Pinto Bean, Andouille Sausage Stew
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Pinto bean and andouille sausage stew with smoked paprika, three peppers, and a bright lime finish. A smoky Cajun-Creole one-pot with rendered bacon fat building deep bottom-of-the-bowl flavor.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
140 minThis is a pinto bean stew with real backbone. Smoky andouille sausage and chopped bacon render together in a Dutch oven, leaving behind a slick of spiced fat. That fat is your whole foundation. Into it go onions, smashed garlic, and a trio of red, green, and fresh chile peppers, softening and catching color before smoked paprika and plum tomatoes hit the pot.
Presoaked dried pinto beans and water go in next for a long, uncovered simmer. The magic happens in the last 30 minutes, when the reserved sausage and bacon rejoin and the beans start to break down, thickening the broth naturally without flour or cornstarch.
A hit of lime zest and juice at the end wakes everything up. That bright citrus against smoky sausage and creamy beans is what separates a good bean stew from a great one.
Chef Tips
- Don’t skip the overnight soak. Quick-soaked beans break down unevenly and you lose the creamy-meets-firm texture the stew relies on.
- Set the cooked sausage and bacon aside BEFORE the beans go in. Simmering them in liquid for an hour strips the crust and makes the sausage rubbery. Add them back in the last 30 minutes.
- Smoked paprika, not sweet. This is the flavor note that echoes the andouille and carries the whole pot.
- Salt AFTER the beans are tender. Salt added early slows bean softening and gives you tough skins.
Variations
- Swap pinto for red kidney or cranberry beans for a meatier bite.
- Add a cup of diced okra in the last 20 minutes for a gumbo-style thickener.
- Stir in a handful of chopped cilantro and serve over rice to stretch it into a full dinner.
Ingredients
Directions
Pick over beans to remove any pebbles or broken beans and rinse under cold water.
Place in a bowl, cover with 3 inches of cold water and soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Heat oil in a large heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add sausage and bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is almost crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a small bowl and set aside in the refrigerator.
Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, over medium heat, until soft and lightly brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add bell peppers and chile pepper to taste; continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture is soft, about 3 minutes.
Stir in paprika.
Add tomatoes and cook until they release their juice, about 2 minutes.
Drain the beans.
Stir the beans and 8 cups water into the pot; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Stir in the reserved sausage and bacon along with salt and pepper.
Continue simmering, adding a little water if the beans are dry, until the beans are very soft and beginning to break down, about 30 minutes more.
Stir in lime zest and juice.
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