Fasolia is an authentic Lebanese stew that's hearty made with red kidney beans in a thick tomato base and seasoned with distinctive spices.
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Lebanese Fasolia - (Kidney Bean Stew) is just one of those dishes that I'll never get sick of.
Another delicious dish that fed our family growing up, I've never minded having seconds.
For this particular recipe, I've adapted it to suit a plant-based diet as it traditionally contains cubes of beef.
To compensate for the missing beef, I've added in chunks of roma tomato which help to give it a thicker texture and a little bit more olive oil.
Fasolia is eaten with vermicelli rice (Roz, which means rice) and a side of Molokhia (my ultimate comfort food).
I like to add some pickled veg too - yum!
Whenever I cook this fasoulia recipe, I always make a large batch for left-overs, I find the next day tastes so good as the flavours have soaked in.
How To Make Lebanese Fasolia (Kidney Bean Stew)?
I always prefer to use dry beans instead of canned, but for convenience I understand why canned would be used.
For the dry kidney beans, sift through and discard unwanted beans.
Rinse in cold water to rid of any dirt and debris and then submerged roughly about 10cm in water to soak overnight.
Beans will swell and rise almost double in size.
This fasolia recipe can be made as a watery stew or thick as per my recipe. If you'd like to have extra soup, just add a little bit more water and additional seasoning & spice to taste.
Depending on my mood will depict how I make it.
Why you should make fasolia?
- It's healthy and full of protein
- It's inexpensive and can be frozen (use basic freezing principles here)
- It's filling and both kids & adults love it
- It's versatile in that it can be served with vermicelli rice, which is traditionally how it is served or with pasta (my hubby loves it with pasta - he mixes it together - this is non-traditional, but hey food is subjective)
🥘Ingredients
- 500 g Kidney beans dry variety, soaked over night preferred. (Canned fasolya beans is fine)
- 2-3 medium Brown onion diced
- 2 cloves Garlic crushed
- 140 g Tomato paste
- 1 tbsp Seasoning
- ¼ cup Olive oil*
- 1 tbsp Lebanese 7 spice* (alternative - all spice)
- 6 medium Roma tomatoes chopped in medium chunks
- 3-4 cups Water
- 1 small Red Chilli (OPTIONAL. Finely chopped)
For your mise en place;
- Dice medium brown onions
- Crush cloves of garlic
- Roughly chop roma tomatoes
- Finely chop fresh red chilli (optional)
- Measure out olive oil, seasoning, Lebanese seven Spice (All Spice is a great alternative) and tomato paste
🔪Cooking Instructions
Overnight (or a few hours) prep for dried kidney beans
Pre Step - Sort kidney beans to rid of any unwanted beans and soak overnight in water. Fill water at least 5cm on top of beans as they will swell and rise. (forget this step if using canned fasoulia)
Cooking Instructions
Step One - In a large pot over med-high heat, heat olive oil
Step Two - Add diced onion to hot oil and sweat until translucent
Step Three - Add crushed garlic and chilli and stir through thoroughly
Step Four - Add spices and seasoning, coating both onion and garlic
Step Five - Add diced tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes
Step Six - Once tomatoes have softened, add tomato paste and stir through
Step Seven - Add kidney beans and stir all contents completely through
Step Eight - Add water until the contents of the pot are submerged under by 1cm
Step Nine - Reduce heat to medium and allow to cook for approx 30 minutes or until beans are tender
⏲️Cooking Time
Lebanese bean stew is a quick meal and can be cooked within 30 minutes or until beans are tender if the beans are pre-soaked or the canned variety.
FAQ
Fasolia, an Arabic word for bean (in this case kidney bean) it is also known as fasoulia, fasoolia, fasolya, foosalia.
Yes, it can be made with borlotti bean (cranberry bean), white bean, black eyed peas, and lima beans (butter beans). The taste may vary slightly and people who love this stew will often have a preference.
No it is not mandatory, however it is highly recommended as it shortens the cooking time considerably.
📋 Other vegan Lebanese recipes
If you like this fasoulia and rice recipe and is looking for another vegan Lebanese bean recipe?
- Bazella - Lebanese stewed peas
- Bamia Okra Stew - Another hearty Lebanese stew
- Try my Loubieh Bi Zeit (Green Beans Recipe in Olive Oil)
- The tastiest vegetable rice Lebanese Rice Vegan.
- For one of Lebanon's national dishes, try my Lebanese Kibbeh (vegetarian kibbeh).
- Malfouf is Lebanese cabbage rolls, made with spices and in one pot
- If you're after a dessert try a vegan rice pudding, you can't go past my Lebanese rice pudding (Riz Bi Haleeb).
📖 Recipe
Kidney Bean Stew (Lebanese Fasolia)
Ingredients
- 500 g Kidney beans dry variety, soaked over night preferred.
- 2-3 medium Brown onion diced
- 2 cloves Garlic crushed
- 140 g Tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Seasoning
- ¼ cup Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Lebanese 7 spice alternative - all spice
- 6 medium Roma tomatoes chopped in medium chunks
- 3-4 cups Water
- 1 small Red Chilli OPTIONAL. Finely chopped
Instructions
Overnight (or a few hours) prep
- Sort kidney beans to rid of any unwanted beans and soak overnight in water. Fill water at least 5cm on top of beans as they will swell and rise.
Cooking Instructions
- In a large pot over med-high heat, heat olive oil
- Add diced onion to hot oil and sweat until translucent
- Add crushed garlic and chilli and stir through thoroughly
- Add spices and seasoning, coating both onion and garlic
- Add diced tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes
- Once tomatoes have softened, add tomato paste and stir through
- Add kidney beans and stir all contents completely through
- Add water until the contents of the pot are submerged under by 1cm
- Reduce heat to medium and allow to cook for approx 30 minutes or until beans are tender
Anne
🙂
gary
Ingredients say 1 tbsp seasoning. what seasoning is that?
Janelle
Hi Gary,
Seasoning = salt and pepper.
I'll make it clearer.
Enjoy!
J