Lebanese

Fasolia w Riz

A Lebanese white bean and meat stew simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce, served beside fluffy vermicelli rice. It is comforting, home-style, and best when the beans are tender and the sauce is rich but not heavy.

▶Watch it madeSkinny Spatula · 1:57

Ingredients

• Dried white beans3/4 cup
• Beef or lamb stew meat, cut into small cubes200g
• Medium onion, finely chopped1
• Garlic cloves, crushed5
• Fresh cilantro, finely chopped1/3 cup
• Tomato paste2 tbsp
• Tomato puree or passata1 cup
• Water or light meat stock2 1/2 cups
• Lebanese seven spice1/2 tsp
• Ground cinnamon1/8 tsp
• Bay leaf1
• Salt1 tsp, or to taste
• Black pepper1/4 tsp
• Olive oil or samneh2 tbsp
• Medium-grain or long-grain rice3/4 cup
• Vermicelli noodles1/4 cup
• Butter or olive oil for the rice1 tbsp
• Water for the rice1 1/2 cups

Method

1. Soak the dried white beans overnight in plenty of cold water, then drain and rinse them.
2. Place the beans in a pot, cover with fresh water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until just tender but not falling apart; drain and set aside.
3. In a heavy pot, heat the olive oil or samneh over medium-high heat and brown the meat cubes on all sides.
4. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
5. Stir in the seven spice, cinnamon, black pepper, bay leaf, and half the salt.
6. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until it darkens slightly.
7. Pour in the tomato puree and water or stock, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes until the meat begins to soften.
8. Add the cooked beans to the pot and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened.
9. In a small pan, sauté the crushed garlic with a little oil or samneh for 30 seconds, then add the chopped cilantro and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
10. Stir the garlic-cilantro mixture into the stew, simmer for 5 minutes, then adjust the salt and remove the bay leaf.
11. For the rice, rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well.
12. Melt the butter or heat the olive oil in a small pot and toast the vermicelli, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown.
13. Add the drained rice and stir for 1 minute to coat the grains.
14. Add the water and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
15. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
16. Serve the fasolia hot in a deep bowl with the vermicelli rice alongside or underneath.

Common questions