We’re hot in the midst of a pantry purge. I think I mentioned when I was raving about these Chocolate Banana Muffins. It’s been more than a month since we’ve bought any packaged or pantry staples (aside from those required for client work), and so far we’ve seen very little sacrifice in the quality of our meals. I’d even go so far as to say we’ve markedly improved the way we eat. (This stew is a fine example, but I’ll get there.)
Here’s the gist.
Each weekend, we hit up the grocery store or, if possible, the local farmstand and stock up on fresh produce, eggs, and dairy. (Shopping just the farmstand or the farmer’s market drastically helps reduce the amount of unnecessary pantry crap we take home. It’s not even a possibility, and I don’t miss being tempted by sales on the same flours and pasta sauces that I already have hoarded away.) Typically, these modified grocery runs cost about $40, or $50 if we’re picking up eggs or speciality items, like ice cream. Last week we spent just shy of $100, but we were hosting a dinner party one night, and I also stocked up on yogurt for the kiddo. We like the low-sugar-but-still-fruity stuff, and for whatever reason, low-sugar, still-fruity yogurt is high-priced. C’mon people.
With a fridge full of fresh produce, I prep a few simple things for the week that can jazz up any number of pantry staples. A tray of roasted veggies. The pickled cabbage you see here. Our favorite take on Sherrie’s insistently verdant parsley sauce. And then we purge.
It’s kind of a game, how many pantry and freezer essentials I can cram into each meal as we whittle away our stock. For breakfast, chia seeds are bloomed into pudding, or simmered with frozen fruit and a squidge of honey, then slathered on homemade bread with salted butter. Oats cook down with coconut milk and cinnamon. Homemade cereal bars make quick work of school mornings.
Grain bowls have always been a pretty big part of our weekday supper repertoire, but now they’re in almost constant rotation. (You’d be amazed by the assortment of rices I’ve amassed. Or maybe not.) Pastas are dressed up with herby pestos of every variety, putting to use long-forgotten stashes of seeds and nuts. Beet tops and summer squash get cozy with jarred marinara and served over silky, cheesy polenta. Beans find themselves loaded into the Instant Pot with nearly every spicy imaginable.
And here we are.
The ingredient list for this stew — which is really just a simple pot of beans boasting tremendous flavor — is long, but everything is fantastically accessible. (Kinda the name of the game, around here.) Even the miso is pretty easy to come by these days. In fact, if you enjoy cooking and do so often, you might even have everything on hand. And if not, I won’t fault you for omitting a spice you don’t want to spend $7 never to use again. This is inspired by a pantry purge, after all. Let’s not add to the clutter.
As for the flavor profile, it’s hard to define — but you can bet I’ll try. Warm, earthy. Sweet from the miso and the aromatics, which cook down to almost nothing. Spiced but not at all spicy. Appropriately almost-autumnal. Lana ate a full bowl, and then climbed into my lap and started eating mine. Sarah helped me test the cook time on this recipe, and her toddler was a fan, too. So add kid-friendly to the mix. (Christina, are you reading this? Beans for the protein-averse win!)
The toppings pictured here are merely suggestions, but there’s something so very right about heaping a fall-ready stew with late-summer’s darlings. The dry-farmed tomatoes here in California have never been sweeter, and my recent obsession with ume-pickled cabbage (it’s crazy flavorful and only two ingredients!) can’t be stopped.
And did I mention this comes together with very little hands-on time? Saute the veggies in the Instant Pot insert until translucent, then chuck in most everything else and let it come to pressure. It does its thing, you do yours: straighten the house / take a bath / scroll through Instagram / binge The Teacher’s Pet. It’s beautiful, in both concept and execution.
Enjoy, guys. This one’s a keeper.
xo,
Em
- For the Soup:
- 2 T light cooking oil, such as avocado oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 large rib celery, diced
- 1 lb dry red beans, rinsed and drained
- 6 cups water
- ¼ cup white miso paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
- pepper, to taste
- For Topping (any or all):
- ume pickled cabbage (see note)
- avocado
- diced tomatoes
- cilantro
- grated pecorino romano (omit if vegan)
- Instant Pot Method Turn Instant Pot to Saute. To Instant Pot insert, add oil and onions, carrots and celery and saute until crisp-tender, about 5 mins. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add beans, water, miso and all spices to pot and stir. Cover and set lid to Sealing. Switch to Manual setting and set the timer to 60 mins + natural release. (You can keep the stew warm for hours at this point - the beans will just become even more tender/creamy.) Enjoy!
