Deliciously Ella's three bean stew recipe

Deliciously Ella's three bean stew is comforting, quick to make and completely meat-free.

This Deliciously Ella three bean stew is made with protein-packed beans and is totally vegan, so ideal for most dietary requirements. It uses mostly store cupboard ingredients, spices and a few fresh vegetables to bring together a meal that’s not only low in calories and good for heart health but also super filling and full of flavour. Ella says: 'As soon as autumn arrives and the weather cools down, I start making this all the time. It’s a warming, hearty dish that tastes lovely served on a hot bed of brown rice or quinoa with a big dollop of Mango Salsa on top. I love the mix of black, butter and cannellini beans; they create such a fantastic mix of textures that satisfies me every time. This is very freezable, so you can make a larger quantity and keep the rest to enjoy as a healthy ready meal for when you’re busy. I never used to eat much onion, as it didn’t agree with me, but I’ve been slowly reintroducing it to my diet… which is why you’re now seeing more of it, too. If you’re not an onion person, feel free to leave it out though.'

Ingredients

• Large glug of olive oil
• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (optional)
• salt and pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons tomato purée
• 2 red peppers, finely chopped
• 400g can each of butter beans, black beans and cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• large handful of fresh coriander

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the celery and onion (if using) with lots of salt and pepper, then stir. Cook until the celery is turning translucent, then add the garlic and chillies and cook for a minute, stirring so that nothing catches.
2. Add the canned tomatoes, tomato purée, red peppers and 350ml of water and let it bubble for about 30 minutes, stirring to break down the tomatoes now and then, until the sauce is starting to reduce and the peppers are soft.Once you’re ready to eat, add the beans. They’ll need about 10 minutes. When they’ve had that, turn the heat off and let cool slightly.
3. Serve in bowls with some Mango Salsa mixed through each serving, topped with a sprinkling of coriander.

Tips for making Deliciously Ella's three bean stew:

If you don’t have one type of bean in your cupboard, swap it out for another like kidney beans which are equally as healthy and full of protein.