Gruene Bohnen Eintopf, German Green Bean and Potato Stew
Eintopf, one pot, is the German name for the thrifty stews that turn whatever is in the garden into a whole supper, and the green bean version is a late-summer standard. It is usually built on bacon or a smoked bone; it does not need to be. A proper base of onion, carrot, and celery sweated in water gives all the savor, potatoes cooked in the pot thicken the broth themselves, and a spoon of tomato adds color and depth. The one ingredient not to skip is savory, the herb Germans grow specifically for beans. Make the full pot: like most Eintopf it thickens and deepens overnight, so it is worth reheating the next day with a splash of water.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 lb Potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 wholes Carrots (cooking), diced
- 1 whole Yellow onions, diced
- 1 stalk Celery, diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Dried savory
- 1/2 tsp Dried marjoram
- 2 wholes Bay leaves
- 1/2 cup Canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp no-salt vegetable bouillon
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
- 1 tsp Apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Method
- Sweat the onion, carrot, and celery in a splash of water in a large pot over medium heat until soft, about 10 minutes, adding water as needed. Softening the aromatics first, rather than boiling them from raw, builds the sweet vegetable base that carries a stew with no meat or stock cube full of salt.
- Add the garlic, savory, marjoram, and bay leaves and cook one minute more. Savory, Bohnenkraut in German, literally the bean herb, is the flavor that makes this dish; it is grown to be cooked with beans and there is no real substitute.
- Add the green beans, potatoes, crushed tomatoes, and bouillon, then pour in 5 cups (1.2 L) water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes and beans are fully tender, about 20 minutes. The potato thickens the broth as its starch cooks out, turning a soup into a spoonable stew without any added thickener.
- Fish out the bay leaves, then stir in the black pepper and cider vinegar. A teaspoon of vinegar at the end lifts a starchy, savory pot and keeps it from tasting flat, doing the work salt would. Finish with the parsley off the heat.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 160 calories, 5 g protein, 6 g fiber, 120 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
