Butter Bean Stew is an easy dinner recipe that is brimming with beans and fresh vegetables. This hearty vegetable stew is flavorful, made with simple ingredients and everything cooks in one pot.
This hearty bean stew is perfect for a Meatless Monday dinner and is a delicious addition to a plant-based lifestyle.
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Bean Stew
When it’s chilly outside, I love having a pot of Butter Bean Stew simmering inside.
As the temperatures drop and the days get shorter, there’s nothing quite like a cozy bowl of stew to satisfy your hunger and warm you up.
This comforting recipe for butter bean stew is both simple to make and nourishing too.
Packed with vegetables and rich in flavor, this bean stew is perfect for cozy nights in and is also a healthy meal prep option.
I love to serve the stew with a slice of crusty bread or over a bed of rice or noodles.
To make this recipe, I used canned butter beans just to make things easier and quicker.
Of course, if you prefer, you can also use dried butter beans. Just soak them in plenty of water overnight and then simmer the following day for 1 to 2 hours or until tender.
This butter beans stew is not only delicious for dinner but It’s perfect for a hearty lunch too.
The creamy texture of the butter beans combined with the fresh vegetables makes each spoonful comforting and delicious.
When Butter Bean Stew is for dinner get ready for a bowl of pure comfort with coziness, warmth and goodness in every spoonful.
Trust me when I tell you that this easy recipe will quickly become a new family favorite for dinner.
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How to make white bean stew
Scroll down for the full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below
- Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onions, red bell peppers, garlic, seasoned salt and dried basil and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Add the white wine and cook for 1 minute.
- Step 2: Add the beans to the vegetable mixture in the pot.
- Step 3: Combine the vegetable broth and flour, whisking until smooth and blended. Add the vegetable broth mixture to the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 25 minutes.
Hint: I like to use a dutch oven pot when I make this recipe. However, you can use any sturdy saucepot.
Expert recipe tips
- Red pepper flakes will add a kick of heat
- Serve with crusty bread, rice or noodles
- You can use canned butter beans or dried butter beans to make this recipe
Substitutions
- For added smoky notes, substitute jarred roasted red peppers for the red bell pepper and add smoked paprika
- Replace the vegetable broth with chicken broth
- Prefer not to use wine? Just replace the wine with additional vegetable broth
- Red onion, white onion or sweet onion can be used instead of yellow onion
- Garlic powder can replace minced garlic
Variations
- Potatoes - For a heartier stew, add peeled, diced Yukon gold potatoes or sweet potatoes when cooking the carrots, onions and red bell peppers
- Tomatoes - For a tomato based stew, stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste, canned diced tomatoes and sundried tomatoes
- Assorted vegetables - You can add other vegetables such as celery, potatoes, or zucchini depending on what you have on hand or your personal preferences.
- Spicy - Make it spicy and add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper or a splash of hot sauce
- Chorizo bean stew - Prefer a meaty stew? Add some sliced chorizo in the first step of the recipe when cooking the vegetables. You can also use sweet Italian sausage or hot Italian sausage, both will be delicious!
Equipment
- Chef knife
- Cutting board
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Glass measuring cup
- Large pot
Storage
- Store any leftover butter bean stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Bean stew will stay fresh for 2-3 days.
- You can reheat your vegetable stew in the microwave or in a saucepot on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- As always, I find it helpful to visit the FDA website for food storage guidelines
FAQ
Butter beans are a large, white lima bean with a creamy texture and a buttery flavor.
You can find butter beans in the canned vegetable section, next to other types of beans.
If you can't find butter beans or want to use another bean, here are a few options for substitutions:
Lima beans
Lima beans are a good alternative to butter beans.
Lima beans are similar in size and texture to butter beans.
However, lima beans have a stronger flavor than butter beans and they aren't as soft and buttery as butter beans.
Cannellini Beans or Great Northern beans
Both cannellini and great northern beans are slightly smaller in size than butter beans.
They both have a mild, slightly nutty and buttery flavor and either would work well in this stew.
Ingredients
Bean stew ingredients:
- olive oil
- carrots
- red bell pepper
- onion
- garlic
- dried basil
- seasoned salt
- white wine
- butter beans
- vegetable broth
- flour
- parsley
Easy dinner recipes
Looking for other hearty recipes like butter bean stew? Try these:
What to serve with
These are my favorite dishes to serve with bean stew:
Easy Butter Bean Stew Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped carrots about 2 large carrots
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped, about 1 cup
- 1 medium onion chopped, about 1 cup
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 cans (15.5 ounces each) butter beans , drained and rinsed
- 11/2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 Tablespoons Flour
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
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Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the carrots, onions, red bell peppers, garlic, seasoned salt and dried basil and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the white wine and cook for 1 minute.
- Combine the vegetable broth and flour, whisking until smooth and blended.
- Add the beans and vegetable broth mixture to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.
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