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Vegetarian, European

Navarra style pochas with vegetables

Navarra style pochas with vegetables are white beans simmered with peppers, tomatoes, onion, and garlic, served with bread for dipping. For 4 people, it takes 50 minutes and the dish is easy, at a cost of €1.80 per person. The key is a very gentle simmer that keeps the beans whole and creamy.

Tonight it's all comfort with Navarra pochas, white beans simmered with garden vegetables, and bread to mop up the sauce.

Navarra style pochas with vegetables
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.80
Calories per person
630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter

Navarra pochas are soft white beans swollen with a tomato and pepper sauce, melting in your mouth without ever falling apart. The creamy texture comes as much from the bean itself as from the long simmer with vegetables, which turn into a thick sauce scented with paprika. It's a comforting dish, the kind you eat by the spoonful while dunking bread into it.

It's the perfect dish for a slow fall or winter Sunday, when you have time to let it simmer without rushing. It also works well on a weeknight if you chop the vegetables the day before. Mon Chou likes this kind of recipe that needs few steps but plenty of patience, and fills the whole family for almost nothing.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Canned white beansoften in the pantry 800 g
  • Sweet paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Red bell pepper 1
  • Green bell pepper 1
  • Onion 1
  • Tomatoes 3
  • Garlic 3 cloves

Bakery

  • Country bread 8 slices

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Drain the beans and rinse them gently. Dice the onion, peppers, and garlic finely, and chop the tomatoes.

    Peel the tomatoes by dipping them in boiling water for 30 seconds, the skin slips right off.

  2. Cook the onion, garlic, and peppers in olive oil over low heat until soft. 15 min

    Cover the pan at first, the vegetables release their water and soften without sticking.

  3. Add the tomatoes, paprika, and bay leaves, and let simmer gently for fifteen minutes. 15 min

    Add the paprika after the vegetables, so it flavors the sauce without ever burning.

  4. Stir in the beans, a little water if needed, salt and pepper, and let it simmer very gently. 15 min

    Stir with a wooden spoon by lifting rather than turning, the beans stay whole.

  5. Serve piping hot in deep plates, with the bread slices for dipping.

    The dish tastes even better reheated the next day, double the amounts if you want leftovers.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use canned white beans rather than dried ones, they're already cooked and hold their skins better through the simmer.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the beans, that's the right moment to adjust salt and paprika without risking breaking the beans while stirring.
  • If the sauce reduces too fast, add water in small amounts rather than all at once, to keep a texture that's neither too thin nor too thick.

The variations

  • Swap the green pepper for a yellow pepper for a milder sauce with less bitterness.
  • Add a few slices of mild chorizo at the start of cooking with the vegetables for a heartier, non vegetarian version.
  • For kids, blend a small ladle of the sauce with the vegetables before adding it to the beans, the texture becomes smoother and easier to eat.

What to serve it with

  • Grilled country bread
  • Simple green salad
  • Glass of grape juice

Storage

Pochas keep for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the flavor actually improves the next day. They freeze well for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Reheat gently with a splash of water to bring back a smooth sauce.

Questions about this dish

Can you make pochas with dried beans instead of canned?

Yes, but you need to soak them overnight then precook them for about an hour before adding them to the sauce. Canned beans stay more practical and just as creamy for a quick recipe.

Why should you avoid boiling the beans hard?

A hard boil bursts the bean skins and gives a mealy texture. A gentle simmer keeps the beans whole with creamy flesh inside.

Can you make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes, the tomato and pepper sauce can be made the day before and kept in the fridge. Just reheat it gently and add the beans at the last moment so they don't fall apart.

What bread works best for soaking up the sauce?

A slightly stale country loaf absorbs the sauce well without breaking down too fast. Avoid very soft bread that dissolves before it reaches your plate.

How long does it take to make a pot of Navarra style pochas with vegetables?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a pot of Navarra style pochas with vegetables?

About 630 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pot of Navarra style pochas with vegetables cost?

About €1.80 per serving, or €7.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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