Fasolia is a Lebanese white bean stew, or yekhneh. Creamy white beans in a thick, savory tomato sauce make it a hearty and filling dish. It’s the perfect comfort food that everyone will love.
There are different versions of fasolia. I’m going to share with you my recipe for the classic Middle Eastern fasolia, made from dried beans and meat. I’m also going to show you some variations and tips, for example how to make fasolia with canned beans, without meat etc.
Contents
What is Fasolia?
Fasolia is a hearty Middle Eastern stew that is made with white beans and meat (beef or lamb) in a thick tomato sauce. The dish is also called fasolia wa roz (fasolia with rice), as it’s commonly served with Lebanese white rice.
Fasolia is originally from Lebanon, but it’s very popular across the Middle East and even beyond. This white bean stew makes a very delicious, hearty comfort food.
Fasolia Ingredients
To make fasolia, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- White beans: White kidney beans, also known as cannellini beans, are the main ingredient of fasolia. Dried beans will yield the best results, canned beans are an alternative for when you’re short in time (more on this below).
- Tomato paste: Tomato paste (tomato concentrate) makes the base for your sauce.
- Meat: Most people will use beef or veal (boneless stewing meat). Lamb is a suitable alternative. The meat will add to the flavor of the dish, but shouldn’t overpower the beans. It’s cut into cubes, about 2 cm or 1 inch in size. You could even leave out the meat to make your fasolia vegetarian.
- Onions: The basic ingredient to most Middle Eastern sauce bases.
- Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil is the best choice. It’s used to fry the onion, when creating the tomato base.
- Garlic: Use fresh garlic cloves.
- Seasonings: Traditionally, fasolia doesn’t contain a lot of seasonings. Some people will only add salt and pepper. I like to add bay leaves (optional!) and cumin to enhance the flavor.
- Lemon (optional): You can either add freshly squeezed lemon to the stew, or serve lemon alongside.
- Coriander (optional): Finely chopped coriander (cilantro) or parsley is used for garnish.
- Water
Note: Quantities can be found in the recipe card at the end of this recipe and can be adjusted according to the amount of servings you’d like to make.
How to Make Fasolia
Ready to get cooking? Let’s get started! You’ll find the detailed step-by-step instructions below. For a shorter version (to print out), simply scroll down to the recipe card.
Step 1: Soak the beans
If using dried beans, you’ll need to soak them beforehand (ideally for 10-12 hours overnight). Place the dried beans in a large bowl and fill it up with at least triple the amount of water. Cover and soak overnight. The next day, drain the soaked beans in a colander. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients for fasolia.
Step 2: Prepare onion and garlic
Onion and garlic make the base of your tomato sauce. Peel the garlic cloves and crush (or finely chop). Peel the onion and finely dice. Set aside.
Step 3: Cut the meat
Place the meat on a cutting board. Cut it into medium-sized cubes, about 2-3 cm or 1 inch in size. Beef and veal are usually quite lean. If your cut has a bit of fat, you don’t have to remove it because it will add to the flavor of your stew. You can cut off any large chunks though.
Step 4: Sauté garlic and bay leaves
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is heated, add the bay leaves and the crushed garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds to release their aroma. In the Middle East and the Mediterranean, olive oil is the go-to oil, even for stews. It will add to the flavor of your dish. If you don’t have olive oil available, you can use sunflower or canola oil instead.
Step 5: Add onions
Add the chopped onions and sauté for another 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent.
Step 6: Add meat and spices
Add the meat cubes and the powdered spices (cumin, salt and pepper) to the saucepan. Stir well to ensure that the meat is evenly coated with oil, onions and seasonings. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to sear the meat. The meat should be browned on the outside which will improve its texture. It will still be raw on the inside at this point and that’s okay, as it will be fully cooked and become wonderfully tender when cooking in the sauce later on.
Using canned beans? If using canned beans, cook the meat a bit longer (6-7 minutes instead of 2-3) so that it is fully cooked instead of just browned on the outside. That’s because the cooking time of canned beans is significantly shorter than for dried beans.
Step 7: Add tomato paste
Add tomato paste to the saucepan. Stir well.
Step 8: Add beans and water
Add the drained beans and hot water to the saucepan and stir well. I recommend you add hot water from the tap or the kettle to bring the water to a boil faster.
Step 9: Bring to a boil
Bring the sauce to a boil on high heat. Depending on the amount of water and its temperature, this should take a couple of minutes. Note that the cooking time only starts when the water is bubbling. Once it bubbles, reduce the heat to low, add the lid to the saucepan and simmer for about 60 minutes. If using larger beans, you might need to cook them longer and add a bit more water, but 60 minutes is a good indication for small to medium beans.
Using canned beans? Canned beans are essentially precooked. Don’t boil them for 1 hour, as it would make them mushy. You should only cook them in the tomato sauce for about 10-15 minutes to allow the beans to absorb some of the flavors.
Step 10: Serve
Once the beans are tender, your stew is ready. While your fasolia is simmering, you can prepare any side dishes, such as Arabic butter rice, yellow rice or any other dish you’d like to serve alongside. Serve warm or at room temperature and garnish with finely chopped cilantro or parsley.
Dried Beans vs. Canned Beans
Most legumes can be purchased either dried or canned. Each of them has their advantages and downsides.
Dried beans yield the best taste. They can be purchased in bulk which makes them much cheaper when compared to their canned counterparts. On the downside, they aren’t suitable for last-minute dishes. Dried white beans need to be soaked prior to use (at least 6-8 hours, ideally 12-14 hours). White beans need to be cooked for about 1 – 1 ¼ hours (in the tomato sauce, together with the meat). During the cooking process, both the beans and the meat will become tender and absorb the flavors, which results in the great taste of this dish.
