Stewed Red Beans

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My healthy stewed red beans recipe is perfect for anyone who craves a delicious weeknight meal, wants a quick and easy dish, and loves comforting flavors. I love that it takes very little time to come together, making it ideal for busy individuals or for families looking for a simple dinner. It’s a budget-friendly, hearty side dish packed with tons of flavor, and it also happens to be vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free!

Caribbean inspired red beans stew only requires a handful of ingredients that come together for a flavorful recipe. It is similar to Jamaican stew peas with kidney beans, coconut, and herbs, but I made a few modifications.

While traditionally this recipe has pig’s tail or other meat, I wanted to make a stew that was customizable to meet other dietary preferences, especially since my family is vegetarian! And I’m happy to share that my version turned out super satisfying and hearty – with all of the flavor of the traditional version!

I usually serve this over rice or quinoa that I cook in the Instant Pot to keep it budget-friendly and vegetarian.

With a little adjusting, leftovers could easily be turned into vegan bean tacos, bean soup, or even a bean burger. Talk about a great recipe that can work overtime!

I’ll share 3 easy methods for making this kidney bean stew, and I promise the final product will be incredible no matter which option you choose! When you try this stew for the first time, you’ll be instantly hooked! 

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🥘 Ingredients

My recipe for stewed red kidney beans calls for very simple ingredients. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact measurements.

Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil for sautéing the vegetables in this recipe, but sometimes I switch it up with avocado or vegetable oil depending on what I have on hand.

Garlic, Onion, Carrots, Celery: I love the aroma of sautéed onions and garlic! Diced carrots and celery add the perfect texture and are classic choices for any stew or soup.

Butternut Squash: I love these stewed red beans with butternut squash for added veggies and sweetness, but if I’m out of butternut squash, I’ve found that cooked and diced pumpkin works just as well and brings a similar flavor and heartiness to this recipe.

Scotch Bonnet Pepper: Scotch bonnet peppers are my secret ingredient for adding a bold, sweet, and spicy kick. These peppers are pretty hot, about 40 times spicier than a jalapeno! When I need to tone down the heat, I swap them with chile peppers, poblanos, or even green bell peppers.

Brown Sugar: I love how the brown sugar in this recipe gives a subtle sweetness while slightly caramelizing the vegetables for a rich depth of flavor.

Tomato Paste: Tomato paste is my go-to for these healthy stewed beans, though tomato sauce can also work. I make sure to avoid marinara sauce, which brings too many Italian flavors and can clash with the spices in this dish.

Vegetable Broth & Coconut Cream: Vegetable broth is the base for this stew, but when I don’t have it, I simply use water and add extra seasonings.

Cherry Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes add a fresh burst of flavor that I enjoy, but if I only have a large tomato on hand, I just dice it up and toss it in.

Kidney Beans: The kidney beans are the star of this dish, but I’ll use any other beans I have if needed. Both canned and dried beans work well. Fun fact: in Jamaica, kidney beans are called “red peas,” which I find pretty interesting!

Thyme, Green Onions, Fresh Cilantro: Fresh thyme gives this stew a lovely herbal note, and I sometimes add sprigs of other herbs or bay leaves for extra flavor. Green onions go in at the end to enhance the texture, and cilantro is an optional but delicious finishing touch when I want more flavor.

Worcestershire Sauce, Salt, Pepper: I use Worcestershire sauce to deepen the flavor, but for a vegan option, I’ll swap it with soy sauce or white wine vinegar. Classic salt and black pepper round out the seasoning perfectly.

👩🏽‍🍳 How To Make Stewed Red Kidney Beans

Learn how to make my Caribbean style stewed red beans recipe! There are a few different ways to make this recipe, depending on the available equipment. Below are instructions for the  instant pot, stovetop, and slow cooker.

Stove Top

Sauté Veggies: I start by heating oil in a deep saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat and sautéing the diced onion until it softens. Then, I add the garlic and cook it for another couple of minutes. After that, I toss in the carrots, celery, butternut squash / pumpkin, and scotch bonnet pepper, sautéing for 4-5 minutes, stirring to make sure everything cooks evenly.

