Lebanese Spinach Stew (Sabanekh w Riz)

Lebanese spinach stew is hearty, warming, and delicious. Using minimal ingredients and can be made in around 30 minutes. Best served with Lebanese Rice.

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Jump to:

• What Is Lebanese Spinach Stew?
• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• Spinach Stew Ingredients
• How To Make Lebanese Spinach and Rice
• Serving Suggestion
• Related Recipes
• Spinach Stew (Sabanekh wa Riz)

What Is Lebanese Spinach Stew?

Lebanese spinach stew is known in Arabic as sabanekh wa riz, which translates to spinach with rice.

Traditionally it is made with ground beef meatballs that have been browned and then added to the stewed spinach.

Up until a few years ago, this is how my family ate it.

As a kid, I would try and pack in as many meatballs into my bowl, they were so good! 

Nowadays, I make Lebanese vegan spinach stew, I have replaced the meat with chickpeas, and it's delicious!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Lebanese spinach stew makes a great family meal as it’s filling and inexpensive.
• It’s also fabulous as a leftover meal. I especially enjoy mopping the tasty leftover juices with some bread.
• Relatively easy to make, it's chop and drop.
• Dietary friendly - vegan, gluten free, soy free, corn free

Spinach Stew Ingredients

Notes on some of the ingredients, the full list of ingredients and their measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Fresh English spinach is my preference for making this stew. As I love cooking with as much fresh produce as possible. The spinach leaves and stalks will need to be chopped small. (Frozen spinach can be used also)

Canned chickpeas are used in this vegan spinach stew in place of beef. If you'd like to see a meat version, check this one out by The Salt and Sweet.

Keep the juice, this is called aquafaba and is used to make many delicious foods, such as my Lebanese inspired vegan meringue with rose water.

Coriander (cilantro) is finely chopped or minced and adds a lovely flavor to this stew when combined with freshly crushed garlic and finely diced onion.

Olive oil is used to fry off the onion, garlic and coriander (cilantro) however if you are on an oil free diet this can easily be left out and replaced with water frying.

Vegetable stock or bouillon with water to boost the flavor profile of the entire dish.

Freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

Fresh lemon juice is used to finish off Lebanese spinach stew, it adds a bright sourness. Feel free to add as much as you like. This is not to be left out.

Red chili is optional, either fresh or flakes.

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How To Make Lebanese Spinach and Rice

Fry the aromatics. In a large pot, over high heat, add the olive oil, garlic, coriander and onion and sweat until translucent and the smells have been released.

Simmer the spinach. Add spinach and vegetable stock. Stir contents through and allow spinach to wilt for about 15 minutes. The volume of liquid will increase as the spinach wilts and releases its jucies.

Finish the vegan spinach stew. Stir the chickpeas, pepper, optional chili through the spinach and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Then turn the heat off. Pour the lemon juice over the stew.

Serve on a bed of vermicelli rice with optional dairy-free yogurt.

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Serving Suggestion

Sabanekh w riz is always served with vermicelli rice and a dollop of laban (which is plain yogurt in Arabic) - we now eat dairy free yogurt on the side.

The combination of cold yogurt with hot stew is wonderful.

The above photo shows the same recipe but with silverbeet (swiss chard) rather than spinach. The result is equally delish.

Related Recipes

Aside from this recipe being requested on a weeknight, I also get asked to make Malfouf which is cabbage stuffed with vegetables and rice or Molokhia which is the ultimate Lebanese comfort food of braised jute mallow.

Another Lebanese Stew is bazella w riz which is stewed peas and carrot or try my Lebanese fasolia recipe, which is a red kidney bean stew.

Or try my Lebanese black eyed beans recipe.

Another Lebanese spinach recipe is my delicious spinach fatayer (pies) or this tasty vermicelli soup with spinach.

For more chickpeas, try balela salad.

Or try Lebanese potato stew known as yakhnet batata. Actually, you should check out this curated collection of comforting Lebanese stew recipes.