Kielbasa Bean Stew

This kielbasa bean stew is a hearty dish that's full of herby flavour. It's just the perfect weeknight meal that pairs great with a chunk of crusty bread.

If you enjoy Eastern-European-inspired one-pot meals, this kielbasa bean stew should be just up your alley.

This Polish sausage stew takes about 30 minutes to make and combines flavourful kielbasa with cannellini beans in a beautifully thick tomato sauce.

This recipe is also ideal for meal prep because it's even tastier the next day. The flavours have more time to develop, and the leftovers make a great quick lunch.

Why you'll love this kielbasa bean stew

• It has a lot of flavour and is quite filling.
• It takes only 30 minutes to prepare.
• You can easily customize it to suit your taste.

What goes into Polish sausage stew

Sunflower oil - I like to sauté the veggies for this Polish sausage stew in a bit of sunflower oil, but you can use olive oil too.

Onion - Yellow or red onions are both perfect in this stew.

Garlic - Fresh garlic is always best in this kind of stew. However, if you don't have any on hand, you can use frozen or jarred garlic instead.

Kielbasa sausage - Kielbasa means "sausage" in Polish, and there are multiple types available.

Most commonly, kielbasa refers to smoked pork sausage, but you can also find turkey, beef, chicken and even veggie options made from soy protein.

Use your favourite type in this stew, or substitute it with any other kind of smoked sausage.

Red bell pepper - Use any colour you want or a mix of bell peppers if you like.

Tomato paste + passata - The combination of tomato paste and passata gives this kielbasa stew just the right amount of tomato flavour.

Paprika - I like to make this stew with sweet paprika, but if you want it to have a smoky flavour, use smoked paprika instead.

Beans - Any kind of white beans works in this sausage bean stew. I used cannellini, but navy beans or even butter beans are also perfect.

Chicken stock - Shop-bought chicken stock is fine in this stew if you don't have any homemade chicken broth handy.

Fresh parsley and dill - As with any Eastern-European-inspired meal, fresh herbs are a must. I highly recommend using parsley and dill generously.

How to make Polish stew with kielbasa

Heat the sunflower oil in a large, deep pan or Dutch oven and cook the onion for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.

Add the garlic, carrot and Kielbasa sausage and cook for 7-8 minutes until the veggies are slightly softened and the sausage is slightly crispy.

Add the red bell pepper and cook for 3 more minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste and passata, then add the paprika and bay leaves.

Add the cannellini beans and stock and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Take off the lid and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened to your likening.

Stir in the parsley and dill, season to taste and serve with fresh crusty bread.

Leftovers and storage

• This kielbasa stew will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.
• Reheat it until it's steaming hot on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• The stew can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-friendly container or Ziploc bags. Thaw the stew overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Recipe notes and tips

• This kielbasa bean stew can be topped with baby spinach or other leafy greens.
• Don't omit the sausage frying stage; it'll make a big difference in the flavour.
• This Polish sausage stew goes nicely with crusty bread, but you can also serve it with a simple salad.

If you liked this kielbasa bean stew, you might also like some of my other easy stew recipes:

• Chorizo and Butter Bean Stew
• Spanish Fish Stew with Potatoes
• Easy Instant Pot Irish Stew
• Spanish Chickpea and Sweet Potato Stew
• Meatball Stew with Orzo and White Beans

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