Spanish · Authentic-ish Spanish
Asturian Bean Stew
280 kcal a serving, against 487 for the traditional version. That is 207 kcal off, or 43%, with 26.4g of protein. Serves 6. 3 hours.
What the traditional version is
Fabada is all about Asturian fabes (big white beans), pork belly, smoky chorizo, morcilla (blood sausage) and sometimes a hock or ham. The beans soak up all the pork fat as it slowly renders, so the broth gets thick and glossy. It's heavy, smoky, and if you chill it, the top sets like lip balm. A festival of pig with beans as the excuse.
What changed, and what each change costs
Replace pork belly, chorizo and pork shoulder with skinless chicken breast and smoked paprika
All that pork is what makes the broth so thick and sticky, but it brings a mountain of fat. Skinless chicken breast is about as lean as it gets, and if you drown it in smoked paprika you at least get some of the aroma.
What it costs you. You lose the heart and soul of fabada. There's no luscious pork fat rising to the top, no smoky chorizo intensity, and the broth is thinner. On the bright side, you get more protein per bowl and don't need a siesta at 2pm. Is it fabada? No, it's a gym member's apology letter to Asturias.
Olive oil cut from 30g to 8g
It's there to soften the base and nudge things along, but with the pork gone you can get away with a tiny splash. Anything more is just nostalgia.
What it costs you. Don't expect any gloss on your spoon. The surface will be as matte as a painted radiator. More beans, less luxury.
Beans quantity held, stock increased by 200g
With the fat gone, there's no body or thickness, so you up the stock for movement. Chicken stock makes it less stodgy and keeps things from sticking at the bottom.
What it costs you. You get a looser stew, so it's closer to soup than pudding. Still tastes fine, just don't pour it on a plate or you'll need a mop.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 487 | 280 |
| Protein | 31.1g | 26.4g |
| Fat | 29.3g | 8.1g |
| Saturated fat | 8.5g | 1.6g |
| Carbohydrate | 25.1g | 25.3g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.4g | 9.4g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Spanish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
The method is in the book
This isn't fabada. It's not even its distant cousin. The original is a masterclass in 'eat first, repent quietly'. What you get here is a pot of soft beans, smoky with paprika, and a good wallop of lean chicken. It fills you up and runs a lot lighter. If you want the sticky, porky magic, buy a train ticket to Oviedo. If you're after comfort with some self-control, this will do at a push - just don't serve it to your Spanish mate.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Spanish, along with 57 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.