Fabada Asturiana
Fabada Asturiana is a rich, comforting white bean stew with a deep smoky broth and tender, creamy beans. Chorizo, morcilla, and pork shoulder infuse the pot with savoury fat and paprika warmth, while saffron adds a subtle aromatic finish. The result is rustic, substantial, and deeply satisfying.
Ingredients
For the stew
- 300 gdried fabes beans, soaked overnight and drained
- 200 gsmoked pork shoulder, cut into 2 large pieces
- 150 gchorizo asturiano or other cured cooking chorizo
- 150 gmorcilla asturiana or other cooking blood sausage
- 1 small (80 g)onion, peeled but left whole
- 2garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 1bay leaf
- 1 tspsweet smoked paprika
- 0.15 gsaffron threads
- 15 mlolive oil
- 1 litrewater or light unsalted stock
- to tastesalt
To finish
- 1 tbspfresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- 1
The day before cooking, soak the dried fabes beans in plenty of cold water for 10-12 hours. Drain before using. This soak is essential for even cooking and is included in the prep planning, but not in the active cooking time.
- 2
Put the soaked beans in a heavy pot with the smoked pork shoulder, whole onion, crushed garlic, and bay leaf. Pour in the water or light stock. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer over medium heat; do not boil hard, or the beans may split. As foam rises, skim it off for a cleaner broth.
- 3
Once the pot is gently simmering, add the olive oil, sweet smoked paprika, and saffron threads. Shake the pot by the handles rather than stirring with a spoon to avoid breaking the beans. Simmer very gently for 20 minutes.
- 4
Add the chorizo and morcilla whole. Continue simmering gently for 20-25 minutes, occasionally giving the pot a gentle shake. If the liquid level drops too much, add a little hot water to keep the beans just covered. The beans should become tender and the broth should begin to turn silky from the starch and meats.
- 5
Check the beans for doneness: they should be creamy inside with intact skins. Remove the onion and bay leaf. Taste the broth before salting, since the pork and sausages are already seasoned. Add salt only if needed. If the broth is thin, mash a spoonful of beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in gently.
- 6
Turn off the heat and let the fabada rest for 10 minutes; this helps the broth settle and the flavours meld. Slice the chorizo and morcilla into thick pieces, and cut the pork shoulder into serving chunks.
- 7
Serve the beans in warm bowls with the sliced meats arranged on top. Spoon over plenty of broth and finish with chopped parsley.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For a true classic flavour, use large Asturian fabes if you can find them; cannellini or other large white beans are a workable substitute, but the texture will be slightly different.
- •A very gentle simmer is the key technique in fabada: rapid boiling can burst the beans and make the broth greasy.
- •If you need to keep within the 60-minute target, starting with properly soaked beans and using a wide pot helps them cook faster; older beans may still take longer.
- •Fabada often tastes even better after a short rest, and leftovers reheat beautifully over low heat with a splash of water.
Background
Fabada Asturiana is the emblematic bean stew of Asturias in northern Spain, traditionally made with local fabes and a compango of pork meats such as chorizo, morcilla, and cured pork. It became widely known in the 19th and 20th centuries as a hearty rural dish suited to the cool, damp climate of the region. Today it remains one of Spain’s most beloved classic stews.
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