I first had these stewed green beans at a Lebanese friend’s home back in college. I’ll admit, I was skeptical. The beans looked soft and mushy, swimming in olive oil and tomatoes. But one bite shut me up. They were tender in the best way, with a creamy bite and a spice-laced sauce that clung to every seam. Years later, while cooking with a Lebanese chef in the Middle East, I finally learned the name of the dish: Loubieh bi Zeit. The wide Romano beans are first fried in a copious amount of olive oil to build flavor, then they're braised with garlic, onions, tomatoes, and baharat, that warm, earthy seven-spice blend that makes the whole dish hum. Here’s how it works.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Fry in olive oil: sears the beans for deeper flavor and kick‑starts the Maillard reaction, giving a nutty richness and silky mouthfeel.
- Slow braise: Braising this Lebanese green bean stew under a lid with tomato paste and ripe tomatoes breaks down the pectin in the tough beans, melding all the flavors into a creamy, cohesive sauce without turning the beans to mush.
- Reduce to finish: reducing the liquid at the end concentrates the flavors and glazes the tender green beans with a rich sauce that delivers umami in every bite.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil — Using a ripe fruit-forward extra virgin olive oil not only helps cook the beans while infusing them with a creamy richness, it also acts as a flavoring ingredient that complements the sweet onions and tomato.
- Aromatics — Garlic and yellow onions are fried in the olive oil to lend aroma and sweetness that balance out the green vegetal flavor of the green beans.
- Romano beans — Loubieh bi Zeit is traditionally made with flat green beans, which have a sturdy flesh that holds up to the long braise, yielding a tender, almost creamy texture. This will also work with regular green beans, but you'll want to reduce the braising time to keep the beans from turning to mush.
- Tomatoes — Fresh, ripe tomatoes add juicy sweetness and bright acidity to balance the rich olive oil and spices. It tomatoes aren't in season you can also use whole canned tomatoes.
- Tomato paste — Using tomato paste is a shortcut to achieve the concentrated tomato flavor and umami rich taste that normally takes hours to achieve.
- Baharat — A blend of sweet and warm spices like all-spice, cardamom, and ground cinnamon that gives this stew its signature Levantine aroma.
How to Pronounce Loubieh Bi Zeit
Loubieh Bi Zeit (لوبية بالزيت — /luːˈbiː.jɛ bɪ ˈzeɪt/) literally means "green beans in oil" in Arabic. To pronounce it, start with a long “loo,” as in moon, give the main emphasis to “BEE,” then slip into a quick “yeh” (like yet without pronouncing the "t"). Follow with a brief “bih” that uses the short i from bit, and finish clean with “ZAYT,” where “ay” rhymes with day and ends on a crisp t. Keep the stress on “BEE” and “ZAYT,” let “bih” flow right into “ZAYT.”
How to Make Loubieh Bi Zeit
Start by gently frying the onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until the onion softens and begins to brown.
Next, sprinkle in baharat and stir just until it smells fragrant, this toasts the spices and releases their oils. Then toss in your green beans and sauté until they're vibrant green.
Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt. Cover the pan and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and cook for about twenty five minutes, or until the green beans are tender but not mushy.
Remove the lid and turn up the heat to medium‑high to evaporate excess liquid and reduce the tomato sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of parsley for freshness. Taste and adjust with salt or even a squeeze of lemon for a bit more brightness if you like.
Serve with plain long grain rice or pita bread.
Serve This With
Pair this green bean and tomato stew with my Labneh (Strained Yogurt Cheese) for a cool, tangy contrast; labneh’s cool richness balances the tangy spiced beans. A bright Tabbouleh (Parsley & Bulgur Salad) provides a bright herbal counterpoint to the warm cinnamon and creamy green beans. If you're looking for more protein, Ful Medames offers a savory fava-bean dip that echoes the legume theme, while Mutabbal (Sesame Eggplant Dip) brings a nutty smoky depth. If you're looking for a flavorful rice dish, Hashweh wih spiced lamb rounds out the spread, providing a savory foil to sop up the flavorful sauce.
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Units
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 280 grams onion (1 large onion, diced)
- 45 grams garlic (crushed)
- 2 teaspoons baharat (Lebanese seven spice mix)
- 320 grams Romano beans (a.k.a. flat beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths)
- 260 grams ripe tomatoes (6 small tomatoes, chopped)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Add ⅓ cup olive oil, 280 grams onion, and 45 grams garlic to a pan and fry over medium heat until the onions are tender and starting to brown.
- Add 2 teaspoons baharat and fry for a few seconds to release its aroma before adding 320 grams Romano beans. Saute until the beans are a vibrant green.
- Add 260 grams ripe tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover the pan with a lid. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally(about 25 minutes).
- When the beans are tender, remove the lid and turn up the heat to medium-high, allow any excess liquid to evaporate so that the sauce is nice and thick.
- Garnish the Loubieh Bi Zeit with Flat-leaf parsley to taste. You can serve it warm or at room temperature with pita bread or rice.
Rebecca says
Your recipe looks amazing; I've had this at Phoencia Market here in Houston, but cannot find fresh runner beans anywhere. I do have a 1 pound bag of frozen flat green beans. If I can use those, would the cooking time be different? Would they need to be thawed out first? Any help would be appreciated.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Rebecca, frozen green beans should work fine. I would recommend defrosting them once and dump any of the water that comes out of them. They will also probably cook a little faster, but you can judge this by tasting the beans periodically to see when they're done to your preferred tenderness. I hope that helps!
Rebecca says
Thanks for coming to my rescue so quickly, Marc! I just made these yesterday, and they were absolutely amazing! They were also a lot less expensive (and better tasting) than the store where I've bought it pre-made... and, as you said there were leftovers!! Had to use canned diced tomatoes because fresh roma tomatoes were no good. Strangely enough, I went to that store today and they had loads of fresh romano beans. I bought a pound and will make them again in the next day or two! Thank you so much for your help, and for sharing your wonderful recipe!!