Spanish · Authentic-ish Spanish
Fabada Asturiana
253 kcal a serving, against 348 for the traditional version. That is 95 kcal off, or 27%, with 25.4g of protein. Serves 6. 3 hours.
What the traditional version is
The classic Fabada is a blunt instrument: Asturian fabes (big white beans) long-simmered with cured pork shoulder, chorizo, morcilla (Spanish black pudding) and often a wedge of belly or lard. The fat renders out to form the stew's signature glossy surface, and the beans pick up smoky, spiced pork flavour. No herbs, no garnish, just brute force and a couple of hunks of bread to mop up the last spoonful.
What changed, and what each change costs
Fatty pork shoulder and morcilla swapped for lean pork loin and prawns
Most of the fat and a good chunk of the flavour comes from these. Swapping to pork loin cuts the saturated fat dramatically. The prawns aren't remotely traditional, but they bump up the protein and make the stew more filling without extra heaviness.
What it costs you. You'll lose the glossy, sticky broth that only pork fat delivers. The texture is cleaner, and the prawns bring a hint of sweetness, but you're not fooling anyone from Asturias.
Chorizo halved and trimmed of visible fat
Chorizo's essential for that smoky paprika hit, but it's a fat bomb. I halved the amount and trimmed what I could, which isn't much but everything helps.
What it costs you. You don't get those lovely red oil puddles on top anymore. The chorizo flavour's more background than headline, but at least there's still a whiff of the original.
No morcilla
Black pudding is half the reason Fabada tastes dense and mysterious, but it's a wallop of fat and salt. There isn't really a lean option unless you want to make vegetarian black pudding, which I'll leave to someone with more time and faith.
What it costs you. You lose the depth and that iron-rich, spicy funk. The stew is lighter in both taste and texture. If you want to get close, a tiny pinch of smoked paprika helps, but it isn't quite there.
Beef stock swapped for chicken stock
Chicken stock is lower in fat and keeps things lighter. Homemade is best, but a good low-salt cube will do if you're desperate.
What it costs you. You lose a bit of beefy backbone. The stew is less brooding, but still hearty enough for a wet Tuesday.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 348 | 253 |
| Protein | 21.1g | 25.4g |
| Fat | 22.6g | 8.6g |
| Saturated fat | 7.7g | 2.3g |
| Carbohydrate | 15.4g | 18.5g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.1g | 10g |
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.
Allergens. crustaceans.
The method is in the book
If you grew up with an Asturian granny, look away. This is comfort food with the brakes on. You don't get the orange slick of pork fat, or the deep, slightly menacing flavour of black pudding. What you get is something a lot less heavy, with enough protein to keep you full until breakfast. The beans are still creamy, and the chorizo gives a ghost of the original - which is the best you can hope for when you've gone this far off-piste. Would I swap this for the real thing? Only if someone was watching.
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.