Add Brown Sugar: Next, I sprinkle in the brown sugar and let it cook until it melts and starts to caramelize, adding a nice touch of sweetness to the dish.

Add Liquids: I stir in the tomato paste, vegetable broth, coconut cream, and cherry tomatoes. Then, I bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

Add Beans: Once it’s boiling, I add the canned beans, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. I let it come to a boil again, making sure everything is well combined.

Add Final Flavor & Serve: Finally, I add the green onions, salt, pepper, and cilantro. I cook it all for about 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and the sauce has thickened. I adjust the seasoning to taste and serve the stewed beans hot.

Instant Pot

Sauté Onion & Garlic: I set the Instant Pot to the “sauté” setting and add oil and diced onion. I sauté the onion until it softens, then add the garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.

Add Veggies: After that, I add the carrots, celery, pumpkin, and scotch bonnet pepper. I sauté everything for another 4-5 minutes, making sure to stir for even cooking. Then, I add the brown sugar and cook it until it melts and starts to caramelize.

Add Rest of Ingredients: Next, I stir in the tomato paste, vegetable broth, coconut cream, cherry tomatoes, soaked dried kidney beans, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. I also add the green onions, salt, pepper, and cilantro, stirring well to combine everything.

Cook On High Pressure: I secure the lid on the Instant Pot, set the pressure cooker to the sealing setting, and select high pressure. I cook it for 12 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and the sauce has thickened.

Adjust Seasoning & Serve: Once the pot is open, I taste the stew and adjust the seasoning if needed. Then, I serve this kidney bean stew hot.

Slow Cooker

Add Ingredients: I start by adding the tomato paste, vegetable broth, coconut cream, cherry tomatoes, soaked dry beans, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce to the slow cooker. I set it to high and cover it for 2 hours.

Sauté Veggies: While that cooks, I heat oil in a medium saucepan and sauté the diced onion until it softens. Then, I add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. After that, I toss in the carrots, celery, pumpkin, and scotch bonnet pepper, sautéing for 4-5 minutes while stirring to ensure everything cooks evenly.

Mix In Veggies & Serve: After the 2 hours are up, I uncover the slow cooker and add the sautéed veggies. I give it all a good stir to let the flavors meld together, adjust the seasoning to my taste, and serve the dish hot.

📖 Variations

My stewed kidney beans are a delicious recipe with flavors that can easily be switched up. Here are some variations I’ve tried:

Different Spices: I love that this stew features Caribbean flavors, but I can easily switch up the spices to explore other cuisines. Sometimes, I add cumin, cayenne pepper, or fresh herbs for variety. Using a bay leaf or fresh parsley adds a nice touch to the stewed red kidney beans.

Different Type Of Beans: Pinto beans, white beans, black beans, or cannellini beans work great, and sometimes I mix a few varieties to create a unique blend.

Habichuelas Guisadas: To give this recipe a Puerto Rican twist, I swap the kidney beans for pink beans and add cumin, stuffed olives, and adobo seasoning. It transforms the dish into a popular Puerto Rican side, which pairs perfectly with yellow rice.

Ewa Riro: For a Nigerian spin, I use black-eyed peas or honey beans and replace the vegetable stock with bouillon powder. If I’m not sticking to a vegetarian version, I’ll add crayfish, catfish, or smoked turkey to make this one-pot meal even heartier.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Served over a humble bowl of rice is the traditional way to pair these stewed kidney beans. Here are a few other options I love:

Bread: A classic way to soak up that stewed gravy from the beans! I love to serve this with buckwheat sourdough bread or garlic bread.

Salad: Because this is a very filling meal, I like to pair it with a light salad. My roasted pumpkin salad, beetroot and feta salad, or spinach and arugula salad all have those similar earthy flavors that complement this dish well.

🫙 Storing And ♨️ Reheating

Before storing these vegan stewed beans, I allow the stewed beans to cool to room temperature. Then, I either freeze it or refrigerate it. Here’s how:

Fridge: I store leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days. 

Freezer: These beans will keep for up to 2 months if frozen. To save space, I put the beans in airtight freezer bags and freeze them flat. 

Reheating: I recommend defrosting in the fridge overnight, and warming the beans in the microwave or on the stove top before serving.

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