Fabada Asturiana

Name: Fabada Asturiana
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 170 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 400 g dried large white beans (soaked overnight in plenty of cold water and drained); 250 g pork belly (3 cm pieces); 150 g Spanish chorizo (left whole for simmering, then sliced); 120 g morcilla (left whole for simmering, then sliced); 1 piece yellow onion (peeled and left whole); 4 cloves Garlic (peeled and lightly crushed); 1 tsp smoked paprika (sweet or mildly smoked); 1 tsp fine sea salt (plus more only if needed at the end); 1.5 l Water (plus hot water as needed during cooking)

A slow-simmered Asturian bean stew with creamy white beans, smoky chorizo, morcilla, and pork belly. The broth becomes richly seasoned while the beans remain tender and intact.

170 min 4 servings Medium

All recipes

Ingredients

0 of 9 checked

400 g dried large white beans (soaked overnight in plenty of cold water and drained)
250 g pork belly (3 cm pieces)
150 g Spanish chorizo (left whole for simmering, then sliced)
120 g morcilla (left whole for simmering, then sliced)
1 piece yellow onion (peeled and left whole)
4 cloves Garlic (peeled and lightly crushed)
1 tsp smoked paprika (sweet or mildly smoked)
1 tsp fine sea salt (plus more only if needed at the end)
1.5 l Water (plus hot water as needed during cooking)

944 kcal / serving

How to prepare

Drain the soaked beans and transfer them to a large heavy pot. Add the pork belly, whole chorizo, morcilla, onion, garlic, paprika, salt, and water; the liquid should cover the ingredients by about 3 cm.

Bring the pot slowly to a boil over medium heat, skimming away any foam that rises. Once boiling, reduce the heat immediately to maintain a barely perceptible simmer.

Simmer uncovered for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, gently shaking the pot from time to time instead of stirring. Add hot water as needed to keep the beans just covered, until the beans are creamy inside and the pork is tender.

Fabada Asturiana gently simmering with white beans and Spanish cured meats

AI-generated image

Lift out the chorizo and morcilla and let them rest on a plate for 5 minutes. Remove the onion and garlic, then taste the broth and adjust the salt only if necessary.

Slice the rested chorizo and morcilla into thick rounds. Return the slices to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes more, just until the meats are hot and the broth lightly coats a spoon.

Ladle the stew into warmed bowls, distributing beans, pork belly, chorizo, and morcilla evenly. Let it stand for 5 minutes so the broth settles, then serve hot.

A bowl of Fabada Asturiana with creamy beans, chorizo, morcilla, and pork belly

AI-generated image

Why this recipe works

Soaking softens the beans, while a long, gentle simmer draws smoky, savory flavor from the cured meats into the creamy bean broth without requiring a separate stock.

Storage and reheating

How to store it

Cool the stew promptly, refrigerate it in a covered container, and use within 3 days. The flavor improves overnight. Remove and discard any solidified excess fat before reheating if desired.

How to reheat it

Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if needed, until steaming hot throughout. Do not boil aggressively.