"Fasolia" - Lebanese bean stew
White beans in a hearty tomato sauce with coriander, plenty of garlic and a good portion of steaming butter rice. Oh man - just thinking about this bean stew brings tears to my eyes.
In the past, the scene at our kitchen table often looked like this: my mother would serve something delicious and then my siblings would start nagging.
"I don't like it!" - "You still have to eat it"
"Please don't pick the meat out of the food!" - "But there's goo on it"
"You're going to sit there until you eat that!" - "No" - "Yes!"
"Wläh!"
My next younger brother, in particular, had, shall we say, very "exquisite" tastes and was surgically adept at examining every meal for unwelcome ingredients that he had either never tried before or that he had to try but didn't want to. With this bean stew, however, there was always peace at the table.
For me, "Fasolia" is one of my favourite dishes for autumn and winter time or when I just want a real soul warmer in summer. The recipe smells and tastes absolutely like childhood and tranquillity to me.
Quick info for you: My mother's recipe always contained a lot of fatty meat. Personally, I always leave that out and cook the vegetarian or vegan version. Firstly, it's quicker to cook and secondly, it's a lot lighter. It doesn't detract from the taste at all.
Recipe for "Fasolia" - Lebanese bean stew
Preparation
- Soak the white beans overnight in plenty of water.
- Then cook the beans for 1 hour until they are soft.
- If you use pre-cooked beans from the supermarket, steps 1 + 2 are not necessary.
- Peel and finely slice the garlic.
- Coarsely chop the coriander.
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the garlic for about 3 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and harissa and fry for 2 minutes.
- Add the strained tomatoes / tomato pulp and deglaze with water.
- Season with cinnamon, salt and pepper.
- Add the cooked beans and chopped coriander and simmer for about 30 minutes on a low heat with the lid closed.
- Meanwhile, prepare the butter rice according to the recipe. You can find the recipe here -> Butter rice
I don't even know what I like better, the story or the yummy recipe, gorgeous!!!!
Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Jesse-Gabriel
Hello Jesse-Gabriel,
how good that you don't have to decide 🤗
Thank you very much ❤️
I'm so glad you like it. I can't wait to see what you think of Fasolia 🙂 I'm so glad you liked it.
Best regards
Rafik
Oh, that sounds good! I'll try it out at the weekend, because I love white beans. I don't want to give up meat completely in this case. You could certainly use minced beef or veal as a lean alternative, couldn't you?
Kind regards,
Claudia
Hey Claudia,
I would recommend braising meat. Lower or upper shell works great. However, please increase the amount of water and extend the cooking time accordingly. But meatballs also work well 🙂
Kind regards
Rafik
that sounds very tasty, I will try that soon.
Kind regards
Bettina Saad
Hello Bettina,
thank you very much 🙂
Have fun trying it out ❤️
Kind regards
Rafik
I think this is the most delicious thing I've eaten in a long time. Absolutely addictive!
Thanks for the great recipe!
Hello Bettina,
thank you very much for your great feedback 🙂
Kind regards
Rafik
Mega yummy! Thanks for the quick and meatless recipe!
Hey Kim,
always happy to help 🙂
Kind regards
Rafik
Hello Rafik, thank you very much for the nice recipe. I tried it tonight and we liked it very much. But why does so much water have to be added to the dish?
Many greetings
Sarah
Hello Sarah,
Thank you so much for your great feedback. I'm very pleased that you liked it 🙂 .
Since the dish is still simmering for a while, the water is there so that the sauce doesn't boil down too much.
Kind regards
Rafik
Hello can you replace coriander with another spice? I am not such a fan of coriander 🙂 Greetings Jana
Hello Jana,
Of course, you could use flat-leaf parsley or do without it completely. However, this dish really lives from the taste of the coriander. But perhaps I can reassure you: Cooked coriander tastes completely different from fresh coriander. Maybe you should just give it a try 🙂
Kind regards
Rafik
I once said to my eight-year-old daughter: You sit there until your plate is empty.
