This smoky eggplant & bean ragout has been on repeat here ever since it started to get chilly outside. It’s such an easy, delicious, and heartwarming dish that both my husband and I are crazy about. So, it’s about time I shared it with you, hoping it would brighten your days as well!

The smoky flavor comes from warming spices like cumin and paprika. I also love to add red chili flakes to make it a tad spicy, but that’s totally optional. I prefer to use cannellini (white) beans in this dish, but I bet other beans or chickpeas would taste delicious here too.

I try to cook beans that have been soaked from scratch instead of using canned. I will tell you why below and you can decide for yourself whether it’s worth the extra time and effort or not 😉

To Soak or Not to Soak?

Beans–like all plant foods–contain anti-nutrients to protect them from being eaten by other organisms in nature. They’re particularly high in lectins and phytates. Lectins are drastically reduced with cooking. In fact, pressure cooking beans for as little as 7.5 minutes almost entirely deactivates the lectin they contain! Phytates, on the other hand, are not removed by merely cooking the beans.

Phytates contain a form of phosphorus that can not be absorbed by the body. Therefore, they bind to other minerals in the digestive tract such as calcium, iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium, and steal them from our food and body! The good news is, soaking beans in warm filtered water for 8-24 hours helps mitigate phytates, so you’d be able to absorb more of the nutrients. Plus, no more of the embarrassing gas and bloating or the uncomfortable belly pain!

Soaking and cooking beans from scratch is a very easy process that requires no special skills–just a bit of planning ahead! It’s also much cheaper to buy dried beans compared to cans.

What If You Forget?

With all that being said, it’s almost impossible to plan ahead 100% of the time in this day and age! So I’m offering you 2 solutions:

  1. You can use any variety of lentils that have lesser amounts of anti-nutrients and require a shorter soaking time. Just cover them with hot water that was brought to a boil and let them sit for 15-20 minutes. Then rinse a few times, cover with fresh filtered water, and cook.
  2. Opt for canned beans from companies such as Eden Organic that use BPA-free cans and take the extra step of soaking the beans and cooking them with kelp (read more about the benefits of adding kelp here). They’re more expensive than other brands, but totally worth it, imho!

Smoky Eggplant Bean Raguot #Vegetarian #Vegan #Glutenfree #Grainfree #Savory #Entree Quick Easy & Delicious Lunch or Dinner #Nutriholist

Can’t wait for you to try this cozy and flavorful dish! Leave a comment below if you do and let me know what you think about soaking. I always love seeing and sharing your recreations, so don’t forget to tag me @nutriholist #nutriholist on Instagram and Facebook. Enjoy!

Smoky Eggplant & Bean Ragout

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut or avocado oil
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, grated or crushed
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2-3 large eggplants, cut into cubes (~4 cups)
  • 1 sweet red pepper
  • 4 large tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 head of broccoli, finely chopped
  • 5-6 stalks scallions, chopped
  • 15-oz. can white/cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 and 1/2 cups cooked)
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • Pinch of sea salt, black pepper, and red chili flakes

Directions

  1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low. Add the onions, cover, and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent
  2. Add the garlic and turmeric and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Then add the eggplants, red pepper, and tomatoes, cover and let them cook for about 15 minutes until soft. Add a splash of water if the pan gets dry at any time
  3. Mix in the broccoli, scallions, cooked beans, spices, and some water if needed. Stir to combine everything together
  4. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and let it cook for 10 minutes until the flavors come together
  5. Remove from heat, taste test, and adjust spices as needed. Garnish with scallions and a dollop of yogurt and serve with rice, quinoa, pasta, bread, salad, or on its own. Enjoy!