Very often in Malta, the change of weather is literally sudden, winter to summer is sometimes an instant experience. In fact, yesterday we swam at a very beautiful beach. Today, we have our fire on in the house – so we have gone from swimsuits to fleeces overnight. I write to you with assurance that if you are feeling chilled, then this dish will bring the summer back into your entire system – warming you, comforting you, and nourishing you. So, if you need the fire on, my fired Greek and garlic bean stew will do it for you. Oh, and by the way, I call it Greek, as my mother’s winter Greek bean stew was an all time favourite for us, around our table in the winter months (my version has the addition of other ingredients), so I suppose nostalgia must have kicked in. Your immune system will thank you for this, and, as a bonus, it is also very easy and fast to prepare. If you are wondering what to accompany it with, then try my Chilli Olive, Garlic and Crusty herb bread – a feast of fire awaits !
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
4–5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 large sweet potato, cut into squares
1 large carrot, chopped
1 tin (400g) of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
6 cherry tomatoes
1½ tbsp tomato puree
2 cups of vegetable stock
1 tsp chilli powder (adjust to suit your palette)
1 tbsp fresh celery, finely chopped
½ tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp vegan margarine
salt to taste
METHOD
In a non-stick casserole, fry your onion, carrots and sweet potato pieces. Allow to cook, and mix for around 3-4 minutes. Then add the garlic, and continue to stir for a couple of minutes (don’t burn the garlic or else it can turn toxic).
Now add the cherry tomatoes and tomato puree, and mix for around another minute. Then add the cinnamon, stock and all the other ingredients and lower the heat. Allow to simmer for 40 minutes, checking on it every so often and stirring.
The stew is ready when the veges are nice and soft. Serve whilst hot with my “Chilli Olive, Garlic & Crusty Herb bread”.
Enjoy !.
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March 17th, 2011 at 9:55 am
For something so ‘stewy’ and nurturing to appear in the pot that easily is exciting! Delicious and so satisfying. I love a good bean stew. Thank you for this recipe.
March 17th, 2011 at 11:07 am
You are welcome – it is even tastier than what it looks like in the pic ! Highly enjoyable and highly nutritious ! Enjoy !
May 21st, 2011 at 8:52 pm
Well.. just put the plates aside and had to tell you how much I enjoyed that. This was my first attempt at a bean stew. I have only ever cooked stir-fry and salads because they’re quick, but this stew is so easy to prepare and while it was simmering I went ahead and prepared the Chili olive and garlic bread as you suggested. It was a perfect meal…..I’m a happy man tonight
May 22nd, 2011 at 2:03 pm
Hi Pierre, welcome to my gourmet vegan food blog ! am so glad to have you sample one of my recipes for the first time. Am delighted you enjoyed it, and yes, it sure is easy to prepare, and fast too for that matter. Good one, now you can enjoy some others when you feel like sampling them. That’s awesome ! Look forward to your future comments. Best to you !
November 22nd, 2011 at 1:57 pm
Feeling warmer just looking at the beautiful photo and reading the description <3 YUM!!
November 22nd, 2011 at 2:11 pm
Hi Miriam I made this recipe last week and its absolutely gorgeous, my 22 month old daughter has been brought up vegan and she especially loves sweet potato and the beans in this. It is so tasty, also fed it to one of my friends and she really enjoyed it too, I have made some soups from your site also and very impressed. Next on the list is the the red velvet chocolate cake…..going to make it for my husbands birthday! He loves my vegan desserts! Husband not vegan though eats yummy vegan food.
Thankyou for sharing your wonderful yummytastic recipes with us all. Best regards. Gina
November 22nd, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Gina Hi again and great to hear from you. Many thanks indeed for your wonderful feedback. I am delighted that your 22 month old daughter enjoyed this too, together with your friends. Glad to hear that you have enjoyed my soups too, that’s great news – if you can post a short comment on them at some point, I would be grateful to you. I look forward to your future comments, particularly the Red Velvet Chocolate Cake you would love to make for him – lucky him indeed. Cheers to you and best !
November 22nd, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Thanks FLI – thanks for your complimentary comment. Cheers.
November 26th, 2011 at 12:43 pm
We have tried this dish and it is absolutely superb. It is very easy and quickly done and tasted magnificent. The combination of garlic and cinnamon has been new to me and it just tastes great. A perfect dish for winter.
