Fabada Asturiana (White Bean and Chorizo Stew)

Quick answer

Total time: 135 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Fabada Asturiana is the bean stew of the Asturias region in northern Spain, a dish with deep roots in the mountain agriculture and difficult winters that shaped the region's food culture.

Large, creamy faba beans are soaked overnight, then placed in a single pot with chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage), and smoked pork shoulder and simmered over the lowest possible heat for at least two hours. The rendered paprika fat from the chorizo bleeds slowly into the cooking liquid, turning the broth a deep reddish-orange while fat and protein dissolve in to create a naturally thick consistency without flour or cream. The goal is beans that are intact but fully saturated with the broth, each one soft at the center but not burst. Morcilla contributes an earthy, iron-rich depth that tempers the sharpness of the smoked paprika, and the combination of two cured meats produces a layered savoriness that plain pork stock alone cannot achieve. The starch released from the beans as they cook binds the fat and liquid into a coherent body rather than a greasy soup. Served in a wide, deep bowl with thick slices of crusty bread, a full portion constitutes an entire meal. The dish is associated with cold weather and is traditionally cooked in quantity, as the flavor deepens considerably on the second day.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

large white beans350 gg

chorizo200 gg

pork shoulder250 gg

onion120 gg

garlic3 pcspcs

smoked paprika1 tsptsp

water1200 mlml

olive oil1 tbsptbsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Rinse 350 g large white beans, then soak them overnight in plenty of cold water.

The next day, drain them, discard any split or damaged beans, and keep the soaked beans ready before heating the pot.
2

Control

Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.

Add 120 g onion and 3 garlic cloves, then cook until the onion turns translucent and the garlic smells mellow, without letting it brown hard.
3

Step

Add 250 g pork shoulder and 200 g chorizo to the pot.

Brown the surfaces lightly for a few minutes, then stir in 1 teaspoon smoked paprika once the chorizo releases red oil, so the paprika does not scorch.
4

Control

Add the soaked beans and 1200 ml water, scraping the bottom so the browned juices dissolve into the liquid.

Bring just to a boil over high heat, skim off foam, then immediately reduce to low heat.
5

Control

Set the lid slightly ajar and simmer gently for 90 minutes to 2 hours.

Avoid a rolling boil, and do not stir hard, shaking the pot instead so the beans stay whole while the broth thickens.
6

Finish

When the beans are tender through the center and the broth is reddish and thick, taste and adjust the seasoning.

Turn off the heat, let the stew rest briefly, then serve it in deep bowls with crusty bread.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Paprika oil from chorizo and morcilla seasons these creamy white faba beans.
Finish cue: When the beans are tender through the center and the broth is reddish and thick, taste and adjust the seasoning.
Avoid this: Avoid a rolling boil, and do not stir hard, shaking the pot instead so the beans stay whole while the broth thickens.
Storage and reheating: It tastes even better the next day.