Lupini Beans are a go-to snack found across the Middle East and Mediterranean. They are nutritious (second highest bean in protein) and make the perfect food to serve your friends and family. Learn how to make Lebanese termos.
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Lupini beans are known as ‘Termos’ in Arabic, which are enjoyed as a snack or appetiser or part of a mezze and are served salted and cold.
They are a highly popular Lebanese food, typically brined, which can be found served on the streets of Lebanon by cart vendors.
Pronunciation: Termos is said as ‘terr-mos’ in English (you need to roll your R) and lupini is said as ‘lu-pee-nee’.
I’ve always loved the look of termos, I love how they look like small glossy golden pillows in a bowl.
As a kid, I always chose eating these over any other snack when they were served. Termos is often served to guests.
I also love the saltiness, though nowadays I always run mine through water to make sure I am not overdoing my sodium intake.
Beware lupini is moorish! But I would prefer these over any store-bought snack, knowing they are all natural.
Lupin makes a wonderful snack for vegans as they are high in protein. They are second to soya beans in protein content, which contain the highest amount of protein per bean.
These beans can also be served all year round, and are mainly found in countries like Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Brazil, Portugal, Italy, and Turkey.
In Spain, these beans are often served with beer, just like how in Australia we serve beer nuts or pretzels.
As lupin beans are gaining popularity and you may be new to them, I thought you’d find it interesting to know what the lupin bean plant looks like.
🌱Lupini Bean Varieties
Preparing lupini beans can be simple if you pick the right kind.
Though some would argue the right kind.
You see there are two kinds of lupini beans:
- The large kind which are bitter
- The small kind which are not bitter
Preparing the large variety takes time. And by time, I mean at least 5 days.
So why would some people choose the larger lupini bean?
Some say the taste is stronger once the bitterness is removed. I personally think it’s marginal.
I favour the smaller variety as they can be prepared in less than 24hours, which suits my busy life just fine.
It always amuses me seeing reviews left on online purchases of dried lupini beans. The most (only!?) common complaint is that they are bitter. I sometimes feel like saying ‘that’s because you don’t know how to cook them properly’
Please don’t be discouraged by the bitterness, if you accidentally buy the bitter lupini variety, all the preparation needed, is worth it, due to the taste and health benefits.
If you did end up with the larger lupini beans, the process is the same, except you have to soak them in salty water for five-10 consecutive days (until the bitterness is gone) after boiling them tender, changing the water twice daily.
You may be asking “how will I know I bought the bitter ones?” Once the beans have been cooked tender, taste one, if it’s bitter, then there’s your answer.
Trust me I know, I remember, many years ago, when I first ventured out on my own to make my first batch of Lebanese Lupini beans, I was shocked at the bitterness. I had to call my mum to confirm I didn’t buy a bad batch.
✔️Interesting Facts
- Did you know Australia is a prominent ‘sweet’ lupini supplier? I was pleased to learn this. It’s important to note that the ‘sweet’ is used to refer to non-bitter lupin. Not because it contains sugar.
- Lupin is often used as a key ingredient in plant-based milks or as an additive to wheat-flour products or vegan sausages.
🥘Ingredients
- Lupini Beans (dried variety)
- Salt (I always opt for Himalayan or sea salt)
- Water (I prefer to use filtered water)
🔪Cooking Instructions
- In a large bowl, add 1 cup lupin beans, 1 tbsp of salt and 5 cups water. Mixed water through to dissolve salt and soak overnight
- Discard any water from soaked lupini beans and add to a pot. Top with 5 cups of water and another 1 tbsp of salt and bring to the boil on high.
- Once boiling, turn heat to med-high and boil for about 2 hours. Once lupin is tender, turn off heat and allow to cool.
- When cool, discard water and top with fresh salted water. Serve with salt.
📝Recipe Notes
- The instructions within this recipe are for the small sweet lupini bean variety
- 1 cup of dried lupini beans is enough to serve several people (a small handful each)
- Dried lupin beans are whitish in colour, once soaked they will swell into a plump golden-yellow colour
- Check in periodically on the lupini beans as they boil and top up water if needed (don’t let the pot dry)
- Cooked lupini beans can store for about five days in the fridge submerged in salty water. You will need to change the water daily as it will go murky. Use an airtight container.
- Changing the water daily will require a couple of minutes of your time
- Dried lupini beans can store in the pantry for as long as other beans (a couple of years)
- Termos can be prepared in a pressure cooker, once the soaking is complete, simply cook them for 20 minutes.
- Always brine your lupini beans before consumption - there should be ZERO bitterness.
- Bitterness denotes high toxic alkaloids, which are rid of through the brining process.
