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Botifarra amb Mongetes (Sausage with White Beans) (Botifarra amb Mongetes)

The Quirky Foodster Team

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10 minutes (plus soaking)
Prep
1 hour
Cook
4
Servings

Ingredients

  • Botifarra sausage (or other fresh pork sausage) — 4 links
  • Dried white beans, soaked overnight — 250 g (1 1/4 cups)
  • Onion, chopped — 100 g (1 small)
  • Garlic, whole cloves — 10 g (2 cloves)
  • Bay leaf — 1
  • Olive oil — 30 ml (2 tbsp)
  • Water — 900 ml (3 3/4 cups)
  • Salt — 6 g (1 tsp)

Method

  1. Drain the soaked beans and place in a pot with onion, garlic, bay leaf and water.
  2. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 45-50 minutes until the beans are tender.
  3. Season with salt in the final 10 minutes of cooking.
  4. Meanwhile, grill the botifarra sausages over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 12-15 minutes until cooked through and nicely browned.
  5. Drain the beans lightly, dress with a drizzle of olive oil, and serve alongside the grilled sausage.

Introduction: Grilled botifarra sausage served alongside creamy white beans simmered with garlic and bay leaf, a simple Pyrenean lunch pairing.

Cultural Background: This pairing of grilled sausage and beans is a shared favourite across the Catalan-speaking Pyrenees, valued as a satisfying, straightforward midday meal.

Tips: Salt the beans only near the end of cooking, as early salting can toughen their skins. Let the sausages rest for a couple of minutes after grilling before serving.

Variations: Add a small piece of ham hock to the beans while simmering for extra depth. Finish the beans with a little chopped parsley.

Vegetarian/Vegan: For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and serve the beans as a simple main with extra olive oil and bread.

Serving Suggestions: Serve hot with crusty bread and a simple green salad.

Storage: Refrigerate beans and sausage separately for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Reheat the beans on the stovetop; reheat sausage in a pan to maintain its texture.

Nutrition: 420 kcal | Protein 22g | Carbs 34g | Fat 22g

FAQs:

Q: Can I use canned beans?

A: Yes — use 2-3 cans, drained, simmered with the aromatics for about 20 minutes to absorb the flavour.

Q: What’s a good substitute for botifarra?

A: Any good fresh pork sausage, such as a mild Italian sausage, works as a substitute.