White bean stew is full of creamy, tender white beans simmered in a robust tomato broth spiced with coriander, cumin, cinnamon, and Maggi seasoning. My generous white bean stew recipe makes 6 heaping servings of this cozy Middle Eastern soup!
Fasoolia is a very popular Middle Eastern white bean stew filled with healthy, delicious ingredients. It’s the perfect cold weather (or feeling under the weather) recipe. Fasoolia baida means “white beans,” and the beans are certainly the star of the show.
I first had this on my last trip to Egypt. The recipe is adapted from my Egyptian friend, chef Ahmed Reda who kindly shared it with me. As soon as I had it I knew I was going to share it here on my site. I’ve taken the liberty of adding baharat spice blend to this as I feel the Arabic spice blend adds so much. I also have on occasion added ground lamb or beef (see recipe) to make it a meal as opposed to just a delicious side dish.
Other fasoolia recipes feature different types, usually green beans. When you browse other popular Egyptian, Middle Eastern, and North African recipes, you’ll find legumes and vegetables are abundant along with tons of spices for some seriously hearty, filling vegetarian-friendly meals.
If you want to browse those a little more, try koshari and basilla wa roz for your next stops on Silk Road Recipes!
This white bean stew recipe is pretty easy to throw together. The longest step is waiting for those beans to soak, and you could even use canned beans if you’re feeling particularly rushed (though I have to say the texture just isn’t the same).
Check the Liquid Level
Beans are thirsty! I must say, even after soaking them, they continue to absorb water throughout the cooking process. Be sure to check them every now and then while they cook and give them a good stir. No only will they absorb the seasoned cooking liquid and get flavored, they need plenty of water to slowly cook and become soft. If they look a little thick, add half a cup of water or more and stir through.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
(Be sure to check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities)
- Dry White Beans – It takes at least 4 hours to soften dry beans, but I usually just soak them overnight so I can jump right into cooking the next day.
- Tomato Paste & Tomato Purée – Purée is the base while the paste adds a little extra rich “oomph.”
- Yellow Onion – My preferred onion for soups and stews. White onions are fine too.
- Garlic – I’m holding back and adding just three cloves to my fasoolia. As always, use as much or as little garlic as you’d like.
- Seasonings – If you’re going from whole spices to powdered, check out the conversions in my Middle Eastern spice guide.
- Cumin & Coriander – This always iconic dynamic duo gives fasoolia baida a balance of earthy and citrusy flavors, playing well with the robust tomato broth.
- Cinnamon – Substitute with allspice, ground ginger, or cardamom.
- Maggi Seasoning – You can find Maggi powdered or cubed, much like bouillon, or in liquid form. It has a sort of smoky umami flavor that’s hard to replicate. That being said, soy sauce is a perfectly fine substitute for it in most recipes — and in this white bean stew recipe too.
- (Optional) Ground Lamb & Baharat Spice Blend – If you want to add another protein, I’d recommend ground lamb spiced with all-purpose Middle Eastern baharat spice.
How to Make White Bean Stew
- Start with the Aromatics, Spices & Tomato Paste. Melt the butter in your Dutch oven or soup pot. Add the onions and cook for several minutes on medium heat. Once they’re slightly softened, add the garlic and stir. Cook down for a minute before sprinkling in the salt, cumin, coriander, and black pepper. Add the tomato paste. Stir everything together and cook down for 3 minutes or so.
- Add Remaining Ingredients. Drain and rinse the pre-soaked beans. Add them to the pot along with the tomato purée, Maggi seasoning, and 2 ½ cups of water. Stir to combine.
- Simmer. Increase the heat to bring the soup to a rolling boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Let cook on low for 90 minutes. Uncover to stir every so often, checking to make sure nothing is scorching on the bottom. If it is, add a little more water.
- (Optional) Brown the Meat. If you’re adding lamb, now’s the time to brown and spice with the baharat. Don’t forget to drain the fat.
- Serve. Season your soup to taste, add the ground meat if desired, and serve!
- Dutch Oven or Soup Pot
- Skillet – You’ll only need this if adding ground meat to your stew.
Storing and Reheating
White bean stew can be safely refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you add ground lamb, you’ll shorten that to 3 or 4 days.
Reheating couldn’t be easier — just toss it back in the pot and bring to temperature over medium heat.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, unless you want to cook them for a really, really long time! Soaking rehydrates them evenly and without any cooking required on your part. I find that when I try to actively rehydrate dried beans, they don’t always soften at the same rate (and, like I said, it takes forever).
They’re both types of white beans. Cannellini are definitely the popular choice for white bean stew — they’re large and have tender flesh that’s easy to bite into. If you like a firmer bite, then Great Northern beans are the way to go.
I go into a little more detail about the different white beans in my white bean salad recipe, so head over there if you want some more guidance!
Well, this isn’t really supposed to be a thick, creamy soup. It’s more about the creamy beans. I must admit though, the savory seasoned tomato cooking liquid does condense and thicken quite nicely in the recipe as written.
But if you really want to thicken things up, you can’t go wrong with mashing some of the beans or use a cornstarch slurry stirred in toward the end of simmering. Remember to use cold water. Potato starch is also an effective thickener.
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Cover the white beans with 2-inches of water and soak for minimum 4 hours or overnight.
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Over medium heat in a soup pot or Dutch oven melt the butter. Saute the onion for several minutes and add the garlic. Cook another minute and add the salt, cumin, coriander, black pepper and the tomato paste. Cook another 3 minutes, mixing everything together.
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Drain and rinse the beans then transfer to pot along with the tomato puree, water and Maggi seasoning.
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Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and simmer, covered, 90 minutes. Stir and check occasionally if more water is needed to not scorch the bottom.
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Meanwhile if adding the lamb: In a skillet over medium-high heat add the ground lamb and baharat spice blend. Brown the meat, stirring often until no longer pink. Drain any fat and set aside.
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Serve as is or with optional browned lamb stirred through to reheat before serving.
- Recipe adapted from my Egyptian friend, chef Ahmed Reda.
Calories: 393kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 1118mg | Potassium: 1125mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 701IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 123mg | Iron: 6mg
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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