Loubieh bi Zeit: Lebanese green beans in olive oil is a side dish made with just five ingredients: tender green beans, ripe tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a generous pour of good olive oil. It's traditionally served cold, or at room temperature, with some warm pita bread. And like most Lebanese "bi zeit" dishes, it tastes even better the next day.
This recipe comes from Mona Hamadeh's cookbook, Everyday Lebanese Cooking. I've been making it since 2014 and have tried other popular versions, but keep coming back to this one for its simplicity...no spices or no water. The slow cooking does all the work, and the result is quietly surprising for how few ingredients are involved.
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Simple, vegetarian, vegan, surprisingly flavourful and extremely comforting!
Ingredients
- Olive oil: A good-quality extra virgin olive oil is a key player in this green bean stew. If you are running low, then feel free to opt for any olive oil variation during the cooking process, but use the EVOO to drizzle before serving.
- Onion: I have used red onion, but yellow onion works well too.
- Garlic: Use the whole bulb of garlic for up to 500gms green beans. Just separate the cloves and peel them before using them. You don't have to chop the garlic cloves.
- Green beans: I have used French green beans, but you may use any kind of green beans. Make sure to trim them and remove any fibre from the sides.
- Tomatoes: I have used fresh ripe garden tomatoes. Add tomatoes of the same weight as beans. So if you are using 500gms beans, then use 500gms tomatoes. If using canned tomatoes, then toss them right into the pan along with their juicy goodness.
- Salt goes without saying...
Instructions
The two major tasks you would have to do for this recipe are trimming the beans and peeling garlic. Chopping onions is a given.
Use a heavy-bottomed skillet that you can stir easily. Heat the pan on medium-high and add olive oil.
Sauté the sliced onions and the whole garlic cloves until lightly browned.
This can take about 5 to 8 minutes.
Stir in the cut beans.
Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes or until the green beans turn tender.
Don't forget to stir occasionally during this time.
Add the chopped tomatoes along with salt to taste. Cook open on low to medium flame for at least 30 minutes or until the tomatoes have stewed into a thick sauce. Don't have to add any water!
The green beans will become tender but still hold shape, and the tomatoes and garlic cloves will have thickened in olive oil, making the flavours come through incredibly. Switch off and stir in the remaining olive oil. Let it cool to room temperature before you serve.
As the green beans stew slowly along with garlic cloves (that are added as a whole after peeling) and tomatoes, it becomes a thick sauce that you can scoop with pita bread. Lebanese Green Beans Stew with Tomatoes is ready to serve with some fresh pita bread or any other mezze accompaniments.
Tip
I love the simplicity of this recipe for Loubieh bi Zeit, and though you may feel tempted to add some kind of spice powders, don't! You may use canned tomatoes or frozen green beans, but don't use tomato paste. We love it so much that I have made variations of it, like a pasta dish, where you can stir in some prepared pasta and kebabs to make it a wholesome meal!
Lebanese Green Beans Recipe Questions
Can I use frozen green beans? Yes. Add them straight from frozen. No need to thaw. Reduce the covered cooking time by 2-3 minutes since they soften faster than fresh ones.
Can I use canned tomatoes? Yes, but use whole or diced, not crushed. Add them with their juices and skip any added water. Avoid tomato paste as it changes the flavour profile of this dish entirely.
Why no spices? The garlic cloves slow-cook whole until they turn buttery and almost sweet. That, combined with good olive oil and ripe tomatoes, creates enough depth. Adding spices at that point masks what makes this dish distinct.
How long does it keep? Up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. It genuinely tastes better on day 2 once the olive oil has had time to absorb the tomato and garlic.
Can I serve it cold? Yes and it's arguably better that way. "Bi zeit" dishes in Lebanese cuisine are specifically designed to be eaten at room temperature or cold, which is why olive oil (not butter) is used.
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Lebanese Green Beans | Loubieh bi Zeit
Equipment
- 1 thick-bottomed heavy skillet, stainless steel (28cm)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 large onion, sliced thinly
- 1 whole bulb of garlic, peeled
- 300 grams french beans, weighed after trimming
- 300 grams tomatoes, chopped into large chunks or roundels
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash, trim and cut the green beans into approximately 2-inch long pieces.
- Heat a thick-bottomed heavy skillet or wok and add olive oil.3 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- Add the sliced onions and garlic cloves (don't have to chop them). Saute for 5 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned.1 large onion sliced thinly1 whole bulb of garlic peeled
- Stir in the beans, reduce the flame to low, cover the pot, and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes or until the green beans turn tender. Don't forget to stir occasionally during this time.300 grams french beans weighed after trimming
- Add the chopped tomatoes along with salt to taste. Cook open on low to medium flame for at least 30 minutes or until the tomatoes have stewed into a thick sauce.300 grams tomatoes chopped into large chunks or roundelssalt to taste
- Switch off and stir in the remaining olive oil. Let it cool to room temperature before serving with some fresh pita bread.
Heather Uren says
A very delicious green bean dish. I have to say I was skeptical about how flavourful this would be. However, I followed the advice in the tip and did not add any extra herbs or spices, even though I was getting itchy to do so.
The simplicity keeps its keep so good. It’s quick, easy, and you won’t be disappointed. I served it with loaded hummus, pita, and a roasted eggplant/lentil salad.
Cynthia Jendrusina says
so far going good. haven't made this dish in years.