Spicy bean hotpot with crispy potato topping

You guys seem to love hearty, home-style cooking as much as I do. Some of the most popular recipes on this blog are my very veggie lentil bake, creamy three bean stew, veggie burrito bowls… all amazing comfort food, but with lots of goodness and plenty of veg mixed in too. So I hope you like this spicy bean hotpot! It’s the ultimate comfort food.

One of the best things about this spicy bean hotpot is that although it’s comfort food, it’s actually pretty healthy comfort food. The hotpot itself is made with lots of veggies, beans, and plenty of spice, and it’s topped with a layer of crispy potatoes, which are high in fibre and low in fat (I did add a teeeeeny bit of cheese on top, but what’s the point of living if you can’t have a bit of cheese on your potatoes?). Potatoes are also a great source of potassium – more than in the same weight of bananas!

I use potatoes as a side dish all the time (potato wedges, jacket potatoes, even fancy things like chateau potatoes), but I do like working them into the main part of my meal sometimes too. Potatoes are so versatile, and can be used in so many ways – it seems a shame to always relegate them to the side of the meal.

The Potatoes: More Than A Bit On The Side campaign aims to help potatoes be the star of the show more often, and they’re definitely one of the stars of this spicy bean hotpot. Don’t get me wrong, the bean stew itself is delicious too, but let’s face it – crispy, cheesy potatoes are definitely going to be the best part of any meal.

As with any hotpot or casserole, this spicy bean hotpot does require a bit of time in the oven – about an hour to fully cook and crisp up the potatoes. It’s worth it, though – and it’s mostly hands-off time, so you can go and put your feet up (what’s everyone binge watching on Netflix at the moment?!). Or, if you’re a bit pushed for time, just parboil the potatoes first. You could even prepare the bean stew in advance and then just bake it with the potatoes on top when you’re ready.

If you’re as big a fan of potatoes as I am, you can find plenty more potato recipe ideas on the Potatoes: More Than A Bit On The Side website. In the meantime, enjoy my spicy bean hotpot!

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4.6 from 5 votes

Spicy bean hotpot with crispy potato topping

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Servings: 3 people

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced (I used yellow)
• 5 medium mushrooms, sliced or diced
• 400 g tin black beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 1/4 cups, when drained)
• 400 g tin pinto beans, drained (240g, or ~ 1 1/4 cups, when drained)
• 400 g tinned tomatoes (~ 1 1/3 cups)
• 1 tbsp hot sauce
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne chilli pepper (adjust to preference)
• Few sprigs fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 2 medium potatoes, sliced
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp grated cheddar cheese (omit for a vegan recipe)

Instructions

• Heat a dash of oil in a large saucepan, and add the onion, garlic, carrot, pepper and mushrooms. Cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are mostly soft (the carrots will still have some crunch to them).
• Add the two kinds of beans and the tin of chopped tomatoes, along with the hot sauce and spices. Mix well, and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and reached your desired consistency (you can add a dash of water back in if it's thickened too much).
• Add the chopped parsley and plenty of salt and pepper, and transfer the bean stew to a suitable casserole dish.
• Add the sliced potatoes in a single layer on top of the bean stew. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle with a little grated cheese.
• Cover the dish with a lid or some silver foil, and bake for 30 minutes at 190°C (Gas Mark 5 / 375°F). Then remove the cover, and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft, and have become golden brown and crispy.

Author: Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose. Information above is for 1/3 of the recipe.

Got a few potatoes left over? Throw them in my vegetarian Irish stew!