November 26th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Hi Miriam
I made this yesterday and it was delicious! I didn’t have a couple of ingredients in, so replaced the beans with chickpeas and the sweet potato with butternut squash. Thanks again for your great recipes. Just one thing, I can’t find the recipe on your site for the Chilli Olive garlic and crusty herb bread. It sounds yummy! Could you let me know where I can find this? Thanks!
November 26th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Nadja Hi there and thanks for your feedback, am glad that you enjoyed the combination of flavours, and you are right it is easy to prepare and is a great winter treat too. Look forward to your future comments on my blog. Cheers to you !
November 26th, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Hi there Lucy and thanks for your comments here, glad this was enjoyed in spite of a few changes – you still got a great result and what you did sounds good – I have occasionally made this with different beans and also with squash – the garlic bread I have not yet published as with Xmas between now and then I am concentrating on promised Xmas delights. So here is the recipe just for YOU – enjoy !!! For this you will need :-
A baguette cut into chunks (as per my pic on the blog)
Around 5 fresh garlic cloves crushed
1/4 of a cup of olive oil (extra virgin does it)
A pinch of sea salt
Some chopped chilli or tabasco around a teaspoon
A handful of herbs of your choice, ideally rosemary and basil fresh would be great, but if not use 1/2 a teaspoon of dried.
Method:-
Put the oven on around 200 degrees. Now place a piece of foil on the base of an oven dish, place your bread on it, now in a small clean bowl place the above ingredients, mix well and then spoon onto your bread – place in a hot oven for around 15 minutes being careful not to burn them.
November 27th, 2011 at 5:59 pm
Yet another other delicious recipe by Miriam, not difficult to make and tasting delicious. As alway thnks Miriam.
November 27th, 2011 at 6:28 pm
Made your soup his morning, it is delicious, thanks again, I also love the way you lay out the recipe it makes easy to follow.
November 27th, 2011 at 6:35 pm
Many thanks for your comment Ruth, are you referring to my spinach soup or the broccoli one, am not sure, but all the same glad you enjoyed it. Cheers to you !
November 27th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Ruth Hi there and thanks so much for your wonderful comment, am glad that this Greek Stew was enjoyed ! Very best to you always !
April 25th, 2012 at 1:08 am
DDDEEEEELLLLIIICCCIIIOOOUUUSSS!!!!! Thank you! The hubs made this for me over the weekend
April 25th, 2012 at 9:34 am
Sam Hi there and welcome here. I am delighted that you have enjoyed this bean dish. Do come back with your future comments ! Cheers !
October 14th, 2012 at 4:15 am
This was divine! I always have these ingredients on hand so why they haven’t come together like this before is such a shame. I made the Garlic Toasts too, I just added a bit of sun-dried tomato. Thanks for this new winter staple!
October 14th, 2012 at 11:29 am
Hi Tina, that sounds great, yes the sun dried tomatoes sound fantastic as an addition – we have them that way too from time to time ! I look forward to your future comments on my blog ! Best wishes in the meantime.
October 21st, 2012 at 3:55 am
Hi there. Made this a few days ago, and it was a big hit! Even my 10 month old daughter loved it. Thanks
October 21st, 2012 at 9:32 am
Annie Hi there and thanks for dropping by here with your comment. Am glad you loved it and your little daughter too ! I look forward to your future comments on my blog. Cheers !
November 3rd, 2012 at 6:49 pm
Wonderful dish – thanks for sharing! I’ve made it 3 times already and really love it. Made it last night but didn’t have any sweet potato so used butternut squash instead – also yummy! Can’t wait to try some more of your recipes.
November 3rd, 2012 at 8:48 pm
Hi there Neil thanks for your feedback and glad you made and enjoyed this – sweet potato, squash, pumpkin all work well with this. I very much look forward to your future comments on my blog Neil and best wishes your way in the meantime !
January 15th, 2013 at 11:01 am
Shared on Facebook!
Warming up to a nice stew! Thank you Miriam!
January 15th, 2013 at 11:37 am
Gina,this recipe by Miriam Sorrell, not only looks like something I would love to eat, but it’s easy to make. Just put all your ingredients out in front of you and then a minute here and 2 minutes there and wait for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and relax. Thank you! Now I have to look up the garlic bread, yay!
January 15th, 2013 at 1:22 pm
I’m new to your blog – can’t wait to try your recipes!
Can this recipe be made in a thermomix? Are you able to post the TM instructions pls?
January 15th, 2013 at 4:22 pm
Jenella Hi there and welcome here. I would make the recipe as per described, I have never tried it any other way so I cannot comment with certainty. If you are referring to a slow cooker, then make it as per recipe and finish it off in one. TM ??? What’s that ? Hope you make and enjoy it !
