Slow-Cooked Black Bean Stew with Smoked Sausage and Collard Greens

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-18 · Updated 2026-06-18

A hearty Brazilian-inspired stew featuring tender black beans, smoky sausage, and nutrient-rich collard greens simmered slowly to develop deep flavors. This brazilian ready in about 120 minutes pairs dried black beans, water, olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 4, 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 black beans
• 4 cups water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds smoked sausage
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 4 cups, chopped into 1-inch strips collard greens
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• for serving lime wedges

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 1 cup dried black beans under cold water and soak in water overnight or use quick soak by boiling for 2 minutes then resting covered for 1 hour.
2. Step 2: Drain the beans and place them in a large pot with 4 cups fresh water, 1 bay leaf, and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 to 1.5 hours until beans are tender.
3. Step 3: While beans cook, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 8 oz sliced smoked sausage and cook for 5 minutes until edges are browned and fat renders.
4. Step 4: Add 1 diced medium yellow onion and 4 minced garlic cloves to the sausage and sauté for 4 minutes until onion is translucent and fragrant.
5. Step 5: Stir in 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1/2 tsp ground cumin, cooking for 1 minute to toast the spices.
6. Step 6: When beans are tender, add the sausage and onion mixture along with 4 cups chopped collard greens to the pot. Simmer for 10 minutes until greens are wilted and flavors meld.
7. Step 7: Adjust seasoning with 1/2 tsp black pepper and additional salt if needed. Serve hot with lime wedges to squeeze over each bowl.