- Slow Cooker Method Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on High for 4 hours; reduce heat and cook on Low an additional 2 hours.
- Spoon soup into big bowls and top with accoutrements of choice. Enjoy!
End
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19 Comments on “Instant Pot Miso Red Bean Stew | vegetarian + gluten-free”
yea Instapot!!!!
Thought of you! Mah!
I mean, I know I would love it, but I just think Camille would sense the protein and spit it out. But then I would eat her portion, so no big deal! LOL
Tell her all her internet friends dig it. Usually works for me, haha. #influenced
Imma make this for Soup Group on Tuesday! For real you can chuck it all in a crock pot and six hours later you good?! None of that soak beans over night and then forget about them the next day and then ruin your dinner plans so you go buy beans in a can?
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So freaking delicious! I can’t find adzukis in the stores so used kidney beans (my least favorite bean) and they came out great. Thanks for posting!
Since adopting a vegan diet about 18 months ago, we’ve collected a lot of bean recipes. They’re all good, but most are just variations on the same few seasonings and spices. This one is entirely unique ~ and absolutely delicious! It totally will be part of our regular rotation of dishes.
Couple of notes: I simply threw everything except for the miso in the Instant Pot and blasted it on high pressure; came out great. With a pressure cooker, you don’t need the sautéing to develop the flavors. Secondly, I added the miso at the end, after the beans were done. It’s my understanding (please correct me if I’m done) that miso should never be cooked.
Thanks for the feedback! It’s true that it’s a bit taboo to heat miso to boiling. I haven’t had an issue with it, flavorwise, but maybe it negates some of the benefits of fermentation? So glad you enjoyed it.
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Hi Em! I found your website yesterday and was excited to try this recipe in my Instant Pot. I made it last night and was happy with the ease of the recipe. I used dry adzuki beans, rinsed and drained per your instructions. But, after cooking in the IP for 60 mins + natural release, the beans have a terribly bitter aftertaste! The texture and initial taste is very nice, but I can’t get over the aftertaste. I did some research and this is apparently due to naturally occurring tannins in red beans. I’ve tried to cut down the bitterness with a bit of sugar and vinegar, but the taste is still there. How can I avoid this in the future if I want to try this recipe again? I’m so sad because the other reviews here are good!
Oh no! This breaks my heart, both because I want you to be able to enjoy the recipe as written and because I hate hearing when folks waste ingredients on a recipe of mine, so first off — I’m so sorry this happened! Second, and I wish I had better news, I’m afraid I’m not going to be of much help. I’ve made this recipe countless times, and I’ve never had this issue (and trust me, it’s not like I’m buying fancy beans — just run of the mill dried beans from the supermarket or bulk bins), but I did the same Google search you probably did, and I see it can be common with beans — with some people saying that “old” beans could be particularly bitter? I will say I’ve never used adzuki beans, specifically, in this recipe, but I imagine that wouldn’t make much of a difference. Again, so sorry! If you happen to give it another try with a different batch of beans, I’d love to hear your results!
Hi! Can we substitute with soldier beans? It’s the only dried beans I have in the pantry. Would love to use these up!
Hiya! I personally haven’t cooked with soldier beans, but from the small amount of research I just did (thanks google!) it sounds like the cook time is about the same, so I would think so? The red beans begin to break down and almost become a stew consistency, so if anything, the solider beans may hold their shape a bit longer, which would mean you end up with brothier beans. Let me know what you find out!
Sorry to be this person, but do you think this recipe would work with great northern beans? Really want to try it but don’t have red beans at the moment. Thanks!
Haha, oh my gosh — first of all, because you’re saying “sorry to be that person,” you’re already so not that person! 🙂 And I can 100% get behind using what you have on hand. That said, like I mentioned to a previous commenter, I think it comes down to the cook time on the beans. Great northern beans and red beans are somewhat similar, so I think you’d be fine honestly. And this recipe is really forgiving. If they end up overcooked, then you just have more of a stew. If they’re undercooked, seal it back up and set it for another 10 mins or so. Either way, I think you’ll be fine in terms of flavor. Enjoy!
Okay this maybe be a really dumb question but for the ume pickled cabbage, do you refrigerate overnight or leave on the counter?
No dumb questions! It only needs a few mins on the counter but it can go days in the fridge if you have extra (or want to do it ahead of time). 🙂