Beans in Tomato Sauce
These beans are our go-to when we want something hearty and homely but time is short. Sweet pepper and carrot give the sauce natural sweetness, tomato paste and paprika add depth, and a few crushed beans make it thick and clingy. Canned beans keep it to one pan and 40 minutes.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Per serving
- 285 kcal
Ingredients
Makes: 4 servings
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Method
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Step 1: Prep the vegetables
Finely chop the onion, coarsely grate the carrot, cut the pepper into 1 cm dice and thinly slice the garlic. Tip the beans into a colander and rinse under cold water.
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Step 2: Soften the vegetables
Heat the oil in a deep 26–28 cm frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 4–5 minutes until translucent, then add the carrot and pepper and cook for 5 minutes more until soft.
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Step 3: Toast the paste and spices
Add the garlic, paprika and tomato paste and fry, stirring, for 1 minute until the paste darkens to a brick red. This cooks out its raw edge.
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Step 4: Simmer the sauce
Pour in the tomatoes and water and add the sugar, salt and bay leaf. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
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Step 5: Add the beans
Add the beans, stir and simmer with the lid ajar for 10 minutes more. Crush 4–5 beans against the pan with a spoon so the sauce turns thick and coats every bean.
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Step 6: Season and serve
Remove the bay leaf, add pepper, taste and adjust the salt. Scatter with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Tips & variations
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Swap
Home-cooked beans work too: soak 200 g dried beans overnight and simmer for 50–60 minutes until tender — that gives roughly the 480 g you need.
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Variation
For heat, add a pinch of chilli flakes with the paprika; for a smoky note, use smoked paprika instead of sweet.
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Tip
If your tomatoes are very sharp, add another half teaspoon of sugar — it will not make the dish sweet, just balance the acidity.
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Storage
Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and tastes even better the next day. Reheat with a splash of water.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 4 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 285 kcal | 1,140 kcal |
| Protein | 10 g | 40 g |
| Fat | 11 g | 44 g |
| Carbohydrates | 35 g | 140 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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