This easy Ikarian Longevity Stew is a hearty, one-pot white bean stew inspired by the Greek island of Ikaria, one of the world's five Blue Zones, the places he places where researchers have found people live the longest. Packed with beans, potatoes, spinach, fresh dill, lemon and good olive oil, it's naturally vegan, gluten free and on the table in under an hour.
If you've been here a while, you'll know my viral Easy Longevity Soup has become one of the most popular recipes on The Family Food Kitchen with over a quarter of a million visits since it was published last year! So many of you told me it had become a weekly staple that I wanted to give you a second Blue Zones recipe to add to the mix!
This time I looked to Ikaria, the Greek island where people famously forget to die. Where my longevity soup is a brothy minestrone, this is thicker, heartier and more of a stew: creamy white beans and soft potato in a tomato base, finished with a big handful of dill and a squeeze of lemon. That lemon and dill combination is what makes it taste unmistakably Greek.
As a professional recipe developer, I tested this stew a ridiculous number of times to get the balance right, and it's now one of our favorite weeknight dinners, when something comforting is required.
If you love beans and greens you might also like my Fast Butter Bean Stew with Bell Peppers and Spinach or Easy Chickpea Spinach Curry.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Ikarian Stew
- What Is Ikarian Longevity Stew?
- Ikarian Longevity Stew Ingredients
- How to Make Ikarian Longevity Stew - Step-By-Step
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Variations & Substitutions for Ikarian Stew
- Tips & Tricks for Making Ikarian Longevity Stew
- How to Serve Ikarian Stew
- How to Reheat Ikarian Stew
- How to Freeze Ikarian Stew
- Pin This Easy Ikarian Longevity Stew (Blue Zones Recipe) For Later
- What Do You Think?!
- More Easy One Pot Recipe Ideas
- Printable Recipe
- Easy Ikarian Longevity Stew (Blue Zones Recipe)
- Reader Comments & Ratings
Why You'll Love This Ikarian Stew
- Tested by a professional recipe developer: I develop recipes for food brands for a living, and this one was tested until the beans were creamy, the potatoes tender and the broth thick enough to call a stew.
- One pot, pantry ingredients: canned beans, canned tomatoes, a potato and a few veg. No soaking, no specialist shopping.
- Built on real Blue Zones eating: beans, greens, olive oil and herbs are the everyday foundations of the Ikarian diet, not a wellness trend.
- Naturally vegan and gluten free: just check your broth is gluten free.
- Filling without meat: about 30 oz of beans across 4 bowls means plenty of fiber and plant protein to keep everyone full.
- Even better the next day: perfect for meal prep and packed lunches.
How it's different from my Longevity Soup: the Longevity Soup is a Sardinian-style minestrone with pasta and lentils. This Ikarian stew has no pasta, is thicker and spoonable, and gets its fresh, bright flavor from dill and lemon. Make both and rotate them through the week.
More hearty soups and stews to try:
- White Bean Soup with Leek & Potato
- Easy Kale & Cannellini Bean Salad with Lemon Dressing
- Carrot & Lentil Soup with Coconut Milk
- Easy Red Lentil Dahl
- Easy Vegan Eggplant Chili
What Is Ikarian Longevity Stew?
Ikaria is a small island in the Aegean Sea and one of the five Blue Zones identified by Dan Buettner, alongside Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica and Loma Linda in California. A remarkable number of Ikarians live into their 90s.
The traditional Ikarian diet is built on beans, potatoes, wild greens, garden vegetables, herbs and plenty of olive oil. Meat is eaten only occasionally. This stew brings those everyday ingredients together in one pot: white beans for protein and fiber, potato for heartiness, spinach for greens, and dill, oregano, parsley and lemon for that fresh Greek-island flavor.
It isn't a single "official" recipe; Ikarian home cooks make countless versions of bean and vegetable stews. This is my family-friendly take, using ingredients you'll find in any US supermarket.
Ikarian Longevity Stew Ingredients
Find the full list and quantities in the recipe card below.
Vegetables - Onion, carrots and celery make the flavor base, a medium potato adds heartiness, and canned diced tomatoes give the stew its rich base (crushed tomatoes work too). Baby spinach goes in at the end; shredded kale is a great swap.
White Beans - I use two cans of cannellini beans, but great northern beans work just as well. Drain and rinse them first so the stew isn't salty or cloudy.
Broth - A good vegetable broth gives the best flavor, but water works in a pinch. Choose a gluten-free broth if you need the recipe to be gluten free.
Aromatics and Herbs - Garlic, dried oregano and a bay leaf go in early. Fresh dill and parsley are stirred in at the end, followed by fresh lemon juice. The dill and lemon are what make this taste Ikarian, so don't skip them. Dried dill is fine if fresh is hard to find.
