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Tomato beans sprinkled with fresh parsley, served in a deep bowl.
Rich and smoky beans simmered in a thick, savoury tomato sauce.

Smoky beans in tomato sauce

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Vegetarian & Vegan
Tomato beans are the true chameleon of Hungarian cuisine: can be a rich main course or a humble side dish. The secret lies not in complexity, but timing. Beans must be given time to cook into a creamy emulsion with the acidity of the tomato and smoky flavours (because without a little bacon this is only half a giant). This is the dish where mopping up the thick sauce is mandatory, and which shows perhaps an even more characterful face when reheated the next day.
🕒 Prep Time 15 mins
🍳 Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins
⌛ Total Time 13 hrs 45 mins
🍽️ Servings 5 servings
🔥 Calories 420 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Hungarian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Heavy-based saucepan (for even heat distribution)
  • Wooden spoon
  • Sharp knife

Instructions

1 ✓

Wash the beans and soak in cold water the night before (at least 8-12 hours).

Tip: The beans absorb water, so they cook faster and more evenly, and skins won't split (rehydration).
2 ✓

Next day drain the beans, put on to boil in fresh water. Cook until half-soft (approx. 40-50 mins), but do not salt yet!

Tip: If you salt at the beginning, the bean skin stays hard and doesn't cook through.
3 ✓

Meanwhile render the fat from the diced bacon in the lard/oil, then sweat the finely chopped onion in the fat until translucent.

Tip: The bacon fat gives the dish its smoky base character.
4 ✓

Add crushed garlic to the onion, fry for half a minute until fragrant, then mix in the tomato purée. Fry the purée for 1-2 minutes too.

Tip: Frying the tomato purée (caramelisation) softens the acidity and deepens the colour.
5 ✓

Pour over the onion base with a little cooking water, then add the drained, half-soft beans. Now season with salt, pepper, herbs.

Tip: You can salt boldly now; the inside of the bean has already started to soften.
6 ✓

Cook under a lid on low heat until finished (further 30-40 mins), until the sauce thickens and beans are butter-soft.

Tip: During slow cooking substances released from beans naturally thicken the sauce (gelatinisation).

Recipe FAQ

Why did the beans stay hard?
You likely added the tomato or salt too early. An acidic environment slows down softening.
What to do if it became too runny?
Take out a ladleful, blend it or mash with a fork, and stir back in. The bean's own starch is the best thickener.

Ingredients

  • 400 g Dried beans (pinto or haricot)
  • 1.5 l Water
  • 100 g Smoked bacon (diced)
  • 200 g Tomato purée (concentrate)
  • 1 head Onion
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tbsp Lard or Oil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Pepper
  • 1 tsp Dried oregano
  • 1 tsp Dried basil