Olleta Alicantina Stew

This is a hearty, traditional Alicante stew full of legumes, vegetables, and cured meat. It’s the ideal comfort food for cooler weather. Author: Melissa Williams Hi, I’m Melissa, a creative...

October 7, 2025 One Min Read

This is a hearty, traditional Alicante stew full of legumes, vegetables, and cured meat. It’s the ideal comfort food for cooler weather.

Olleta Alicantina Stew
Print
Serves: 6-8 Prep Time: 30 Cooking Time: 2.5 2.5

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

For soaking (overnight)

250g dried white beans

150g dried lentils, brow or red

Pork/meat

150g salt pork, diced

100g streaky bacon, diced

200g pork ribs, cut into small pieces

2 pieces sliced black pudding

Vegetables

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 large potato, peeled and diced

200g cardoons, cleaned and chopped

200g swiss chard or kale, stems removed

50g chestnuts, pre-cooked and peeled

other

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp sweet paprika

1 small ripe tomato

50g short-grain rice

2.2 litres of vegetable stock or chicken broth

freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Prepare Legumes: The night before, place the white beans in a large bowl and cover with plenty of cold water. In a separate bowl, do the same thing for the lentils. Let them soak overnight; the next day, drain and rinse the broth.

Sauté Aromatic and Meat:

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium heat

Add the diced salt pork, bacon, and pork ribs. Sauté gently until lightly browned and some of it has dissolved. (8-10M)

Add the chopped onion and minced garlic and then cook until softened and translucent. (5-7M)

Stir in the sweet paprika and grated tomato. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, to allow the tomato to reduce slightly.

Add Legumes and Liquid:

Add the drained white beans and lentils to the pot. Stir to combine with the meat and aromatics

Pour in 2 litres of water or broth. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for about 1 hour. The beans should be starting to soften.

Add Vegetables:

After 1 hour, add the diced potato, pumpkin/squash, chopped cardoon, and chopped Swiss chard.

If the stew looks too thick, add a little more water or broth. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Continue Simmering:

Continue to simmer, covered, for another 40 minutes, or until the beans are very tender and the vegetables are cooked through. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Add Rice and Final Touches:

About 15 minutes before serving, stir in the short-grain rice and the pre-cooked chestnuts

If adding black pudding, add that also

Continue to simmer, uncovered, until the rice is cooked and the stew has thickened to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. The rice will absorb a good amount of liquid, helping to thicken the stew.

Serve:

Ladle the hot Olleta Alicantina into bowls. Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping.

Enjoy your warming taste of the Costa Blanca!

Author: Melissa Williams

Hi, I’m Melissa, a creative writer and ESL teacher with a passion for storytelling. I started writing fiction when I was young, and I eventually discovered that I loved performing, working all over the Costa Blanca as a semi-professional singer. I now write articles that I hope will inspire and engage readers by using my creativity. Whether I'm sharing personal insights or delving into local culture, I try to produce content that is relatable and meaningful. working as a creator of events and features.