When I came back from the kitchen to the dining room 2 minutes later, the plate was lying on the dining table with the vegetable stew on it.
I didn't know whether to scream or laugh 😂.
Today, my two grown-up daughters are vegan and this recipe fits 👍
Hahahaha!
I'd better not tell my nieces about this tactic 😀
Kind regards
Rafik
Hi Rafik, your blog is just great! I have already tried many things, much to the delight of my family and friends! You have a permanent place on my reading list.
Best regards
Brigitta
Hello dear Brigitta,
thank you very much. I am really very happy 🙂 I hope you continue to enjoy reading.
In any case, I wish you much fun reading and enjoying.
Kind regards
Rafik
Wow! So delicious, addictive! Especially the butter rice is something new from familiar ingredients that goes quickly and easily with so many dishes! Thank you!
Hello Claudia,
thank you very much for your great feedback 🙂
Kind regards
Rafik
Perfect comfort food now that autumn is starting. Tastes wonderful even without side dishes 🙂 Thanks for the great recipe - two of us emptied the whole pot.
Hello Sunny,
I can relate to that very well. I could lie in it every time 🙂 Thank you so much for your great feedback.
Thank you so much for your great feedback.
Kind regards
Rafik
Very high praise! And I can confirm the phenomenon of having calm and, above all, eating children at the table 😉 mega delicious, we'll be having it more often from now on!
Mega! That makes me very happy! Thank you so much for your great feedback, dear Verena.
Kind regards
Rafik
This recipe is so sooo outrageously delicious!!! And so easy and quick to make, I from thrilled 😁 thank you.
Hey Lena,
thank you very much for the fantastic feedback 🙂
Enjoy it 🙂
Kind regards
Rafik
Aaaalso - my husband doesn't like cinnamon.
I don't like coriander.
Nevertheless, I cooked your recipe as indicated. With buttered rice.
Very tasty!!
Thank you 🙂
Remark:
As someone wrote in the comments, I didn't use the extra liquid either, because it was already plenty soupy with the strained tomatoes ... and the already pre-cooked beans from the jar don't absorb any more liquid (the dry, then soaked ones might still absorb a little).
Question:
Harisssa I bought and used for the first time.
We have harissa in powder form, but also in a jar as a paste/cream (spicy and normal).
What do you recommend here?
Butter rice - also nice - but I would have liked the noodles to be a touch firmer, a bit crunchy.
How SHOULD they be?
I will cook both again ... and continue to browse your newly discovered site.
Hey hey 🙂 Thank you for your feedback.
Thank you for your feedback. I'm very pleased that you liked it. The thing about the liquid in the already cooked canned beans could be true. I will try that again and adjust the recipe.
Personally, I would always use the harissa in a tube/jar - so don't use powder.
The noodles in the butter rice should be exactly as you described 😉 They just absorb the nice roasted flavours when roasted, turn brown and then soften again when cooked.
I hope you continue to enjoy browsing 🙂
Kind regards
Rafik
We tried your recipe today and the food was very tasty! The coriander gives a special flavour and I got to know Harissa through you. I even found it in the shop!
Many thanks for the good ideas
Carol
Hello Carol,
Thank you very much for the great feedback. I am very pleased that you enjoyed it so much 🙂
Kind regards
Rafik
Hi Rafik, I made the Lebanese lentil and chard stew yesterday.
I would love to cook it again today. Sososososo delicious :-))
Thank you for this simply wonderful recipe
LG from Doris
Hello Doris,
thank you so much for your great feedback. I'm really happy to hear that you liked it so much 🙂 .
Kind regards
Rafik
Simple and delicious as hell!!! To go with it was the butter rice. I am so thrilled😋🍽. Thanks so much for the great recipes....
Conny
Hello Corinna,
thank you very much for your great feedback! I'm very pleased that you liked it 🙂
Kind regards
Rafik
My father (Lebanese) was visibly delighted 🙂 5*
Hey Ali,
I'm very happy to hear that - thank you so much for your great feedback 🙂 .
Kind regards
Rafik