Romanian Bean Stew with Smoked Sausages (Fasole cu Cârnați)
Fasole cu cârnați Say it: fah-SOH-leh koo kuhr-NAHTS
Fasole cu cârnați is Romania's comforting bean stew: creamy white beans simmered with onion, carrot, garlic and tomato until thick, then loaded with slices of smoked sausage. It is everyday home food, eaten through the cold months and at family lunches, and it tastes smoky, savoury and gently sweet from the vegetables, with a soft warmth from paprika. A bowl of pickles on the side cuts the richness — that contrast is exactly what makes it special.
Romanian Bean Stew with Smoked Sausages (Fasole cu Cârnați)
Fasole cu cârnați
Pronounced fah-SOH-leh koo kuhr-NAHTS
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 40 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the beans
For the stew
Method
Put the beans in a large bowl, cover with the 8 cups (2 l) cold water and leave to soak overnight, or at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse them well.
Tip the drained beans into a pot with the 8 cups (2 l) fresh water and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, let them bubble hard for 10 minutes, then drain again — this mellows their strong flavour.
Return the beans to the pot with fresh water to cover by about 2 inches (5 cm), bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 40–50 minutes, until the beans are tender and crush easily against the side of the pot. Keep them barely covered as they cook.
While the beans simmer, warm the oil in a wide pan over medium heat and cook the onion and carrot for 8–10 minutes, until soft, glossy and just turning golden at the edges.
Add the garlic, paprika, thyme and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute, until the paste darkens slightly and smells sweet rather than raw.
Add the sausage rounds and fry for 3–4 minutes, until they release their smoky fat and the edges begin to brown.
Scrape the pan contents into the bean pot, add a ladle of the bean cooking water if it looks dry, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until the liquid thickens and the beans start to break down into a creamy stew.
Season with the salt and pepper, stir in the parsley and the pickle brine or vinegar if using, and take the pot off the heat. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving, so the stew settles and thickens.
Regional variant: Fasole cu afumătură (smoked pork bean stew)
Replace the sausages with 1 lb (450 g) smoked pork ribs or a smoked ham hock. Simmer the meat with the beans from the start of step 3, adding 30–40 minutes to the cooking time until both beans and meat are tender. Lift the meat out, shred it off the bone, return it to the pot and finish as above, leaving out the vinegar.
Cook's notes
- Salt only once the beans are fully tender — early salt can keep their skins tough.
- If the stew is looser than you like, crush a ladleful of beans against the side of the pot and stir it back in.
- Smoked sausages vary in saltiness, so taste before you season and adjust at the end.
Serve with
Pickled cucumbers or pickled green tomatoes, raw onion salad, fresh country bread, and a small glass of țuică or a light red wine.
Make ahead and storage
Keeps 3 days in the fridge and tastes even better the next day; reheat gently with a splash of water, as it sets when cold. Freezes well for up to 2 months.
