooked rice, quinoa, or your favorite grains. The grains absorb the delicious stew juices, providing an additional element of heartiness and serving as a base for the beans and vegetables.