Cuban Red Bean Stew with Root Vegetables and Chorizo: Traditional Cuban Recipe.

 

Cuban Creole Red Bean Stew

A Cuban recipe with native root vegetables and sausages that captivates from the very first bite

🫘 Ingredients:

  • 1 pound of red beans
  • ½ pound of malanga (or potato, or a combination)
  • ½ pound of pumpkin (preferably Cuban)
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 large white onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin
  • 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika
  • 3 tablespoons of tomato purée
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • ¼ pound of smoked bacon
  • 2 Spanish chorizos
  • 1 blood sausage (morcilla)
  • A piece of serrano ham bone
  • A piece of cured pork shoulder (lacón)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Enough water

 

 

🌙 Pre-preparation:

Soak the red beans in plenty of water for at least 10 hours before cooking. This helps soften them and reduce cooking time.

🥄 Initial preparations:

Peel the pumpkin and malanga. Cut them into medium cubes. Chop the pepper and onion into small pieces. Crush the garlic cloves with salt in a mortar.

🔥 The sofrito base:

In an uncovered pressure cooker, sauté the diced bacon with a drizzle of oil until it releases its fat. Add the pepper, onion, and garlic. Stir well to combine the aromas.

🌶️ Intensifying the flavors:

Add the sliced chorizo, cumin, bay leaves, sweet paprika, and tomato purée. Mix until a thick paste forms.

🫕 Main cooking:

Add the beans along with the soaking water, the ham bone, the whole blood sausage, and the pork shoulder. Add more water if needed to fully cover all ingredients.

Close the pot and cook under pressure for 35 minutes or until the beans are tender.

🍠 Adding the root vegetables:

Uncover the pot, add the pumpkin and malanga. Adjust the salt. Cook over medium heat without the lid until the vegetables are soft and the broth thickens.

🔪 Finishing and serving:

Remove the blood sausage and the pork shoulder; debone and cut them into pieces. Return them to the stew and mix well. Let rest a few minutes before serving.

ℹ️ Additional information:

  • Servings: 6 portions
  • Preparation time: 10 hours (soaking) + 30 minutes (prep) + 1 hour (cooking)
  • Category: Stews & Broths
  • Cuisine: Cuban

💡 Tip:

Serve this red bean stew with slices of bread and share it with your family on cool winter days. A hearty, flavorful dish everyone will love!

Did you love this recipe? Share your experience in the comments or tell us how you make yours. We’d love to hear from you!

🏷️ Tags: red bean stew, creole recipes, authentic Cuban cuisine, beans with root vegetables, traditional food, Cuban stew

For the Spanish version, visit: Potaje de Frijoles Colorados: Con el Exquisito Sabor Tradicional Cubano.