LOUBIEH BI ZEIT (GREEN BEANS IN TOMATO SAUCE)

This gorgeous loubieh bi zeit screams deliciousness! It is the classic Lebanese dish par excellence where flavourful and tender green beans and sun-ripened tomatoes are gently braised in a pot. The result is a vegetarian stew-like dish with unbeatable sweet and savoury flavours.

Lebanese and Middle Eastern vegetarian dishes are cooked in extra virgin oil and don’t contain any dairy products. Therefore, one can eat them cold directly out from the fridge if prepared beforehand. I prefer them lukewarm and enjoy scooping loubieh bi zeit with freshly baked Arabic bread. I can’t recall having eaten any of these dishes hot at all as we never have them before having cooled down. They are so light and refreshing especially in summer.

And as Lebanon has been blessed with a mild climate that allows an abundant growth of healthy greens and legumes all year round, we can boast quite many delectable dishes like these.

Green beans for this recipe

The regular green beans found in groceries are commonly known as green beans. They are also called snap or string beans, and they are perfect for Loubieh bi zeit. However, there is a slight difference between those beans and the French green beans. The latter are called “haricots vert”, and they are skinnier and longer. As they are harvested earlier than regular beans, they are believed to be more tender and flavourful. Cooked and sautéed in butter, they are best served as a side to steaks.

Romano beans, also known as Italian green beans, are my all-time favourite for this recipe. Unlike the more commonly green beans, they are longer, flatter and sweeter, with a stringless seam running down the side. Their texture is also perfect for loubieh bi zeit. I cook them in olive oil with onions and garlic cloves, and season them with cinnamon, black pepper and salt until half-done, then slow-braise them with tomatoes until they soak all the flavours.

Flavourful tomatoes are the secret

Tomatoes off season are mostly bland and tasteless. I avoid them completely in Germany in Winter. I learned my lesson quickly after I had spoiled loubieh bi zeit using such tomatoes. Ever since, I have opted for Italian canned tomatoes as they are sun-ripened and extremely flavourful.

Health benefit

Green beans are packed with vitamin C and beta-carotene. They are also a good source of folate and potassium and help fight inflammation. And the best part is that you can have them all year round and they are relatively inexpensive.

Dina Kohl

Loubieh bi zeit

Green beans in tomato sauce

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: main dish, Starter

Cuisine: Lebanese

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion 150 g, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half-moon shapes
• 8 small garlic cloves peeled and halved
• 500 g Romano green beans trimmed on both ends, strings removed if any, and then rinsed and halved
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 500 g ripe tomatoes rinsed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

Method

 

1. Heat the oil in the pot over medium-high heat, add the onions and cook for about 2 minutes until wilted, stirring all the time. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Mix in the green beans, the salt, cinnamon and black pepper, and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until beans are half tender, gently stirring occasionally.
2. Gently stir in the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. Sprinkle with a little salt to release tomato juice. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes, or until tomatoes are broken and beans are tender. Uncover and continue cooking for about 10 minutes to thicken the sauce a bit.
3. Transfer to the serving bowl and eat warm or cold with pita bread.

Notes

All images and text © Dina Bayoud Kohl