When you think of hearty bean stew, umami probably isn’t a word that first pops to mind. Well, this Japanese style pinto bean stew flies in the face of convention with the addition of two simple ingredients. Think of it as bean stew plus. Get dinner on the table in minutes, not hours. Makes a great main or side!
Why This Recipe Works
- Miso paste and soy sauce deliver a rich umami flavor to an otherwise smoky, savory classic bean stew.
- Rustic and hearty. Perfect for game-day, a backyard BBQ or an easy weeknight dinner.
- Using canned beans speeds up the cooking process. Throw the whole thing together in just over 30 minutes from start to finish. No soak necessary.
Sometimes you have an a-ha moment in the kitchen. Adding a touch of miso paste, soy sauce and smoked paprika to a classic pinto bean stew was one of those striking moments for me. After the first bite, I wondered why I’d never tried this savory combination before!
Table of contents
Pinto Bean Stew Ingredients
Scroll to the bottom of this page for the full recipe and measurements!
- Olive Oil: You’ll taste the difference if you use a good quality extra virgin olive oil. But there’s no need to go overboard. This is a solid olive oil for cooking that won’t break the bank.
- Onion and Celery: So fragrant. Dice both fairly small.
- Fresh Tomatoes: Use what’s freshest at the grocery store that day. I favor vine ripened tomatoes when available.
- Canned Pinto Beans: Two 15 ounce cans is all you’ll need. No soak required. Just rinse the beans in a colander under running water before adding to the pot.
- White Miso Paste: White miso is lightly salty and umami with an almost playful fruitiness. Alternatively, you could use awase miso, which is a more savory mixture of red and white miso pastes.
- Soy Sauce: Start with a tablespoon and see how that hits you. You can always add more before serving.
- Smoked Paprika: This is mildly sweet and spicy, oak-smoked Spanish pimentón. While miso and soy get the limelight, smoked paprika is the unsung hero in this recipe.
- Water: Only a half-cup needed. No chicken stock or bouillon necessary.
- Salt and Pepper: To taste.
Additional Reading
If you’re not familiar with the two Japanese ingredients in this recipe, don’t worry! I’ve got you.
How to Make Japanese Inspired Bean Stew
- Add the olive oil to a medium sized pot over medium-high heat and swirl to coat the cooking surface. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and celery – and cook until fragrant (about 3 minutes).
- Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Next, add the pinto beans, miso paste, soy sauce and smoked paprika. Stir well.
- Add the water, stir and lower the heat to simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Pro Tip Whisk the soy sauce and the miso paste together in a bowl before adding them to the pot. This ensures there are no undissolved clumps of miso paste in the finished dish.
Recipe Variations
These Japanese style beans are as just as versatile as any pinto bean stew. That means you have lots of leeway with additions and enhancements.
- Bring the heat. Gochugaru isn’t volcanic – but dried Korean chili pepper flakes are spicy enough to introduce a little fire and additional smokiness. Learn more about gochugaru here.
- Add a protein. Sausage or bacon are obvious plug-and-play additions for bean stew. And vegetarians might be happy to know that many brands of store bought imitation bacon bits are actually vegan.
- Add veggies. Diced carrots would introduce a little earthy sweetness to the mix. Chopped mushrooms would work too. No matter what vegetables you add, just be sure to dice them small enough that they don’t increase the overall cook time. Chopped green onions make a great finishing garnish.
Storage
Store leftover bean stew in the refrigerator (covered) for up to 5 days.
Reheat leftovers in the microwave – or in a pan on the stovetop. But leftover bean stew also tastes great cold, right out of the fridge!
You can also freeze leftover pinto bean stew for up to 4 months. Be sure to place in single serving freezer bags or storage containers and write today’s date on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Believe it or not, those excellent cooking appliances are overkill for this recipe. Since we’re using canned pinto beans, a pan on the stovetop (and a half hour) is all you’ll need. If you’re looking to cook slow and low, check out this slow cooker pinto beans recipe – made with dried pinto beans.
Yep! This Japanese inspired pinto beans recipe is 100% vegan as written.
Since this recipe includes soy sauce, it isn’t gluten free. If you’re avoiding wheat, use tamari or liquid aminos instead of the soy sauce. Additionally, while some miso paste doesn’t contain wheat, sometimes the mass produced stuff has wheat or barley added. So be sure to scour the label on your miso paste before purchasing.
What to Serve With Pinto Bean Stew
Don’t let the fact that there’s miso paste and soy sauce in this recipe deter you from serving these pinto beans at a backyard BBQ – or for dinner with Western side dishes. At the end of the day, this is a bean stew that goes with just about everything. Here are a few sides and mains you can easily pair:
- Vegan Barbecue “Pulled Pork” Sandwich
- Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim)
- Japanese Coleslaw (Kyabetsu Salad)
- Miso Glazed Eggplant (Nasu Dengaku)
- Green Salad With Japanese Carrot Ginger Dressing
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Have you made this Japanese inspired pinto bean stew recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!
PrintPinto Bean Stew (Japanese Style)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
You’ll love this smoky pinto bean stew with an umami Japanese twist! Miso paste and soy sauce bring the flavor. Canned beans means there’s no soaking required. The easiest, healthy weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 2 large tomatoes, each tomato sliced into 4 wedges
- 2 15 ounce cans pinto beans, drained
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium size pot over medium high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and celery and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the pinto beans, smoked paprika, miso paste, and soy sauce, and stir well.
- Add the water, stir, and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes.
- Season with salt and ground black pepper and serve.
Notes
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days (covered).
Or freeze your leftover bean stew in food storage containers or freezer bags for up to 4 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 3.7g
- Sodium: 895mg
- Fat: 4.6g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 39.5g
- Fiber: 15.7g
- Protein: 13.8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg