Think homemade barbecue sauce with creamy white beans swimming around. The sweetness from the molasses is balanced by the salty, crispy bacon.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Active: | 10 min |
| Yield: | 4 to 6 servings |
Ingredients
- 5 thick-cut slices bacon (140 grams)
- 1 medium yellow onion (190 grams), chopped
- 1 red bell pepper (200 grams), chopped
- Kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- One 15-ounce (425 grams) can tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) molasses
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock or water
- Two 15.5-ounce cans navy beans, rinsed and drained
- Sliced scallions, for finishing
- Cilantro leaves, for finishing
Instructions
- Arrange the bacon in a large cast iron skillet or 3-quart braiser over medium heat. Cook, rendering the fat and crisping the bacon, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. When cool, roughly chop the bacon. Set aside.
- Leave the bacon grease in the pan and add the onion and bell pepper. Season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, harissa, coriander, cumin, cayenne and cinnamon and stir to combine and toast until the spices are fragrant. Add the tomato sauce, molasses, vinegar, stock or water and half of the bacon. Season again with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and reduce to a simmer. Stir in the beans. Simmer rapidly until thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste. To store, let beans come to room temperature and refrigerate in a covered container. You can make the beans up to 2 days in advance and just reheat.
- Sprinkle with the remaining bacon, the scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 345 |
| Total Fat | 11 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 48 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 10 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Protein | 17 g |
| Cholesterol | 15 mg |
| Sodium | 1169 mg |
Reviews
Just made this recipe. Love it. Had to find Harissa, some things hard to find in Maine. But these are so good. My husband and I ate the whole batch. I did simmer it longer than 15 minutes as we like thicker beans. But the finishing touches make the dish. Will definitely make them again. As my husband said “it’s a keeper “
What can you use instead of harissa?
This is SO amazing. I have made it 3 times already and cannot recommend it more. I used Trader Joe’s Harissa paste and it is really spicy so I only did 1T and added a bit of brown sugar to compensate. Still has a nice spicy aftertaste, but my friends who said they prefer sweet beans ended up going for seconds!
This is my favorite recipe of hers to date. And, 1 pan with no mixing bowls needed. Win/win.
This is my favorite recipe of hers to date. And, 1 pan with no mixing bowls needed. Win/win.