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    Home » Recipes » Vegetarian Casseroles and Stews

    May 26, 2022 by Becca Heyes · This post may contain affiliate links · 53 Comments

    Creamy Three Bean Stew

    7.6K shares
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    Total time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 4
    4.85 from 20 votes
    Jump to Recipe Rate this Recipe

    This creamy three bean stew is the ideal healthy comfort food - with fresh veg and three types of beans, in a luxurious creamy tomato sauce!

    Overhead shot of a bowl of creamy three bean stew with a dollop of sour cream.

    This creamy three bean stew is basically my perfect dinner. It feels like a luxurious, comforting meal, but is packed with fresh vegetables and protein-rich beans (three kinds, in case you couldn't have guessed) - all coated in a creamy, silky sauce with heaps of flavour (swoooon).

    It ticks all the boxes!

    A bowlful of creamy three bean stew topped with parsley and a dollop of sour cream.

    Healthy comfort food

    Veggie-packed comfort food has got to be my all-time favourite food category, and it doesn't get much better than this creamy three bean stew. It's absolutely full of goodness, but is about as far from rabbit food as you can get (I've never been much of a salad person).

    After eating a meal like this veggie stew, you feel totally satisfied, and your body thanks you too.

    Close up photo of a spoon being dipped into a bowl of creamy bean stew.

    What's in this creamy three bean stew?

    There are 3 main elements to this hearty vegetarian stew:

    1. the vegetables - I chose carrots, courgette (zucchini) and mushrooms
    2. the beans - three different types! I used black beans, kidney beans and cannellini beans
    3. the sauce - made with tomatoes, creamy tomato soup, and an extra dollop of cream for good measure

    As long as you make sure your bean stew contains these three elements, it will be a success - even if you decide to switch things up a bit (see below for some ideas for how to adapt the recipe!).

    A spoon taking a scoop of vegetarian bean stew from a bowl.

    How to make creamy three bean stew

    Step 1: Fry off the vegetables

    Start by dicing your veggies, and adding them to a large saucepan. Cook them for a few minutes until they're just starting to soften.

    Diced vegetables being cooked in a saucepan.

    Step 2: Add most of the remaining ingredients

    We're already at the 'add everything else' stage - this recipe really couldn't get much simpler.

    Add the beans and sauce ingredients to the pan, and leave everything to simmer for a little while, until the sauce has thickened nicely and the vegetables and beans are totally soft.

    Three bean stew being cooked in a saucepan.

    Step 3: Make it extra creamy

    As a little finishing touch, I like to add one more little dollop of something to make it extra creamy. To be honest, there are lots of ingredients you could use for this purpose, which would all have pretty much the same effect:

    • cream
    • sour cream
    • Greek yogurt
    • cream cheese

    Just be careful if you're using the low fat version of any of these ingredients, as low fat dairy products can sometimes split and curdle in this kind of situation.

    It's best to stick to the full fat version if you can, or if you really want to use low fat, temper the ingredient first. To do this, mix a spoonful of your hot stew into the yogurt (or whatever you're using) first, then add it all back into the pot. This helps to minimise the temperature shock, and reduces the risk of curdling.

    A dollop of sour cream being added to a rich tomatoey bean stew in a saucepan.

    The difference that one good dollop of sour cream had on my three bean stew was really pretty amazing:

    Creamy three bean stew in a saucepan.

    It makes the whole thing so much more luxurious, and transforms a simple bean stew into something seriously tempting.

    A bowlful of creamy vegetarian three bean stew topped with parsley and sour cream.

    How to serve three bean stew

    This stew already contains all the most important food groups, so there's no need to serve anything alongside it if you don't want to. Just a nice big bowl and a spoon are all you need.

    Personally though, I think a bit of garlic bread or some crusty bread and butter are absolutely perfect for mopping up the bowl and adding a nice bit of crunch...

    A hand using a piece of garlic bread to scoop up some three bean stew.

    How to adapt the recipe

    One of the best things about this recipe is that it's endlessly adaptable - it's such a good fridge clearer. I would be willing to bet that almost all of you could make this three bean stew entirely from ingredients you already have in the house.

    Who doesn't already have a cupboard full of random tins of beans? And a fridge full of veggies that could do with being used up?

    Just chuck 'em all in - the more the merrier.

    You could choose different vegetables, different beans, or adjust the sauce ingredients, and you'll almost certainly still end up with a really tasty meal. In fact, it's pretty fun if it ends up slightly different each time you make it.

    Overhead shot of a bowl of creamy three bean stew.

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    Creamy Three Bean Stew

    This creamy three bean stew is the ideal healthy comfort food - with fresh veg and three types of beans, in a luxurious creamy tomato sauce!

    If you've cooked this recipe, don't forget to leave a star rating!

