A hearty, delicious mushroom lima bean stew with Indian spices. This pairs perfectly with rice or crusty French bread.
Here's my recipe for today: a hearty, healthy dish that will put the spring back into your step and remind you why plant-based food is a great choice.
Lima beans are among my favorite beans to cook, with their deep, rich, sweet and nutty flavor. They also cook so easily. I especially love them in recipes like these Greek Gigantes, where they combine with tomatoes to create a magical dish you can serve as an appetizer or entree.
This Mushroom-Lima Bean Stew, Indian-Style, the lima beans once again get to hang out with tomatoes and other veggies, creating tons of deliciousness.
This recipe is perfect for a quick and nutritious weeknight meal, and it takes minutes to put together once you have your beans ready.
Serve it hot with a rice dish or as I did with Coconut Quinoa (recipe coming up in my next post) for a very special, very delicious meal. A lot of the flavor in this recipe comes from my garden-fresh herbs. Feel free to use any you have on hand.
Here's the recipe. Enjoy, all!
Related recipes
Mushroom And Lima Bean Stew
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried lima beans , rinsed and soaked overnight, then cooked until tender. If you have a pressure cooker, you can skip the soaking.
- 8 oz crimini mushrooms (substitute with portabella for a meatier flavor, or button)
- 1 large onion , chopped into a small dice
- 1 cup tomato puree
- ½ cup white wine (optional-- I like it because it adds another layer of flavor, but Indians don't usually cook with wine, so feel free to skip)
- 2 tablespoon minced fresh herbs (I used thyme and sage, but you can use any "spicy" herb you have on hand, like rosemary or oregano. Basil would be fine too, but add that at the end of the cooking)
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onions and mushrooms.
- Stir to coat with oil and saute until the onions start to take on a sheen, about 2 minutes.
- Add the white wine and cook, stirring, until most of the wine has evaporated. Add the herbs, tomato puree, powdered spices, and cook for another two minutes.
- Add the cooked lima beans with any water leftover from cooking them and stir well. If you didn't have enough cooking water, add some regular water.
- Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook another 3-4 minutes. Add salt to taste. Turn off the heat and garnish, if you like, with more fresh herbs.
- Enjoy!
Becky
At what point are you to add the garlic paste?
Charlene
I've never used garlic paste in a recipe, and looking at the commercially available options, it appears that many contain preservatives and/or other "unpronouncables". Can fresh garlic be substituted?
Vaishali
Yes you should make your own. Just put garlic through a garlic press or use a mortar and pestle.
Angela
Hi was cruising the net for recipes, I am vegetarian for over 30 years and found a few years ago my health (arthritis)much improved by removing all nightshades IE potato, tomato, capsicum, eggplant. So am always trying to find interesting but simple recipes without them. ( Eating out can be a nightmare too! As most vego options have either tomato or potato) Suggestions would be appreciated??
Subhashini
I love recipes with unique combo. This is good variation to enjoy mushroom instead of usual mushroom matar gravy. Can we use Indian herbs like dhania or pudina here?
Vaishali
Hi Subhashini, yes, absolutely, dhania would be great.
Kate
I like your recipe and would have preferred it without the politics. I think it's a misstep to say that some people change only because their tastebuds are weak or lack determination. Researching and learning, and then coming to change your opinion is called growing up. We are allowed to change our minds based on our experiences. Calling someone a liar and polarizing the topic isn't going to help your cause.
Personally, I know vegans who had health issues while eating a clean diet and taking supplements, and regained health after eating animal and fish products. It may not be happening to you, but can happen.
Wendy
I was vegetarian for 20 years and have been vegan for the past 8 years, if you are truly vegan I just don't see how you could go back to eating meat, I do not eat meat substitutes as they look too much like the real thing. Being vegan has made me more aware of animal suffering , there is no way I could do anything now other than eat plant based food. which by the way I love. I don't know anyone who has health issues on a plant based diet, yes somethings don't agree with all of us but one can find away around it if you really want to instead of making it an excuse to return to meat eating.
Doob
I have mixed feelings on the whole plant based diet. On one hand you see people getting carried away with fake foods that are not any better for your health verses a lean cut of farm raised beef. Do I think a plant based diet is the way to go? I guess it is. I eat a plant based diet but I feel like it's a glorified way of taking food away from farm animals. instead of killing them outright just eat their food. Don't get me going on palm oil, yes let's take away land from the rain forest to make vegan butter. don't forget if you do dialysis most plant protein has too much potassium, and phosphorus for them to consume.
Gina
I just made this. I just ate this. Twas good. 🙂
Gayatri
Wow this is a really great post. I don't eat meat but a lot of my friends do. In fact a close friend and I have had countless arguments because she genuinely believes, "eating meat is essential to maintain the balance in our ecosystem."
Anyway my point is, your argument that that there is no ethical way to eat meat is bang on. The animal is dead. And sadly, vegetarian/vegan advocacy groups simply don't have the resources to compete with large corporations that get a kick out of killing, culling and feeding that to humans.
PS - Planning to try the recipe this weekend.
Vaishali
Mihika, thanks!
Ingrid, feel free to use any bean that's quite "buttery"-- any white bean would do but I wouldn't substitute with, say, black or red beans.
Ameya, thanks!
Soumya, use any wine that you would drink-- don't use wine specifically labeled "cooking wine" because that is usually of an inferior quality.
Soumya
When you mention white wine, what kind should I use for cooking? I've never used wine for cooking, but always wanted to give it a try.
Diana
My fiance and I make sure to eat vegetarian meals throughout the week. This was the perfect comfort food dish! Filling, but light. I just added salt and some cabbage. Yummy, thank you!
Ameya
Very powerfully written post, Vaishali! It's really a shame how many people revert back to their old habits after a long-enduring success. The curry looks absolutely scrumptious-I especially like the addition of white wine. Having just returned from a year abroad in France, I am very eager to try out the addition of wine to Indian cooking 🙂
INGRID
huh! Lesson learned! Tomato puree and tomato paste are NOT the same! I now have the most tomatoey curry possible.
~Ingrid
INGRID
hi! Great post, great recipe.
Quick question, have you tried subbing the lima beans with any other type, say borlotti? My pantry has no lima beans at the moment.
~ thanks, Ingrid
Mihika
Super post. I agree, that's something that always makes me angry.
Nell
It’s the land and resource use for raising animals for our food that Mother Earth cannot endure. Water.
Sustainable gardening. Essential for our survival on this planet.