Vegetarian Cholent is a traditional Jewish stew usually made on Friday afternoons and cooked slowly overnight before Shabbat, as cooking is not allowed on the Shabbos. The solution was to prepare this dish the night before and slowly simmer it overnight so you can enjoy a warm meal the next day without having to cook.

Cholent is usually made with beef, sausage, or beef stew meat. This vegetarian version can easily make this meal vegan by omitting the eggs.

The Yiddish word for cholent is ‘Schalet’. You will also hear it pronounced as ‘Tzunt’ or ‘Choont’.

Bean soup with a hard boiled egg.

🌟Why you’ll love this recipe

  • While a classic cholent has meat, potatoes, and beans. This vegetarian option removes the meat but sacrifices none of the great flavor.
  • The method of slow cooking the stew gradually infuses the spices and bouillon, plus it cooks the eggs to the perfect hard-boiled consistency.
  • Soaking the beans overnight before cooking helps soften them, improving the texture and reducing the time it will take them to cook. The beans do a great job of absorbing flavor and adding bulk to this dish.
  • The potatoes add a starchiness that is absorbed wonderfully by the beans, yielding a great, not-watery texture.

🧾Ingredients in this recipe

Eggs, potatoes, beans, and other ingredients on a white countertop.
  • Beans – I use a combination of red beans, navy beans, and cranberry beans but you could also use pinto beans, or white beans. I do not recommend using kidney beans as you should not cook those slowly.
  • Onion – Yellow or white onion will work.
  • Potatoes – smaller red potatoes work really well, but you could use Yukon gold.
  • Barley – You could also use pearl barley or farro.
  • Cumin, turmeric, and paprika – Use dried powdered spices. These are warming spices that release more flavor and fragrance when heated.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

👩‍🍳How to Make This Recipe

In order to prep this dish, soak all three bean types in cold water overnight with plenty of extra water in the bowl.

Anytime the next day, cook the diced onion in 2 tablespoons of flavorless oil over medium heat until they turn translucent. Then add in your spices: cumin, paprika, turmeric, and salt. Cook them with the onion until they are fragrant. This only takes about 30 seconds.

Onions and spices cooking in a pot.

Drain the soaked beans and add them to the onions and spices. Give the whole thing a stir to incorporate. Next, add the water and bouillon. Mix to help dissolve the bouillon.

Then, add in the small whole, medium halved, or large quartered potatoes and washed whole eggs. Bring the cholent to a light simmer.

Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the dish, and cook the cholent for a minimum of 7 hours. I like to cook it for the 7 hours, turn it off, and finish cooking it the next day.

While you wait

Regularly check on the water level and add more in if you need it. Also, skim the surface to remove the foam and scum. This helps the beans cook, is thought to help with gas during digestion, and removes any potential unpleasant flavors.

Bean and potato soup in a pot.

After the minimum 7 hours have passed, add in the barley and cook everything for 1 more hour.

Serve a bowl with a peeled egg right on top and enjoy!

How it keeps

You should consume the cooked cholent within 2-3 days of making the dish, or you can freeze it for enjoyment at a later time.

Bean soup in a pot with potatoes.

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Bean soup in a pot with potatoes.
Author: Candice Walker

Vegetarian Cholent

5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Save
Vegetarian Cholent is a traditional Jewish stew usually made on Friday afternoons and cooked slowly overnight before Shabbat.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time8 hours 15 minutes
Soak Beans8 hours
Total Time16 hours 20 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Soup
Cuisine: Jewish
Diet: Kosher, Vegetarian
Servings: 6
Calories: 305kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Red beans dry
  • 1/2 cup Navy beans dry
  • 1 cup Cranberry beans dry
  • 2 tbsp oil flavorless like canola, avocado, vegetable, sunflower seed
  • 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2 Paprika
  • 6 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons Vegetable bouillon
  • 1 lb. Red Potatoes large ones cut in half or quartered
  • 6 eggs washed with soap and water
  • 1/2 cup Pearl barley

Instructions

  • Soak the beans in cold water overnight.
  • Cook the onion in 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat until translucent.
  • Add the cumin, paprika, turmeric, and salt. Cook until fragrant, ~30 seconds.
  • Add the drained beans. Give it a stir.
  • Add the water and bouillon. Mix to dissolve.
  • Add the potatoes and eggs. Bring it to a light simmer, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook for a minimum of 7 hours. Half-way through, skim off the foam from the surface. Monitor the water level and add more, if necessary.
  • Add the barley and cook for 1 more hour.

Video

Notes

The water does not absorb the same if you do not add the potatoes. 
I use a combination of red beans, navy beans, and cranberry beans but you could also use pinto beans, or white beans. I do not recommend using kidney beans as you should not cook those slowly.
Smaller red potatoes work really well, but you could use Yukon gold.
Regularly check on the water level and add more in if you need it. Also, skim the surface to remove the foam and scum. This helps the beans cook, is thought to help with gas during digestion, and removes any potential unpleasant flavors.
Freezes very well.
I recommend cooking the cholent until the 7-hour mark, then turning it off, and finishing cooking the next day.

Nutrition

Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 718mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3mg
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.

9 Comments

  1. Have you ever subbed sweet potatoes for some or all of the potatoes? If so, when should they be added. Also, can I use garbanzos for some of the beans?

    Reply

    1. I haven’t substituted sweet potatoes, but I have added garbanzos. The garbanzos work great, but are not traditional so keep that in mind. I think the sweet potatoes might get too mushy, so if you do try it, please let us know how it goes!

      Reply

  2. Family member has celiac disease. Do you have suggestions for a substitution for the barley (rice? quinoa?) and if so, at what point should you add to the slow cooker. Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Hi Ruth, great question! I don’t have a great substitute because the texture will not be the same. However, if I had to pick something it would be a sprouted brown rice and you can add it at the same time you would have added the barley. Good luck and enjoy!

      Reply
5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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