Croatian Green Bean Stew (Varivo od Mahuna)

Varivo od mahuna sits in the middle ground between soup and stew, the sort of dish that appears in Croatian homes whenever green beans are in season and the kitchen needs one pot that feeds everyone. In many households it arrives at the table in deep plates as a weekday lunch, often with a slice of bread on the side and perhaps a sausage or meat patty alongside for those who want extra protein. The base, though, is always the same: tender mahune (green or yellow beans), soft potatoes, a gentle sweetness from onion and carrot, and a warm backdrop of paprika.

Across Croatian recipe collections, green beans lean strongly toward this style of cooking. Nutrition writers point out that they bring a good amount of vitamins C, K and several B vitamins, plus fibre and a modest amount of protein, while staying low in calories. That makes them ideal for the kind of vegetable-forward stews that were standard in many grandmothers’ kitchens long before modern ideas about “light” meals appeared.

Traditional versions of varivo od mahuna often start with onion slowly softened in oil or lard, followed by carrot and sometimes a small amount of garlic. Coolinarika’s classic meatless recipe pairs roughly equal parts green beans with smaller amounts of potatoes and carrot, seasons the pot with sweet paprika and Vegeta, then finishes with a splash of cooking cream and chopped parsley. Other home cooks add a simple flour-and-fat roux with paprika and a touch of vinegar, a North Croatian habit that brings gentle tang and a slightly thicker broth.

This version keeps the focus on vegetables and pantry ingredients, with a texture that falls somewhere between brothy soup and spoon-coating stew. Green beans and potatoes carry most of the body. A modest amount of sweet paprika, garlic and bay leaf gives depth without turning the dish into a heavy paprika goulash. A little sour cream or cooking cream stirred in at the end follows the pattern of many Croatian recipes and rounds the broth without turning it into a thick sauce.

The method suits a busy day. Once the vegetables are chopped, the stew cooks in a single pot in under forty minutes. Frozen beans work almost as well as fresh, so the recipe can shift from summer markets to winter freezers without a problem. For households that prefer to skip dairy, the stew remains satisfying even without the cream; the potatoes alone deliver a silky texture when cooked just to the point of softness.

What makes this homestyle version stand out is balance. The ratio of beans to potatoes gives enough substance for a main meal, especially with bread, while still letting the green beans stay in the foreground. The broth has light body from starch and cream, but it still feels clean and vegetable-led. A spoonful of sour cream on top turns each portion into its own little bowl of comfort, and a small splash of vinegar at the very end lifts the flavour in the same way many Croatian cooks treat their bean stews.

Served with crusty white bread, a simple cabbage or beet salad, or a few slices of grilled sausage on the side, this varivo od mahuna fits weekday lunches, easy spring and summer dinners, and those autumn evenings when green beans still linger in the markets. It reflects the style of Croatian vegetable cooking that stretches from coastal towns to inland villages: practical, economical, and rooted in a steady pattern of one-pot meals.