Auction House Bean Stew

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-03-31 · Updated 2026-03-31

A hearty, slow-cooked stew made with dried beans discovered in an estate sale, simmered with root vegetables and aromatic spices for a comforting, rustic flavor. This american-inspired soups (vegetarian) ready in about 100 minutes pairs dried pinto beans, medium, diced carrots, diced celery stalks for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 220 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried pinto beans
• 2 medium, diced carrots
• 2, diced celery stalks
• 1 large, chopped onion
• 3 cloves, minced garlic
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion, diced carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and smoked paprika, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Step 2: Stir in tomato paste, then add dried pinto beans, vegetable broth, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour until beans are tender.
3. Step 3: In a separate skillet, heat remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Add diced carrots and celery (reserve 1/2 cup for garnish) and sauté for 5 minutes until caramelized. Stir this into the stew, then simmer for 10 minutes longer until flavors meld. Garnish with reserved vegetables and serve.