- For those who have a nut allergy, lupini is not recommended. More information on this can be read here
💭Recipe Tips
- Lupini beans are encased in skin, these skins will shrivel during the soaking process. This is normal. Do not take the skin off as they will smooth out during the boiling process.
- Lupini beans will double in size when soaking - make sure you double the amount of water to ensure when they do swell, they are still submerged in water (I always like to put extra water to be on the safe side)
- Always add salt to your boiling water and soaking water
🥄Serving Suggestions
The easiest way to eat lupin is just how my family have been eating them (and all other Lebanese people) by sprinkling some sea salt on top and eating them as a snack.
They are normally served on their own or can sometimes feature as part of a mezze.
Whilst eating, discard lupini bean skin using your teeth to open the skin - this is fairly simple.
We always serve two bowls (one with lupin in it and the other empty for the discarded skins)
It’s worth noting, the skin is edible. I sometimes get lazy and eat the whole bean. You can also pop the bean out of its skin by squeezing the bean with your thumb and index finger.
Want more of these recipes? Let me send them straight to you!
💡Ideas for Lupini Beans recipes
- Try adding your favourite herb or spices (to this recipe)
- Try them with a splash of fresh lemon juice (to this recipe)
- Add lupini beans to a salad or a soup (only after you have cooked them)
- Puree lupini into a dip (after you have cooked them)
- Roasted lupini beans - similar to this crunchy oven roasted cumin chickpea recipe
❓FAQ
Lupini beans known as Lupin, are ancient yellow legume beans dating as far back as the 12th Dynasty BCE. Both Ancient Egyptians and Romans loved to eat lupin. The plant is part of the same family as lentils, chickpeas, peanut and peas. They contain the second highest amount of protein in any bean.
Lupini beans or lupin is generally available at your local grocer rather than your large supermarkets. You can also head on over to Amazon and purchase them online buy dry lupini beans here* or already prepared lupin beans here* (prepared lupin is normally in brine or pickled)
Lupini is a great source of protein and is rich in protein (40%), fiber (40%) and moderate in fat (8%) made up largely of unsaturated fatty acids. Lupini is also devoid of starch, which is great for blood sugar and aids off hunger.(wikipedia, Lupin Bean, Wikipedia 11/11/2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupin_bean)
Other benefits of lupini include - a high level of prebiotic fiber, B vitamins, phosphorus, manganese, magnesium and antioxidants and calcium.
Overall lupin is a power packed bean.
This is not an easy flavour to explain as the taste is unique along with the texture. The best explanation is they are a pleasant creamy, buttery, nutty bean flavour.
Lupini is an ancient bean, which is traditionally bitter as they are naturally high in toxic alkaloids. This is combated by methodically soaking the beans in salted water (brine) over several days. The newer variety is a ‘sweet’ lupini with little to no bitterness.
⚙️Equipment
The following is needed to make this recipe
🔖Other Vegan Snack Recipes
- Home baked beetroot chips
- Warm marinated olives recipe by Marcellina In Cucina
- Marinated Mushrooms by Mrs Jones Kitchen
- Salt and pepper roasted walnuts by It's Not Complicated
- Oil free roasted pumpkin seeds
📖 Recipe
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add 1 cup lupin beans, 1 tbsp of salt and 5 cups water. Mixed water through to dissolve salt and soak overnight
- Discard any water from soaked lupini beans and add to a pot. Top with 5 cups of water and another 1 tbsp of salt and bring to the boil on high.Once boiling, turn heat to med-high and boil for about 2 hours.
- Once lupin is tender, turn off heat and allow to cool. Once cool, discard water and top with fresh salted water. Serve with salt.
Notes
- serving is an estimate - this can vary due to individual consumption
- The instructions within this recipe are for the small sweet lupini bean variety
- 1 cup of dried lupini beans is enough to serve several people (a small handful each)
- Dried lupin beans are whitish in colour, once soaked they will swell into a plump golden-yellow colour
- Check in periodically on the lupini beans as they boil and top up water if needed (don’t let the pot dry)
- Cooked lupini beans can store for about five days in the fridge submerged in salty water. You will need to change the water daily as it will go murky. Use an airtight container.
- Changing the water daily will require a couple of minutes of your time
- Dried lupini beans can store in the pantry for as long as other beans (a couple of years)
- Termos can be prepared in a pressure cooker, once the soaking is complete, simply cook them for 20 minutes.
- Always brine your lupini beans before consumption - there should be ZERO bitterness.
- Bitterness denotes high toxic alkaloids, which are rid of through the brining process.
- For those who have a nut allergy, lupini is not recommended. More information on this can be read here
- Another fantastic snack - try crunchy oven roasted cumin chickpea recipe
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