Skip to content

Vegetarian, Meal soups and plant based

White bean and tomato stew with toasted bread

This white bean and tomato stew is a vegetarian dish for 4 people, ready in 40 minutes, rated very easy, for about €1.40 per person. The trick is mashing a ladle of beans near the end of cooking, which thickens the sauce without cream. Served with toasted bread, it makes a full, comforting meal.

Tonight I'm making you a big white bean stew, all red with tomato, with toasted bread for mopping up the sauce.

White bean and tomato stew with toasted bread
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.40
Calories per person
500 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

The tomato sauce, simmered a while with onion, carrot, and garlic, turns a deep red and tastes round, never sharp. The white beans go soft and soak up that sauce, giving the whole pot some weight. Mashing one ladleful with a fork is enough to thicken everything into a creamy texture, no cream or extra fat needed.

This is the kind of dish to make on a weeknight, since it asks for little chopping and barely any watching. Kids tend to like it because it's mild and easy to eat, especially with toasted bread for dipping. Mon Chou puts it on the table in fall and winter, when you want something warming that doesn't ask much of you.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Cooked white beans (can)often in the pantry 800 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Bay leafoften in the pantry 1
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 2
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Carrot 1
  • Thyme 4 sprigs

Bakery

  • Country bread 8 slices

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Thinly slice the onions, grate the carrot, and chop the garlic, then cook them in the oil over low heat.

    Let the onions turn translucent without browning, that's what gives the stew its sweetness.

  2. Add the crushed tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper, and let it simmer down. 10 min

    If the tomato tastes sharp, a pinch of sugar or the grated carrot will fix it.

  3. Rinse the beans, pour them into the pot, and let everything simmer covered. 15 min

    Save a bit of the liquid from the can, it adds creaminess instead of rinsing it all away.

  4. Mash a ladleful of beans with a fork to thicken the sauce, then taste and adjust the seasoning.

    Pull out the bay leaf before serving, nobody wants to bite into it.

  5. Toast the bread slices, rub them with a garlic clove if you like, and serve them alongside the stew. 5 min

    A drizzle of olive oil on the warm bread turns it almost into a bruschetta.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick good quality crushed tomatoes, that's the ingredient carrying most of the flavor here, so don't skimp on it.
  • Keep the simmer gentle once covered, a light bubble is enough to soften the beans without turning them to mush.
  • Make the stew a bit ahead if you can, the flavors come together even better after an hour of resting.

The variations

  • Swap the white beans for chickpeas or red lentils for a different texture, the cooking time stays about the same.
  • For a richer version, shave some parmesan over the stew right before serving.
  • For kids in a hurry, blend part of the stew smooth so there are fewer chunky bits to spot.

What to serve it with

  • A green salad with plenty of vinaigrette
  • A glass of grape juice
  • Some shaved parmesan on top

Storage

The stew keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, without the bread. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you use dried beans instead of canned?

Yes, just soak them overnight and cook them for about an hour before following the recipe. Canned beans stay more practical for a quick weeknight meal.

Can this stew be made ahead of time?

Yes, it actually tastes better made the day before, since the flavors have time to meld. Reheat it gently in a pot and serve with freshly toasted bread.

How do you thicken the sauce without mashing all the beans?

Let it simmer covered a bit longer over low heat, the liquid reduces and the sauce naturally thickens. You can also remove the lid for the last 5 minutes.

Can you swap the country bread for something else?

Yes, any rustic loaf or a toasted baguette works well for soaking up the sauce. Avoid very soft breads, which turn soggy fast in the sauce.

How long does it take to make a white bean and tomato stew with toasted bread?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a white bean and tomato stew with toasted bread?

About 500 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 white bean and tomato stew with toasted bread cost?

About €1.40 per serving, or €5.60 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.

Meal soups and plant based cooking

See all

Recipes with raw garlic

See all