Fabada Asturiana

Fabada Asturiana is a hearty white bean stew from Asturias in northern Spain, built from large white beans simmered slowly with chorizo, morcilla blood sausage, and cuts of pork. You make it by soaking the beans, then simmering everything together low and slow until the beans turn creamy and the broth thickens into something rich enough to eat with a spoon.

This is mountain and farm food, built to fuel people through cold, wet Asturian winters. It's a one-pot dish where the beans, not the meat, are the real star, even though the smoked and cured pork products are what give the broth its depth.

What Actually Matters

Never let the pot boil hard. A rolling boil breaks the bean skins and turns your fabada into a mushy, broken mess instead of a stew with intact, creamy whole beans suspended in a rich broth. Keep it at the gentlest simmer you can manage, barely a bubble breaking the surface, for the full cooking time. This single detail is what separates a good fabada from a ruined pot of bean mush.

Fabada Asturiana Recipe

Serves 4. Prep time: 20 minutes, plus overnight soaking. Cook time: 2 hours. Total time: 2 hours 20 minutes, plus soaking.

• 1 pound large dried white beans (or gigante beans), soaked overnight
• 2 Spanish chorizo sausages, whole
• 1 morcilla (blood sausage), whole
• 8 ounces pork belly, in one piece
• 1 small onion, halved
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 6 cups water, more as needed

1. Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large, heavy pot.
2. Add the chorizo, morcilla, pork belly, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and smoked paprika.
3. Cover with 6 cups of water, at least 2 inches above the beans.
4. Bring to a bare simmer over medium heat, skimming any foam that rises.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer very gently, uncovered, for 1.5 to 2 hours, until the beans are tender.
6. Add the saffron and salt about 30 minutes before the beans are done.
7. Add more hot water during cooking if the pot looks dry, the beans should stay just covered.
8. Remove the meats, slice them, and return to the pot. Discard the onion halves, garlic, and bay leaf. Serve hot.

This is a calculated estimate, not lab-verified nutrition data.

Tips, Variations, and Storage

Fabada is one of those stews that tastes better the next day, once the flavors have had time to settle. It keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days and freezes well for up to 3 months, though the beans can soften further after freezing. Reheat gently over low heat, never at a hard boil.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need to soak the beans overnight?

Yes, unsoaked beans will not cook evenly or become tender within a reasonable time.

Can I use canned beans?

You can, but you'll lose the deep flavor infusion that comes from cooking dried beans directly with the meats.

What is morcilla?

A Spanish blood sausage, often seasoned with rice and onion. Look for it at a Spanish or Latin market if your regular grocery store doesn't carry it.

Why did my beans break apart?

The pot likely boiled too hard at some point. Keep it at the gentlest possible simmer.

Can I make fabada in a slow cooker?

Yes, using soaked beans, cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.

More from Wine Drop Cookery

This recipe is part of our Spanish recipes collection. Browse our pots and pans for a heavy pot built for slow simmers.

Who Is Writing This

I'm Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary education in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-Time 4-Diamond Chef. More about me here.

If a recipe is missing something you needed, or a step didn't make sense, tell me. Get in touch and I'll fix it.

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