Mashed red beans with red onion and chili sauce
I made red bean puree with red onion and chili sauce for the first time on a day when I craved something hearty, meatless, but packed with flavor. I had some freshly cooked red beans and an abundance of red onions. It turned out spicier than I expected, but we loved it and finished everything with olive bread.
Quick Info
Total time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy
Ingredients
For the beans:
- 300 g cooked red beans (ideally freshly cooked, but canned, well rinsed, works too)
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt, to taste
For the sauce:
- 3 large red onions
- 1 carrot
- 2-3 tablespoons concentrated tomato paste or tomato purée
- 3-4 sun-dried tomatoes (in oil or simply dried)
- a pinch of ground chili (or more, to taste)
- 2 tablespoons oil (sunflower or olive)
- 30-50 ml water
- salt
For serving:
- olive bread or any kind of fresh bread
Preparation Method
1. If using dried beans, soak them overnight and cook until soft. If using canned beans, rinse them thoroughly under running water and drain completely.
2. Place the beans in a large bowl. Add a pinch of salt, olive oil, and crushed or finely grated garlic. Blend everything with an immersion blender until it becomes a smooth, homogenous paste. If it seems too thick, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of cooking water or cold water. Taste and adjust the salt. Refrigerate while you prepare the sauce.
3. For the sauce, peel the onion and carrot. Dice the onion and grate the carrot on a fine grater.
4. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot, sprinkle a pinch of salt. Sauté for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until they start to soften.
5. Slice the sun-dried tomatoes thinly and add them to the vegetables in the pan. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes.
6. Add the tomato paste and a splash of water (30-50 ml). Add ground chili to taste. Let everything simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 10-12 minutes. At the end, taste for salt and chili – adjust if you want it spicier.
7. Remove the bean puree from the fridge, spread it on a platter or plates. Top it with the hot red onion and chili sauce. Serve immediately with bread.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
I love it because it doesn't require complicated ingredients, can be made with what I have on hand, and is perfect for days when I want something filling without meat. Red beans have a more intense flavor than white beans and keep well in the fridge. If there are leftovers, they are also good cold.
Tips and Variations
Tips:
- Use freshly cooked red beans if you have the time. Canned beans are okay, but they have a slightly softer texture.
- If you want the paste to be very smooth, pass the beans through a sieve before blending.
- For the sauce, don't burn the onions; just soften them slowly for a sweet flavor.
Substitutions:
- Red beans can be replaced with black or white beans, but the texture and flavor will differ.
- Tomato paste can be substituted with peeled and finely chopped fresh tomatoes.
- If you don't have sun-dried tomatoes, you can add a bit of smoked paprika for a more intense flavor.
Variations:
- You can add a teaspoon of spicy pepper paste to the sauce if you want more heat.
- For a fresh touch, sprinkle chopped parsley on top before serving.
- Sometimes I add a bit of ground cumin to the sauce for a unique flavor.
Serving Ideas:
- It's great with any homemade bread, flatbread, or pita.
- It can also be served as a side dish for roasted vegetables.
- Try it with slices of green onion or pickles for contrast.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use canned beans?
Yes, that's fine, just make sure to rinse and drain them well to avoid a canned taste.
2. Can I use a different type of onion?
Yes, white or yellow onions work too, but red onions add a special sweetness.
3. Do I have to use sun-dried tomatoes?
No, but they give the sauce a more intense flavor. If you don't have them, add a bit more tomato paste or some paprika.
4. How spicy is it with this amount of chili?
It's moderate. If you can't handle spice, reduce it by half or omit it. If you want it spicier, feel free to add more.
5. How can I make the recipe without oil?
You can sauté the onions in water or vegetable broth. The texture will be less creamy, but the recipe still works.
Nutritional Values (per serving, estimated)
- Calories: 210
- Protein: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Fat: 6 g
It contains a lot of plant protein, fiber, and healthy fats from olive oil. If you want to reduce calories, cut back on the oil or cook without it.
Storage and Reheating
The bean puree and sauce will last in the fridge for 2-3 days in separate covered containers. They can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat, adding 1-2 tablespoons of water if needed. The bean paste can also be eaten cold, straight from the fridge. Ideally, heat the sauce before serving. If you're making it for several days, mix just before serving to avoid thinning out the beans too much.
I boiled fresh beans, drained them, added a pinch of salt, a few tablespoons of olive oil, and 2-3 crushed garlic cloves. I blended it all into a smooth paste. I peeled and washed the onion and carrot. I chopped the onion into small cubes and grated the carrot. I heated a bit of oil in a pan and sautéed the vegetables. I sliced a few sun-dried tomatoes and added them to the pan. I let them sizzle for a bit, then added a little water and 2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste. I added a pinch of chili powder and let the sauce reduce. Once done, I poured it over the blended beans. We served it with olive bread. Overall, it was great!
Ingredients: 300 g cooked red beans, salt, 2-3 tbsp olive oil, 3 red onions, 1 carrot, sun-dried tomatoes, 2-3 tbsp broth, 2-3 cloves of garlic, 1 pinch of ground chili.
