South African Green Bean Lamb Stew (4 Ingredients)
There is a special place in my heart for green bean lamb stew. It reminds me of home, of South Africa, of my parents cooking. It was the last dish I ever requested from my Ouma (grandmother) who is now close to 100 and unable to cook anymore.
My favorite thing about this stew has always been that it’s only a few ingredients but it’s so delicious.
When I see or know that a recipe has a long list I’ll be shopping for, I kind of cringe. When I see a recipe with less than 5 ingredients, I’m there for it.
Green bean lamb stew is only four ingredients: lamb, potatoes, green beans and onion.
And I’ve made it plenty of times without onion, which brings the recipe to a total of three ingredients.
This is rare for a hearty dinner with this sort of depth of complexity. And there are really no special or complicated steps. Brown the lamb, saute the onions, put everything in the pot with some water and let the magic happen.
It really is that simple.
If you’re looking for more soup and stew ideas, try our much-beloved butternut squash soup, cozy bean chili or warming white bean soup.
And if you’re looking for stews hailing from South Africa, here is my most popular recipe of all time: South African Chicken Stew. Plus, a close second, Denningvleis (aka sweet and sour lamb).
A Quick History
Green bean lamb stew, or groenboontjie bredie, is deeply rooted in South Africa’s rich culinary heritage. The word bredie comes from the Cape Malay community, where bredi refers to a slow-cooked dish.
This particular dish evolved over time, embracing green beans as a staple ingredient. It began with the Cape Malays making stew with mutton and seasonal vegetables – hearty meals packed with flavor and nutrition.
The Cape Dutch settlers introduced the use of lamb as the preferred meat, and added flavors like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
The way my family taught me to cook this stew never involved any spices except for salt and pepper, and I love the purity of it and how it stands so strongly on its own.
Green Bean Lamb Stew Ingredients
What Cut Of Lamb Is Best For Stew?
I make a lot of lamb stews, and I usually just buy lamb stew meat to keep things easy. It’s pre-cut into small pieces so I don’t even have to get the cutting board involved.
If you’re using another cut like chops or even pieces from a leg, cut them into 2 inch cubes.
It can happen that different cuts get tender at different points of cooking, so just be patient. After a couple hours of low and slow, almost any meat is improved.
NOTE: This stew can be ready after 2 hours of cooking, or can go for 3-4 on very low heat. If you plan on cooking it for a long time, cut your meat into slightly bigger cubes so it doesn’t fall apart after so many hours cooking.
What kind of green beans should I use?
For this recipe, spring for fresh green beans. There are so few ingredients, it really makes a difference to use the best ones possible.
I have cooked this stew with frozen and canned green beans, and it’s just not quite as good.
(Though if I had potatoes and lamb and frozen or canned beans and nothing else for dinner, I’d still make it!)
Yukon Gold vs. Russet Potatoes
What can I say, I love a creamy Yukon. For this recipe, I always opt for Yukon Golds, as their creamy texture is extra delicious after cooking in a stew.
How To Make Green Bean Lamb Stew Healthy & Whole
The four ingredients for this stew are in their whole form already, so there’s not much to do except consider your sourcing.
As always, buy organic when you can. Everything from produce and dairy to meat and packaged food is better off without harmful pesticides.
If you can’t find your green beans or potatoes organic, soak them in water and baking soda for up to thirty minutes before using. Use 1 tsp of baking soda per two cups of water and make sure your produce is covered. This cleaning method removes loads of pesticides.
Not all small farmers can afford the organic label even when they are doing organic practices, so research small brands and talk to farmers at the markets.
I know at my local grocery store they don’t sell organic lamb, but they do sell lamb from small sustainable farms, where the cattle is often grazing on clean* grass (*not treated with pesticides).
Remember: This is just a guide for informational advice, not to make you feel bad about your ingredients. Groceries are wildly expensive these days, so pick what you can afford and do the best you can. No guilt, no shame.
Green Bean Lamb Stew Variations
The beauty of this stew lies in the main three flavors turning into one delicious aroma and taste, but it’s also a great base for experimenting with other flavors.
Some South Africans add tomatoes to this stew, including me. Once in a while I will do this by tossing in a can of crushed tomatoes. If I’m going to stray this way, I’ll often add a couple carrots, too.
Another variation that works beautifully in this stew is to replace lamb with oxtail (or even with just beef stew meat). The flavors will end up pretty similar.
How To Make Green Bean Lamb Stew
Start by salting the meat by adding salt and rubbing it over the lamb.
Warm some olive oil in a large pot, then brown the lamb on all sides.
Remove the lamb and put it aside to make room for sauteing the onion. Once the onion is soft and translucent, return the meat to the pot along with the potatoes and green beans.
Fill the pot with about 6 cups of water, enough to just barely cover everything. You can see in the photo that some of the green beans are not completely covered – that’s totally fine.
The length of cooking time is pretty negotiable. It is technically ready once the potatoes are fork-tender, which only takes about 15-20 minutes.
I list 2 hours as the cook time because that’s when the meat is tender enough to be acceptable in my book.
But if Ouma was cooking, it might be on the stove going low and slow all day. She would use big chunks of meat with the bones still in – a super delicious option if you can find it.
So if you want to brown the meat, saute the onion and then throw everything in a slow cooker for 4-6 hours, that works really well, too.
If you have the time to simmer your pot on the stove’s lowest possible heat, I’d ideally go for 3 hours.
How to Store and Reheat
Once the stew is cooled, store it in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days (maybe a little longer but don’t tell).
I would not recommend freezing this stew, as potatoes lose their texture when thawed.
Serving Suggestion
Even though green bean lamb stew already has plenty of carbs in the potatoes, I can’t resist serving it with rice. White rice is what we ate on the side growing up – unless we were at Ouma’s house, and then it was farro.
(Which, believe it or not, I thought was some kind of delicious brown rice most of my life. I thought my grandmother had some magical rice tricks until I finally bought farro as an adult one day!)
Farro, quinoa, millet or brown rice all make good substitutes for white rice. They are in their complex form (as opposed to refined), and provide more fiber, take longer to digest, and slow your insulin response.
You could also just skip the grains altogether and serve the stew alone in a bowl. Perfectly satisfying!
Love All Things South African?
Finish your stew with a serving of tea and rusks for dessert. Rusks are crunchy, sweet baked goods (similar to biscotti) packed with whole grains and dried fruit.
Dipped in sweet rooibos tea with (almond) milk and sugar? Simply delicious.
South African Green Bean Stew
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven (I go between my Le Creuset and my more affordable Martha Stewart)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
- 2 lb lamb stew meat
- 1 yellow onion
- 1.5-2 lb yukon potatoes
- 1.5-2 lb green beans
- 6 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a dutch oven or stainless steel pot on medium heat. When warm, add lamb and brown on all sides.
- While the lamb is browning, dice the onions, and cut the potatoes into quarters (or halves if they are large). Trim the stems off the green beans.
- Remove the lamb from the pot and deglaze if there are any pieces left sticking. You can use a little water to scrape the pieces off.
- Add extra oil to the pot if necessary, then add the onion. Saute until onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the lamb back to the pot, along with potatoes and green beans. Fill the pot with 6 cups of water or until only an inch or so is left uncovered. Everything does not need to be completely covered, as you can come back and stir once or twice.
- Bring the water to a boil, then turn down to simmer for 2 hours.
- Serve in bowl like soup or with rice or grain of choice.
