Iahnie de Fasole (Romanian White Bean Stew)
Soft white beans in a thick, golden onion and paprika sauce with thyme and bay. A deeply savoury meat-free dinner.
- Time2 hr 30
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.88 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 242kcal
- 24.8gcarbs
- 6gof which sugars
- 11.9gfat
- 3.3gsaturates
- 8.5gprotein
- 8.4gfibre
- 1.8gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Drain the soaked beans and put them in a large pan with plenty of fresh water. Bring to the boil, boil hard for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse. Cover with fresh water again, add the bay leaves and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes, until almost tender. Do not add the salt yet.
75 min - 2
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide pan and cook the onions gently for 20 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden and sweet. Do not rush them.
20 min - 3
Stir in the garlic, tomato purée, both paprikas and the thyme and cook for 2 minutes.
- 4
Drain the beans, keeping 300 ml of the cooking water. Add the beans, carrot, the saved water and the salt to the onions.
- 5
Simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes, stirring now and then and mashing a few beans to thicken the sauce, until the beans are creamy and the sauce is thick.
25 min - 6
Scatter with parsley and dill. Serve with bread, pickled onions or a crisp salad.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
