King City Pink Bean Stew with Bacon & Cornbread

This isn’t a traditional Southern stew. It’s not really Italian either. It’s a “what’s in the fridge and what kind of day did we have” kind of meal. I started with cooked Rancho Gordo King City Pink Beans — some of the creamiest, richest, thin-skinned beans you can get — and built the rest around what felt right: bacon, roasted garlic, celery and onion, tomato paste, a little heat, and a surprise tablespoon of Wozz Triple Ale Onion Spread because why not. Spinach wilted in at the end. Purple Rain slaw on top. And Trader Joe’s cornbread — the kind with the corn kernels in it — to scoop it all up.

This is how we feed ourselves when we don’t follow a plan, but still want it to taste like we did.

🛒 Ingredients

4 slices raw bacon, sliced thinly

1 medium onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 tbsp tomato paste

½ tsp chili flakes

1 tsp Italian seasoning

3–5 cloves roasted garlic, mashed

3 cups cooked Rancho Gordo King City Pink Beans

1 heaping tbsp Wozz! Triple Ale Onion Spread

2 cups water or bean broth

1 bay leaf

Big handful fresh spinach

1 tbsp butter

Splash of vinegar or hot sauce

Salt + black pepper to taste

To serve:

Reserved crispy bacon bits

Purple Rain slaw (or any crunchy/slightly sweet slaw)

Trader Joe’s Cornbread (with corn kernels, prepared per box)

🍳 Instructions

Cook the bacon

In a large pot, render the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Scoop it out and set aside.

Sauté the veg

In the leftover bacon fat, sauté onion and celery until softened, about 7–8 minutes.

Layer in flavor

Add tomato paste and cook until slightly caramelized. Stir in chili flakes, Italian seasoning, and roasted garlic.

Add beans + broth

Stir in the cooked beans, Wozz onion spread, water/broth, bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. Simmer uncovered 20–25 min, stirring occasionally, until rich and thickened.