Lebanese Green Bean and Tomato Stew (Loubieh bi Zeit)

Name: Lebanese Green Bean and Tomato Stew (Loubieh bi Zeit)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons; 6 cloves (24 g) garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced or roughly chopped; 1½ lb (680 g) fresh green beans, stem ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces; 1½ lb (680 g) ripe tomatoes, peeled if desired, then diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces with their juices; 1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste; ½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground cinnamon (optional); 1¼ tsp (7 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ½ cup (120 ml) water, hot or room temperature; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems finely chopped; ½ lemon (60 g) lemon, cut into wedges, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A classic Lebanese vegetarian stew of tender green beans slowly simmered in olive oil with sweet onions, plenty of garlic and ripe tomatoes. Served warm or at room temperature with rice or warm pita, it is humble, fragrant and deeply savory.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 55 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Makes: About 5 cups (4 main-course servings or 6 side servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons
6 cloves (24 g) garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced or roughly chopped
1½ lb (680 g) fresh green beans, stem ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
1½ lb (680 g) ripe tomatoes, peeled if desired, then diced into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces with their juices
1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste
½ tsp (1 g) ground allspice
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cinnamon (optional)
1¼ tsp (7 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
½ cup (120 ml) water, hot or room temperature
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems finely chopped
½ lemon (60 g) lemon, cut into wedges, for serving (optional)

Equipment (5)

12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or 4-quart (3.8 L) heavy pot with lid
Wooden spoon
Chef's knife and cutting board
Box grater or blender (optional, for tomatoes)
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Trim the stem ends from the green beans and snap or cut them into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces before you start cooking.
Use ripe tomatoes if you can; if they are pale or hard, use canned whole tomatoes instead (see substitutions).
Use a wide, heavy pot with a lid so the beans cook in a fairly even layer.
Don't rush the onions: softening them gently builds the sweet base of the stew.

1
Soften the onion
- Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or 4-quart pot over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Add the sliced onion and ½ tsp of the salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and just starting to turn pale golden at the edges.
Tip: If the onion browns quickly, lower the heat; dark onion will taste bitter in a stew this simple.
2
Add garlic and paste
- Stir in the garlic and tomato paste.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, so the paste darkens slightly to a brick red and the garlic smells fragrant.
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Ready when: Garlic is fragrant and pale gold, not brown; paste has deepened in color.
Tip: Garlic burns fast. Pull the pan off the heat briefly if it sizzles too hard.
3
Sauté the beans
- Add the green beans, allspice, cinnamon (if using), pepper and another ½ tsp salt.
- Raise the heat to medium-high and stir for 4 to 5 minutes so every bean is coated in oil and spices.
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Ready when: Beans are glossy, bright green and smell warmly spiced.
4
Add tomatoes and water
- Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices, the water and the remaining ¼ tsp salt.
- Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a gentle boil, about 3 minutes.
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Ready when: The liquid bubbles around the edges of the pan.
5
Simmer covered
- Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring gently every 8 to 10 minutes.
- The beans should be nestled in a loose, saucy tomato mixture.
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Ready when: Beans are very tender when bitten and a bean squashes easily against the side of the pan, with no squeaky crunch.
Tip: If the pan looks dry before the beans are tender, add 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) hot water.
6
Reduce the sauce
- Remove the lid and simmer 8 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring gently, until the sauce thickens and clings to the beans and a layer of oil shimmers at the edges.
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Ready when: Dragging a spoon across the bottom leaves a clear trail; sauce is thick, not watery.
7
Season and finish
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the chopped cilantro.
- Taste and add salt, pepper or a squeeze of lemon if needed.
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Ready when: Flavor is balanced: savory, slightly sweet and bright.
8
Rest and serve
- Let the stew rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes so the flavors settle.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with rice, warm pita or vermicelli rice, with lemon wedges on the side.
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Tip: Loubieh bi zeit tastes even better after a few hours, so it's ideal to make ahead.

Good to know

Tips

Cut the beans into even pieces so they all finish cooking at the same time.
Be generous with the olive oil; it is the cooking liquid and gives the stew its silky texture.
Cook the beans until fully soft, not crisp; this is a braise, not a salad.
Stir gently after the beans soften so they don't break apart.

Make ahead

Make the stew up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. It is traditionally served at room temperature, and the flavor improves overnight.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months (beans will be softer). Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of water, or eat cold or at room temperature.

Substitutions

ripe tomatoes → One 28-oz (800 g) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand. Best option when fresh tomatoes are out of season; use the juices and reduce the water to ¼ cup (60 ml).
fresh green beans → Frozen cut green beans (no need to thaw). Add them in step 3 and extend the covered simmer by about 5 minutes.
fresh cilantro → Fresh flat-leaf parsley. Milder and less citrusy, but still fresh.
ground allspice → Seven-spice (baharat) blend. Use the same amount for a more complex flavor.