Slow cooker smoky Spanish beans
This smoky chorizo, bean and tomato stew creates generous portions and finishing with kale adds colour, texture and an iron boost.
This recipe is part of a budget slow cooker meal plan for four. In March 2023, it was costed at an average total of £3.08 when checking prices at four UK supermarkets. This recipe is designed to be made in conjunction with a low-cost store cupboard.
Ingredients
- 70g/2½oz ready-sliced chorizo
- 400g tin peeled plum tomatoes
- 300g/10½oz dried white cannellini beans, soaked and boiled (600g prepped weight, see Tip)
- 2 tsp paprika (preferably smoked)
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 1–2 onions, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 150–200²µ/5½–7´Ç³ú kale, thick stalks discarded and sliced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Use kitchen scissors to snip each slice of chorizo into quarters. Tip the tomatoes into the slow cooker pot and use the scissors again to snip the tomatoes into slightly smaller chunks. Fill the tomato tin with water and pour into the slow cooker pot. Half fill the can again and add this too (this should make 600ml/20fl oz water in total).
Add the chorizo, beans, paprika, dried herbs, onion and garlic to the pot. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 6–7 hours until the beans are completely soft.
Turn off the slow cooker and stir in the kale. Cover with the lid again and leave for 10 minutes to wilt the kale. Season with salt and pepper and then serve topped with extra chorizo, if you like (see Tip).
Recipe Tips
Any leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months.
If you have spare chorizo slices from the pack, add even more flavour and texture by serving with crispy chorizo on top. Single slices can be cooked on a plate in a microwave on high for 15–20 seconds until crispy. For multiple slices, cook on high for 40 seconds, then 10 second blasts until the slices are browning and slightly shrivelled. They will crisp on cooling. Alternatively, air fry slices for about 3 minutes at 200C.
We've used dried cannellini beans as they're better value than tinned. However, some beans contain a protein called lectin, which can cause illness if not cooked at high temperatures. For safety, we've soaked the beans (at least five hours works, overnight is ideal) and boiled them in a pan of water for 10 minutes before slow cooking. You can do this in large batches and freeze what you don't need right away.
If you've already boiled your beans, you'll need about 600g (prepped weight) for this recipe.
Alternatively, if your budget allows, use 2½ tins of cannellini beans and skip the soaking and boiling.
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