January 15th, 2013 at 4:23 pm
Hope you enjoy it Julie !
January 15th, 2013 at 4:24 pm
You’re welcome as always dear Michael and thanks for sharing !
January 15th, 2013 at 7:29 pm
Enjoying all your recipes and your giving me great ideas ( which initially upon becoming vegan are not always there !! ) Didn’t realize that you live in Malta. You must have far more access to vegan foods there than i do here in Turkey, so some meals i have to miss out on or ” tweak ” a little , either way thank you for the great photography too by the way and i look forward to the next recipe .
January 15th, 2013 at 8:20 pm
Hi there Fuzzy and welcome here. Thanks for dropping by here with your comment. I love Turkish food and will be introducing more of it on my blog soon. Meantime, join our newsletter for more info etc. . . Meantime, I look forward to your future comment on my blog. Best wishes your way !
January 16th, 2013 at 5:07 am
Love the recipe, but cannot find anywhere what is flat leaf celery? Is that parsley or celery leaf? or something else?
January 16th, 2013 at 12:16 pm
Elizabeth Hi there and welcome here. Where I live there are 2 types of celery, one is a dark green colour with flat leaves and a thiner base than the other, that is to say that the 2nd type we get (which is far more common worldwide) is the thick light green chunky celery – you may use that one, so long as it’s celery it will work so no worries. Let me know how it goes and enjoy ! Cheers to you.
January 16th, 2013 at 8:42 pm
OMG yet another very Delicious, tasty meal. It has a real Spanish Chorizo taste to it.
Thank you.
January 17th, 2013 at 9:08 pm
Sally Hi there and welcome here. Many thanks for your feedback on this dish and am glad you enjoyed it. I very much look forward to your future comments on my blog and best wishes you way in the meantime !
January 18th, 2013 at 9:04 am
Looking forward to your Turkish recipes…just wish more vegan items were available here but i’m up to the challenge and have found many alternatives. l think we both have the same taste in comforting delicious healthy alternatives. Best of luck Miriam you’re very clever x
January 18th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Fuzzy thanks for dropping by. Good for you for facing the challenge face-on, you are brave and resolute which means you will succeed. I look forward to your future comments on my blog. Cheers to you !
January 19th, 2013 at 2:31 am
Miriam, just wanted to confirm again, the celery to use is the chunky part, not the leaves, is this correct? I’ve been told that my kids look too thin (I don’t know if they are or aren’t) but just in case since they won’t eat avocado any other way, I blended 3 avocados into the soup and it tasted great. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. I will add it to my favorites.
January 19th, 2013 at 11:03 am
Elizabeth Hi there. Glad this stew was enjoyed. Use every part of the celery except for the very bottom which is usually much lighter than the rest – use it as you normally would. Don’t worry too much about what other people say, their own yard stick may be a little different to what is normal. I will add you to our new upcoming free monthly newsletter if you wish for more details on veganism etc just let me know if so. Best wishes your way and glad you added the avocados. Make sure they eat bananas too as a sweet, treat and dessert.
May 17th, 2013 at 6:15 pm
Hi Miriam,
Wanted to make it this evening but now I gotta a problem.
What do you mean by 2 cups of vegetable stock?
I got vegetable stock that’s already prepared, do I just put a tbsp of that into 500 ml of warm water and add that to the rest of the ingredients?
Hope you see this soon so I can start making it.
May 17th, 2013 at 6:24 pm
Nvm Miriam, just saw on the package of the vegetable stock I have that I need to use half a soup ladle for 500ml.
May 18th, 2013 at 8:44 am
I am pleased that you found the instructions. Hope it turned out good for you Pascal.
May 18th, 2013 at 8:47 am
Pascal Hi there. I only read my comments minutes ago today as have not been online for the last day, but I am glad that you managed in the end. Best your way and hope you enjoyed it !
May 18th, 2013 at 10:08 am
Yep I succeeded and it was good
Just one question, any idea what I can replace the cinnamon with cause I gotta be honest I don’t really like it?
May 18th, 2013 at 1:28 pm
Pascal Hi and glad you enjoyed it. I am going to suggest that the next time you use half the amount of cinnamon, or leave it out altogether. Although that said the cinnamon is one of the most important ingredients in this. Try a little more curry powder. Cheers !
May 18th, 2013 at 5:16 pm
Ok thx, I still stick to more chilli powder then.
I like my food a bit spicy anyway
May 18th, 2013 at 10:07 pm
Good thinking Pascal.