A rich, hands-off mountain stew inspired by Northern Spain’s Fabada Asturiana. Creamy pinto beans, marbled pork shoulder and smoky andouille bake together in a Dutch oven until the meat is fork-tender and the broth naturally thickens into a savory, brick-red gravy.
What I really like about this recipe:
First of all, there’s no searing of the meat. That’s a big time saver. Secondly, it’s all cooked in one pot and finally the leftovers are even better the next day. We actually ate it three nights in a row. It was that good.
Why Pinto Beans and Andouille?
Traditional Fabada Asturiana is made with large white fabes and compango—the combination of Asturian chorizo, morcilla and cured pork that gives the stew its characteristic richness.
This version began more practically. I used pinto beans because they were already in my pantry, and they proved particularly well suited to the long oven braise: they became creamy, released enough starch to thicken the broth and still retained their shape. Because authentic Asturian sausages aren’t readily available where I shop, I substituted smoked andouille, which provides some of the smoke, garlic and pork richness that the traditional sausages would contribute.
The result isn’t a traditional fabada, which is why I describe it as fabada-style. It preserves the dish’s essential idea—a deeply flavored, slow-cooked combination of beans, pork and sausage—while using ingredients that are readily available in an American kitchen.
More Slow-Cooked Favorites
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Braised Beef Short Ribs: Côtes de Bœuf Braisées
Coq au Vin: A Bistro Favorite Made Simple
Ingredients:
1 pound dried Pinto Beans, soaked overnight in cold water and drained.
1½ to 2 pounds Pork Shoulder or Boston Butt, cut into large chunks
12 ounces Smoked Andouille Sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium Yellow Onion, peeled and halved
5 cloves Garlic, peeled and smashed
1 Tbsp Sweet Smoked Spanish Paprika (Pimentón Dulce)
1 pinch Saffron Threads, approximately 15 to 20 threads, crushed
2 Bay Leaves
1 tsp freshly cracked Black Pepper
5 to 6 cups Water or low sodium Chicken Stock
½ tsp Kosher Salt, plus more to taste
1 Tbsp Sherry Vinegar, plus more if needed
Preparation:
Position a rack in the lower-middle part of the oven and preheat to 350°F on conventional bake or 325°F with convection/fan.
In a 5- to 7-quart Dutch oven, combine the soaked pinto beans, pork shoulder, andouille sausage, onion, garlic, smoked paprika, saffron, black pepper and bay leaves.
Pour in enough water or stock to cover the beans and meat by approximately 1 inch, usually 5 to 6 cups. Place the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and bring the liquid just to a gentle simmer. Skim away any foam that rises to the surface.
Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake undisturbed for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, test a bean and pierce the pork with a fork. If both are nearly tender, remove the lid and continue baking uncovered for approximately 30 minutes, until the broth has reduced and thickened slightly. If the beans or pork remain noticeably firm, continue cooking covered for another 30 minutes before removing the lid for the final 20 to 30 minutes.
Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Discard the onion halves and bay leaves. Transfer the pork and andouille to a cutting board and slice or coarsely separate the pork into large serving pieces.
Gently stir the beans and broth together. Add ½ teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar. Allow the stew to rest uncovered for 15 minutes, then taste and adjust the salt or vinegar if needed. The vinegar should brighten and define the other flavors without making the broth taste distinctly sour.
Ladle the beans and broth into wide, shallow bowls and arrange the warm pork and sausage over the top. Serve with crusty bread or a crisp green salad.
Spanish Bean and Pork Stew (Fabada-Style)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Position an oven rack in the lower-middle portion of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F.
- In a 5- to 7-quart Dutch oven, combine the soaked pinto beans, pork shoulder, andouille sausage, onion, garlic, smoked paprika, saffron, black pepper and bay leaves.
- Pour in enough water or stock to cover the beans and meat by approximately 1 inch, usually 5 to 6 cups. Place the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and bring the liquid just to a gentle simmer. Skim away any foam that rises to the surface.
- Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake undisturbed for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, test a bean and pierce the pork with a fork. If both are nearly tender, remove the lid and continue baking uncovered for approximately 30 minutes, until the broth has reduced and thickened slightly. If the beans or pork remain noticeably firm, continue cooking covered for another 30 minutes before removing the lid for the final 20 to 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Discard the onion halves and bay leaves. Transfer the pork and andouille to a cutting board and slice or coarsely separate the pork into large serving pieces.
- Gently stir the beans and broth together. Add ½ teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar. Allow the stew to rest uncovered for 15 minutes, then taste and adjust the salt or vinegar if needed. The vinegar should brighten and define the other flavors without making the broth taste distinctly sour.
- Ladle the beans and broth into wide, shallow bowls and arrange the warm pork and sausage over the top. Serve with crusty bread or a crisp green salad.