Swede and Bean Stew: With Optional Vegan Dumplings

Partial view of swede and bean stew in a bowl with dumplings and spoon.

5 from 1 vote

Swede and Bean Stew: With Optional Vegan Dumplings

Warming, nourishing and ever so tasty, this swede and bean stew recipe is just the thing for serving on cold winter days and nights. It's a simple one-pot, plant-based dish that comes together without much effort. Add dumplings or just dunk some crusty bread into the bowl and enjoy.

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Keyword: butter beans, dumplings, stew, swede

Servings: people

Calories: 493kcal

Author: Choclette @ Tin and Thyme

Ingredients

Stew

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion diced
1 pinch sea or rock salt
1 small swede (rutabaga) weighing around 700g (25oz) - peeled and cut into 2-3 cm (1 inch) chunks
2 carrots cut into 1½-2 cm (¾ inch) chunks
1-2 leeks one large or two medium - thinly sliced into rounds
1 head Swiss chard stems and leaves divided
480 g cooked white beans (2 x 400g tins, drained) I used homegrown gigantes
2 bay leaves
4 sprig fresh rosemary
4 sprig fresh thyme
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Marmite or other yeast extract
good grinding of black pepper
400 ml light vegetable stock I use the water the beans have cooked in (aquafaba)
fresh parsley chopped to serve

Dumplings

125 g wholemeal flour (whole wheat)
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch fine sea or rock salt
good grinding of black pepper
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
½ bunch fresh parsley finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
75 ml plant milk

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Stew

In a stock pot or casserole, fry the onion in the oil over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes until translucent.
2 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion
Add the salt and swede chunks and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
1 pinch sea or rock salt, 1 small swede (rutabaga)
Add the carrots and stir-fry for a further 3 minutes.
2 carrots
Add the leeks and stir-fry for another 3 minutes.
1-2 leeks
Meanwhile, slice the Swiss chard stems crossways and add them to the pot. Stir everything together.
1 head Swiss chard
Add all the remaining ingredients, bar the parsley. Cover the pan, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Slice the chard greens and add those to the pot. Give everything a good stir.
480 g cooked white beans, 2 bay leaves, 4 sprig fresh rosemary, 4 sprig fresh thyme, 2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp Marmite, good grinding of black pepper, 400 ml light vegetable stock
If making dumplings, add them at this point. If not let the stew simmer, with the lid on, for an additional 20 minutes or until the veg is well and truly tender and the beans are starting to fall apart.

Dumplings

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a small to medium sized bowl, then stir in the parsley.
125 g wholemeal flour (whole wheat), 1 tsp baking powder, 1 pinch fine sea or rock salt, good grinding of black pepper, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast, ½ bunch fresh parsley
Make a well in the centre, add the oil and milk, then stir with a knife from the inside out until the mix comes together as a soft, but not sticky dough. If it's a bit too dry add a splash or two of extra milk.
2 tbsp olive oil, 75 ml plant milk
Bring the dough together with your hands then roll it into log. Divide the log into eight more or less equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball between the palms of your hands.
Gently drop the dough balls into the stew.
Place the lid back on and simmer gently for twenty five minutes. Leave well alone until you're ready to serve.
Scatter with the parsley either before or after ladling into bowls.
fresh parsley

Notes

Use any additional winter veg you have lying around or swap the chard for kale. I added a couple of wrinkled parsnips. Celery is always a good bet.

To make this stew in a slow cooker, just add everything to the pan and follow your cooker instructions. Add the dumplings to the pan an hour before it's due to stop.

You’ll find additional tips and info about this recipe in the main body of the post.

Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on serving size and exact ingredients used. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.

Nutrition