    4.85 from 20 votes
    Print Pin Comment
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 368kcal
    Author: Becca Heyes
    (prevents your screen from going dark)

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon oil
    • 1 onion, sliced or diced
    • 2 medium carrots, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 medium courgette (zucchini), diced
    • ~ 5 medium mushrooms, diced
    • 400 g tin cannellini beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 ¼ cups, when drained)
    • 400 g tin black beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 ¼ cups, when drained)
    • 400 g tin kidney beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 ¼ cups, when drained)
    • 400 g (~ 1⅓ cups) tinned tomatoes
    • 400 g (~ 1 ⅓ cups) tin cream of tomato soup
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled
    • 2 tablespoon cream, cream cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt (full fat versions)
    • Small bunch fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

    Instructions

    • Heat a dash of oil in a large saucepan, and add the diced onion and carrot. Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion has softened slightly. Add the garlic, courgette and mushrooms, and cook for a further 5 minutes, until the vegetables are beginning to soften.
    • Add the three drained tins of beans, tin of tomatoes, and tin of tomato soup. Also add the oregano and black pepper, along with a crumbled stock cube (or just some salt, if you prefer).
    • Bring to a simmer, and cook for around 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to produce a thick sauce.
    • Add the cream, mix to combine, and serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

    Notes

    Feel free to use different vegetables or different beans, depending on what you have in the kitchen.
    It's best to use full fat dairy products for cooking, as low fat varieties tend to split and curdle when added to heat. If you really need to use a low fat dairy ingredient, temper it before adding it to the stew. To do this, mix one spoonful of the hot stew into the low fat yogurt (or whatever it is), and stir it together. Then add it back into the stew. This reduces the temperature shock to the yogurt, and minimises the risk of curdling.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 portion - Calories: 368 kcal - Carbohydrates: 60.1 g - Protein: 18.6 g - Fat: 7.4 g - Saturated Fat: 2.5 g - Cholesterol: 11 mg - Sodium: 1082 mg - Potassium: 1217 mg - Fiber: 17.8 g - Sugar: 9.8 g - Calcium: 111 mg - Iron: 7 mg

    Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.

    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @EasyCheesyVeg or tag #EasyCheesyVegetarian!

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    Comments

    1. janet cheney says

      December 16, 2022 at 12:00 am

      Excellent store cupboard with fresh veg recipe, very tasty. I used Parsnips instead of Carrots which worked well and a teaspoon of smoked paprika instead of a stock cube. Adding a couple of spoonfuls of full fat yoghurt as suggested was a really nice touch5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca Heyes says

        January 10, 2023 at 10:19 am

        Thanks Janet! Glad you enjoyed it :)

        Reply
    2. Katelyn says

      September 13, 2022 at 12:49 am

      This is the perfect recipe for fall - so healthy too!

      Reply
      • Becca Heyes says

        September 13, 2022 at 11:29 am

        Thanks! Glad you like it!

        Reply
    3. Fiona says

      May 02, 2022 at 6:25 pm

      Loved the bean stew. I’ve made enough for 6 so planning to freeze it. I put in a pinch of Bird’s eye chilli flakes.

      Fiona

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        May 09, 2022 at 10:13 am

        Thanks Fiona, I bet it will freeze well :)

        Reply
    4. Nina says

      August 03, 2021 at 6:40 am

      Creamy three bean stew is absolutely delicious.
      I make it every week without fail.
      So glad I came across it.
      Thank you for sharing.
      Nina

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        August 04, 2021 at 10:10 am

        Thanks Nina, glad you enjoy it! :)

        Reply
    5. Aoife O'Callaghan says

      March 07, 2021 at 7:03 pm

      Absolutely beautiful filling stew and easy to prepare.

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        April 13, 2021 at 9:20 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    6. Gill says

      February 10, 2020 at 12:42 pm

      I always like to look at member recipes the give me a good idea 5 stars

      Reply
    7. Jenny says

      February 10, 2020 at 8:50 am

      Can't wait to make this thanks4 stars

      Reply
    8. Tom Wilson says

      January 27, 2020 at 5:57 pm

      I found this about a year ago and it's one of my favorite cold weather stews. Its hearty and filling but doesn't leave you feeling weighed down. My family loves it so I make a double recipe and we have plenty of leftovers. This stew freezes and reheats well.5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        February 07, 2020 at 1:42 pm

        Thanks for the lovely feedback Tom! :)

        Reply
    9. Lisa says

      January 08, 2020 at 6:15 pm

      Oooo this was amazing, I slow cooked mine over 3 hours  and had it with sweet potato mash. As well as tinned tomatoes I put in a few fresh tomatoes that I had leftover. Yum yum 😋 

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        January 09, 2020 at 3:30 pm

        Glad you enjoyed it! :)

        Reply
    10. Robert Young says

      July 26, 2019 at 10:21 pm

      This was so so good! As a single guy, it gave me plenty of delicious leftovers for a few days as well. I used sour cream instead of creme fraiche, and added a boatload of cayenne pepper.

      Thank you for sharing!5 stars

      Reply
      • Becca @ Easy Cheesy Vegetarian says

        August 14, 2019 at 9:21 am

        Thanks Robert, glad you enjoyed it! :)

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Becca! I've been a vegetarian for 20+ years, and unlike most of my other childhood pursuits, I actually stuck with it! I love cooking vegetarian food that's full of flavour, but doesn't take a lot of effort to make.

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