Brazilian Beans
Smoky black and kidney bean stew with butternut squash, pepper and carrot.
makes 16 blocks, about 14p each
- Time
- 50 min10 min prep · 40 min cook
- Makes
- 16 blocks
- Cost per blockPer block
- 14p
- Calories per blockCalories
- 43 kcal
- Spice
- 1 of 5
You’ll need
- 230g (~⅓ squash)butternut squash, 1.5cm dice
- 150gblack beans, drained
- 150gkidney beans, drained
- 130gonion
- 110gred pepper
- 100gcarrot, diced
- 45g (3 tbsp)tomato purée
- 12g (3 cloves)garlic
- 5gsmoked paprika
- 2ggarlic powder and dried oregano
- 2bay leaves
- 8gfresh coriander
- 12mlrapeseed oil
- 350mlwater
Allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the ingredients as listed. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.
Serve it
Rice and sautéed kale or cabbage · Rice, sliced orange and hot sauce · Burritos
Method
- Step 1: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and soften the onion, pepper and carrot for 8 minutes. Add the garlic, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano and purée and stir for 2 minutes.
- Step 2: Add the squash, water and bay leaves and simmer, partly covered, for 15 minutes.
- Step 3: Add both beans and simmer, uncovered, for 10–15 minutes until the squash starts to collapse and thicken the sauce.
- Step 4: Season, stir in the coriander and remove the bay leaves.
- Step 5: Cool, portion into 70g blocks and freeze.
Hotter: add a chopped jalapeño or a dash of hot sauce.
| kcal | protein | carbs | fat | fibre | salt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per block | 43 | 1.9g | 6g | 1g | 2.2g | 0.06g |
| Per 3 blocks | 129 | 5.7g | 18g | 3g | 6.6g | 0.18g |
Cook’s notes
- Cook it with the Three-Bean Veggie Chilli to use exactly 1 tin each of black and kidney beans.
- A splash of orange juice at the end gives a feijoada-style lift.
Serve it
Rice and sautéed kale or cabbage · Rice, sliced orange and hot sauce · Burritos.
Freeze, reheat and serve
- Freeze
- Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
- Reheat
- Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
- A portion
- 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 129 kcal and 5.7g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.
Brazilian Beans questions
Can I use just one kind of bean?
Use the same total weight of either black beans or kidney beans. Black beans give a softer, earthier stew; kidney beans hold their shape more.
What can I use instead of butternut squash?
Sweet potato or pumpkin works in the same weight. Cut it to the same size so it softens and thickens the sauce in the same time.
Why add the beans after the squash?
Tinned beans are already cooked, so they only need time to take on the flavour. Added at the start, they would split and turn mushy.
You might also like
Updated . Nutrition, costs and yields are estimates.