String Bean Stew

String Bean Stew was one of my favorites growing up (and dad raised a garden every year) mom often even used pole beans so either one will be amazing in this recipe if you're looking for a great bean stew recipe.

The summer is the best time with such an abundance of fresh farmers' market vegetables or from your own garden (if you are lucky enough to have one) and the beans are super fresh!

Mom made it a few ways with and without meat, most of the time in Italian red sauce but we give you the option for brown gravy as well below.

We included several suggestions for meat lovers in this recipe, plus many other vegetables to add to our stew recipe you may like to adapt to your preference.

There are also many cooking methods to use I will give you all the information in the instructions so this basic recipe is a win-win with many options available for your summer bounty of fresh vegetables.

This is a healthy delicious bowl with the best sauce to sop up with a freshly baked loaf of "No-Knead Bread" or my "No-Knead Garlic Rolls", another favorite recipe that goes along with this stew!

The basic recipe below can be adapted with so many other ingredients when it comes to vegetables you like, add or eliminate what you don't like.

Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable recipe.

Summer Stew

There are so many ways to make a great stew and just about anything goes in the pot there is really no right or wrong way what can be added to a summer string bean stew.


When fresh tomatoes are in abundance, zucchini, green beans, and fresh peppers, this stew is fragrant with fresh herbs, spices, and delicious sauce.


These vegetables are hugged in a rich tomato-based sauce and are so delicious get that hunk of crusty Italian bread ready for dipping into this marvelous sugo.


If you are a more brown gravy stew person, you would have to adapt this to use a brown gravy roux recipe and omit a few ingredients.


For a rich brown gravy substitution, follow the recipe below just before the recipe card or just get some bottled brown gravy in a jar and call it a day.

Optional Vegetable and Meat Suggestions

• potatoes
• carrots
• peas
• corn 
• celery
• sweet peppers
• cubed eggplant
• hot peppers
• spinach leaves
• cubed meats: boneless pork tenderloin cubed, chicken, venison, beef, Italian sausage links

Ingredients for this stew recipe:

scroll to the bottom for exact measurements

• Yellow Squash
• Zucchini Squash
• sliced mushrooms
• freshly cleaned ends off of green beans
• fresh ripe plum tomatoes pureed in the food processor
• tomato paste
• fresh thyme, sprig rosemary, basil, parsley
• dried oregano
• minced cloves of fresh garlic
• salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
• water, white or red wine, or use beer
• olive oil

Cooking Methods

1. For an instant pot, sear the meat first if using garlic and paste, add all the vegetables and use only 2 cups of liquid, place on pressure cooker mode for 45 minutes.
2. Slow cooker mode, sear meat on the stovetop if using with garlic and paste, then everything goes into the slow cooker on high for 4 to 6 hours.
3. Stovetop, sear meat if using, add the garlic and paste last for a few minutes on low heat. Simmer sauce, add the vegetables, and cook on medium heat for around 1 hour.

For An Easy Brown Gravy Recipe

2 cups of water
1 (.75 ounce) packet dry brown gravy mix
1 (1.5 ounces) package of dry beef stew seasoning mix
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon butter

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and add the brown gravy packet, beef stew seasoning mix, and water.
Stir until combined, add the Worcestershire sauce and simmer.
This can be added to the cooking method of choice and using only the recipe for tomatoes with the elimination of tomato paste also.

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String Bean Stew

Yield: 6

Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

Here is a summer stew made with or without meat and a favorite Italian style string bean stew. This can be done on the stovetop, instant pots, slow cooker and perfect alone of over rice, pasta or just served with Italian hard crusted bread.

Ingredients

• String Bean Stew
• Yellow Squash 2 or 3 sliced
• Zucchini Squash 2 or 3 sliced
• 1 8 to 16-ounce package of sliced mushrooms
• 1 lb freshly cleaned ends off of green beans
• 2 lbs fresh ripe plum tomatoes pureed in the food processor
• 1 can of tomato paste
• 1 or 2 of each: fresh thyme, sprig rosemary, basil, parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 or more minced cloves of fresh garlic
• salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste
• water, white or red wine, or use beer
• olive oil
• Optional Suggestions: potatoes, carrots, peas, corn, celery, sweet peppers, cubed eggplant, hot peppers, spinach leaves, cubed meats of choice: chicken, venison, beef, Italian sausage links

Instructions

1. String Bean Stew Directions:
2. In a large saucepan, saute the garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for around 1 minute, and then stir in the tomato paste.
3. Note: If using meat saute first until the pink is gone on both sides adding garlic when it's almost done)
4. Add the tomatoes and herbs and cover with water, wine, or beer then simmer on low for around 15 minutes.
5. After the sauce is simmered, add all the vegetables and herbs.
6. Salt and pepper to taste if you like heat add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
7. Simmer on medium heat until the vegetables are the to the softness you prefer around 1 hour.
8. If you need more liquid depending on how long you cook the sauce add water, beer or wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
9. For an instant pot, sear the meat first if using garlic and paste, add all the vegetables and use only 2 cups of liquid, place on pressure cooker mode for 45 minutes.
10. Slow cooker mode, sear meat on the stovetop if using with garlic and paste, then everything goes into the slow cooker on high for 4 to 6 hours.
11. Serving suggestions. Pour over cooked pasta of choice or over white rice.

Notes

Optional Vegetable and Meat Suggestions

• potatoes
• carrots
• peas
• corn 
• celery
• sweet peppers
• cubed eggplant
• hot peppers
• spinach leaves
• cubed meats: chicken, venison, beef, boneless pork tenderloin cubed, Italian sausage links

Cooking Methods

1. For an instant pot, sear the meat first if using garlic and paste, add all the vegetables and use only 2 cups of liquid, place on pressure cooker mode for 45 minutes.
2. Slow cooker mode, sear meat on the stovetop if using with garlic and paste, then everything goes into the slow cooker on high for 4 to 6 hours.
3. Stovetop, sear meat if using, add the garlic and paste last for a few minutes on low heat. Simmer sauce, add the vegetables, and cook on medium heat for around 1 hour.

For An Easy Brown Gravy Recipe

2 cups of water

1 (.75 ounce) packet dry brown gravy mix

1 (1.5 ounces) package of dry beef stew seasoning mix

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon butter

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and add the brown gravy packet, beef stew seasoning mix, and water.

Stir until combined, add the Worcestershire sauce and simmer.

This can be added to the cooking method of choice and using only the recipe for tomatoes with the elimination of tomato paste also.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

259

Fat (grams)

11

Sat. Fat (grams)

5

Net carbs

24

Sugar (grams)

15

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https://www.whatscookinitalianstylecuisine.com/2015/01/string-bean-beef-stew-recipe.html

string bean and beef stew, Italian string bean stew, stew with meat, beer stew, wine stew, vegetable stew, garden vegetable stew

stew, one pan meal, instant pot recipes, slow cooker recipes

Italian

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Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2015. It was edited and re-published in 2020