White Bean Stew

Ingredients

• 1 c dry Cannellini beans (or 2 (15-oz) cans Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed)
• 1/2 c water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion (finely minced)
• 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
• 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
• 1 c tomato juice
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or more)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp parsley (chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Soak the beans for the stew ---

2. 2

   Rinse your Cannellini beans and add them to a large bowl. Fill the bowl with 6 c of water and leave it for at least 8 hours to expand.

3. 3

   --- Cook the beans ---

4. 4

   Drain the expanded beans. Fill a large pot with 6 cups of water, add beans and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook on a medium low heat for 60-90 minutes until beans are tender. 15 minutes before the beans are ready, stir in 1/2 tsp of salt. Drain the beans.

5. 5

   --- Sauté the onion and garlic ---

6. 6

   Heat olive oil in a large non-stick pan and over a medium heat. Add onion and sauté stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes until the onion is translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.

7. 7

   --- Add bell pepper and beans ---

8. 8

   Add bell pepper, beans, tomato juice, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper. Bring the stew to a boil and give everything a nice stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 20 minutes.

9. 9

   Turn off the heat, sprinkle white bean stew with a parsley and serve with some crusty bread or rice.