Rating: 3.5 stars
10 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 3
  • 4 star values: 1
  • 3 star values: 4
  • 2 star values: 2
  • 1 star values: 0

This healthy slow-cooker pinto bean stew recipe is bursting with veggies--onion, bell pepper, celery and corn--and topped with crunchy bits of radish and chile- and lime-flecked cornbread dumplings. If you're pressed for time, skip the dumplings and serve this pinto bean stew straight out of the crock pot, topped with crushed tortilla chips and a sprinkling of Monterey Jack cheese. Make sure to soak your dried beans before using them in the slow cooker to ensure even cooking.

Source: EatingWell Magazine, March/April 2013

Gallery

Advertisement

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist
Dumplings
Garnish

Directions

Instructions Checklist
  • Drain the soaked beans. Combine the beans, water, onion, bell pepper, celery, corn, garlic, chili powder and cumin in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cook on High for 4 hours (or on Low for 8 hours).

    Advertisement
  • To prepare dumplings: Just before the end of the 4 (or 8) hours, whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter and use a pastry blender, two knives or a fork to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add jalapeno and lime zest and toss to coat. Add buttermilk and stir to form a dough.

  • After the stew has cooked for 4 (or 8) hours, stir in lime juice and salt. Using generous tablespoonfuls of dough, drop 8 dumplings on top of the stew. Cover and cook on High for 1 hour. Serve each portion of stew topped with a dumpling. Garnish with cilantro and radish.

Tips

Make Ahead Tip: Soak beans; prep vegetables, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day; measure seasonings.

Equipment: 5- to 6-quart slow cooker

Before using beans in a slow-cooker recipe, soak them to ensure even cooking. Start by sorting beans to remove any pebbles; rinse well with cold water. To soak overnight: Place beans in a large bowl, cover with 3 inches of cold water and soak at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours. To “quick soak”: Place beans in a large saucepan with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.

For easy cleanup, try a slow-cooker liner. These heat-resistant, disposable liners fit neatly inside the insert and help prevent food from sticking to the bottom and sides of your slow cooker.

Nutrition Facts

about 1 1/4 cups stew & 1 dumpling
317 calories; protein 15.3g; carbohydrates 55.9g; dietary fiber 14.9g; sugars 3.5g; fat 4.8g; saturated fat 2.2g; cholesterol 8.3mg; vitamin a iu 1287.1IU; vitamin c 26.7mg; folate 276.4mcg; calcium 126mg; iron 4.2mg; magnesium 95.5mg; potassium 814.3mg; sodium 646.7mg; thiamin 0.4mg.

3 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1/2 fat

Advertisement