Loubieh bi Zeit — Lebanese Green Beans in Tomato & Olive Oil (One-Pot)

Name: Loubieh bi Zeit — Lebanese Green Beans in Tomato & Olive Oil (One-Pot)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 large yellow onion; 3 clove garlic; 1 lb green beans; 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 cup water; 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp granulated sugar; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes; 2 tbsp fresh parsley

A classic Lebanese one-pot of green beans slowly braised in tomato, olive oil and warm spices. Minimal washing up, brightened with lemon — an easy vegan main or side.

AI image

45 min

start to finish

10 min

hands on

Easy

difficulty

servings

4 servings

Ingredients

Roughly, per serving

210 kcal6g protein20g carbs13g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Place a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven on medium heat and add the olive oil.
Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown.
Browning the onion gives sweetness that balances the tomatoes.
Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30–60 seconds.
Stir in the tomato paste (if using), ground cumin, ground coriander and red pepper flakes; cook briefly to toast the spices.
Add the trimmed green beans and stir to coat them evenly with the oil and spice-onion mixture.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the water (or broth), then add the sugar, salt and black pepper; stir to combine.
Bring the pot up to a gentle simmer, uncovered.
Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the green beans are tender and the sauce is thickened.
Check at 15–18 minutes if your beans are very fresh; cooking time depends on bean size and freshness.
Uncover, stir in the lemon juice, and simmer uncovered a few minutes to meld and reduce the sauce slightly.
Remove from heat, taste and adjust seasoning, then sprinkle with chopped parsley and an optional drizzle of olive oil before serving.

Worth knowing

If you only have fresh tomatoes: use 2 cups diced, and simmer a little longer so they break down into a saucy consistency.
To make this a heartier one-pot meal, stir in 8 oz (225 g) cubed cooked lamb or browned ground beef in step 5 and simmer as instructed.
Leftovers keep 3–4 days refrigerated; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water.
Serve warm with plain rice or warm pita to sop up the tomato sauce.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

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More Lebanese cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Lebanese cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be vegan and gluten-free and dairy-free as listed.