Olive Oil - Use a good extra virgin olive oil for cooking and an extra drizzle at the end. Olive oil is central to the Ikarian diet.
Tomato Paste (optional) - Adds depth and a richer red color.
How to Make Ikarian Longevity Stew - Step-By-Step
Find the full printable recipe below.
Step 1 - Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until softened. Take your time here; this is where the flavor starts.
Step 2 - Add the aromatics, beans and broth. Stir in the minced garlic, oregano and tomato paste and cook for one more minute until fragrant. Add the canned tomatoes, diced potato, bay leaf, drained and rinsed beans and broth. Bring to a boil and season again with sea salt and black pepper.
Step 3 - Simmer, then add the greens. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the potato is tender and the stew has thickened. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the baby spinach until just wilted.
Step 4 - Finish with herbs and lemon. Stir in the dill and parsley. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Add the lemon juice a little at a time, tasting as you go; it should brighten the stew, not make it sour. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
My tip from testing: the stew thickens as it sits, so if it gets too thick, loosen it with a splash of broth or water.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ikarian longevity diet?
It's the traditional way of eating on the Greek island of Ikaria, one of the world's Blue Zones. It centers on beans, potatoes, wild greens, vegetables, herbs and olive oil, with meat eaten only occasionally.
Can I use dried beans instead of canned?
Yes. Soak about 1 ½ cups of dried white beans overnight and cook them until tender before adding them at Step 2. Canned beans keep this a quick weeknight recipe.
Is this Ikarian stew vegan and gluten free?
Yes, as written it's vegan. It's also gluten free as long as your vegetable broth is certified gluten free.
How is this different from your Longevity Soup?
My Longevity Soup is a Sardinian-style minestrone with pasta and lentils. This Ikarian stew has no pasta, is thicker, and is flavored with dill and lemon.
Can I make it in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes. Soften the vegetables first, then slow cook everything except the spinach, herbs and lemon on low for 6 hours. In an Instant Pot, sauté, then pressure cook for 8 minutes with a natural release. Stir in the greens, herbs and lemon at the end. [Jo: only keep this if you've tested it.]
Variations & Substitutions for Ikarian Stew
- Beans: swap the white beans for chickpeas or black-eyed peas, both common in Ikarian cooking.
- Greens: use kale, Swiss chard or collard greens instead of spinach. Add tougher greens 5 minutes earlier.
- Fennel: add a chopped fennel bulb with the onion for a sweeter, aniseed flavor.
- Sweet potato: swap the potato for sweet potato.
- Feta: crumble a little feta on top if you're not keeping it vegan.
Tips & Tricks for Making Ikarian Longevity Stew
- Cut the potato into ½-inch pieces so it cooks evenly in the 25 to 30 minute simmer.
- Rinse canned beans well to remove the starchy, salty liquid.
- Add the lemon at the very end and off the heat, so it stays fresh and bright.
- Like most stews, it tastes even better the next day as the flavors develop.
How to Serve Ikarian Stew
This is a complete meal in a bowl. I like to serve it with crusty bread or toasted sourdough to mop up the broth, a simple Greek salad, and an extra drizzle of olive oil and black pepper.
How to Reheat Ikarian Stew
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pan over a medium heat until piping hot, adding a splash of broth or water to loosen. Add a fresh squeeze of lemon before serving.
How to Freeze Ikarian Stew
Cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. For the best texture, freeze before adding the spinach, herbs and lemon. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat, and finish with the greens, herbs and lemon. The potato may soften slightly after freezing.
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More Easy One Pot Recipe Ideas
Printable Recipe
Easy Ikarian Longevity Stew (Blue Zones Recipe)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil - plus extra to drizzle - optional
- 1 large Yellow Onion - chopped
- 2 Carrots - chopped
- 2 stalks Celery - chopped
- 3-4 cloves Garlic - minced
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tbsp Tomato Paste - optional
- 14 oz Canned Diced Tomatoes - or crushed
- 1 medium Potato - peeled and diced into ½" pieces
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 30 oz Canned White Beans - cannellini or great northern, drained & rinsed
- 4 cups Vegetable Broth - or water
- 2 cups Baby Spinach - or shredded kale
- 1 small bunch Fresh Dill - chopped or 1-2 tsp dried
- 1 small bunch Fresh Parsley - chopped
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper - to taste
- ½ Lemon - juice only
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven over a medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the minced garlic, oregano, and tomato paste and cook for a further minute.
- Add the canned tomatoes, diced potato, bay leaf, drained and rinsed beans and broth then bring to a boil. Season again with sea salt and black pepper.
- Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until the potato is tender.
- Remove the bay leaf and stir in the baby spinach until it has wilted.
- Stir in the chopped or dried dill and chopped parsley
- Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Finally add the lemon juice slowly, tasting to see how much you like.
- Serve in bowls and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired.
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