Canned beans on the other hand are essentially pre-soaked and pre-boiled beans. You should cook them in the tomato sauce for about 10-15 minutes to allow the beans to absorb some of the flavors. Canned beans won’t produce the same flavor as dried beans, but they are a great alternative when you’d like to make fasolia spontaneously or forgot to soak your beans.
How to Serve Fasolia
Compared to other Middle Eastern dishes, fasolia is a rather simple dish. It’s commonly served on busy weekdays for the family. It’s not a dish that you’d prepare for gatherings or special occasions. Fasolia can be made year-round, though it’s the perfect comfort food on cold days. Serve it for lunch or dinner.
What to Serve with Fasolia
Fasolia is always served with rice, that’s why it’s called fasolia wa roz in Arabic. Lebanese butter rice is most common, but yellow rice also goes very well with this stew. Besides, you can add mezze or a salad to the menu. If you’re short on time, simply serve with onion, diced tomatoes/cucumbers or pickles.
Make Ahead & Storage
What’s great about Middle Eastern stews is that you can perfectly prepare them ahead of time. Arab mums often prepare a large saucepan of fasolia and serve it over several days.
Let cool completely, then store in the refrigerator and consume within 2-3 days.
Any Questions or Feedback?
If you liked this recipe, I’d appreciate it if you could leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. In case you’ve any questions or feedback, please leave me a comment (down the page). I’m happy to help you make delicious Middle Eastern food at home.
Learn Middle Eastern Cooking
Are you a new to Middle Eastern cuisine? Then this Middle Eastern cookbook is what you need! In addition to a varied choice of recipes, the cookbook offers plenty of insights on ingredients, cooking techniques and Middle Eastern food culture.
Lebanese Fasolia (White Bean Stew)
Ingredients
- 350 g (2 cups) dried white beans
- 400 g (3/4 lb) boneless beef fillet or lamb, boneless stewing meat
- 2 onions small, yellow
- 4 Tbsp tomato paste
- 60 ml (4 Tbsp) olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves optional
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 liter (4 cups) water see notes
- Parsley for garnish
- Lemon for serving, optional
Instructions
- Place the dried beans in a large bowl. Fill up with triple the amount of water. Soak overnight. The next day, drain the soaked beans in a colander. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Peel the onions and finely chop. Crush the garlic. Set aside.
- Chop the meat into medium-size cubes (2-3 cm or 1 inch in size). Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Once the oil is heated, add the bay leaves (optional) and the crushed garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds to release their flavors.
- Add onions to the saucepan. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Add the meat cubes to the saucepan. Season with salt, pepper and cumin. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to sear the meat. The meat should have browned on the outside (it will not be fully cooked at this point).
- Add the tomato paste to the saucepan. Stir to combine.
- Add the drained beans and hot water to the saucepan and stir well.
- Bring to a boil (on high heat). Once the water starts to bubble, reduce the heat to low, add the lid to the saucepan and simmer for about 60 minutes (see notes on exact cooking time!).
- Once the beans are tender, your stew is ready. Serve with plain rice, yellow rice or butter rice. Optionally, garnish with some chopped parsley or coriander.
Video
Notes
- The exact cooking time depends on the type and size of beans. For small to medium dried beans, it’s about 1 hour. The cooking time may be longer for larger beans.
- The amount of water is an indication. You can adjust it based on how much sauce you’d like to have, and how thick you want your sauce to be. The sauce will thicken further when the stew cools. You need more water for longer cooking times. Keep an eye on the process.
- Using canned beans? Canned beans are essentially precooked. Don’t boil them for 1 hour, as it would make them mushy. You should only cook them in the tomato sauce for about 10-15 minutes to allow the beans to absorb some of the flavors. If using canned beans, cook the meat a bit longer so that it is fully cooked instead of just browned on the outside (step 6). Add the canned beans as per the recipe, and simmer the stew for 10-15 minutes (instead of 1 hour).
- Vegetarian Fasolia? Simply omit the meat. Add the tomato paste after frying the onions, and proceed as per the recipe card. If making vegetarian fasolia, I recommend you use broth instead of water for the sauce to add some flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is only a rough estimate and may vary depending on factors such as the cooking method, exact weight, type, and brand of ingredients used.
Planning to make fasolia this weekend. Can I use ground beef instead?
Yes, that also works! Enjoy!
I made it today and its delicious! Thank you
I’m glad you enjoyed! 🙂
I am planning to use this recipe but with canned white beans. You mentioned in the notes to cook them first, what do you mean by that? Do i put them on the pan first separately or still in step 7 but for longer?
Hi Wateen! Usually, when making Fasolia with meat and dried beans, you’ll cook both of them together for ~60 minutes or so. But if you use canned beans, you shouldn’t cook the beans for this long, because they would turn out too soft. That’s why I’d recommend you cook the meat in the sauce for about ~45 minutes first (without beans), and only add the canned beans (drained) for the last 10-15 minutes, so that they can aborb some of the flavors of the sauce.
I sometimes use canned beans too but then I usually make the vegetarian version of Fasolia. In that case, you only need to make the sauce, put in the beans and cook for 10-15 minutes. It’s not the “traditional” way, but it’s a shortcut to get this dish together fast using canned beans 🙂
I hope this helps. If anything is unclear, please let me know, I’m happy to help!