Loubia (White Bean and Tomato Stew) Recipe (2024)

Anyone with experience cooking beans knows that if you add an acidic ingredient like tomatoes to beans before they are fully cooked, they won't soften. Canned beans seems like a safer bet here, or cook the beans separately and then follow the instructions for canned beans.

I've been making loubia for years in a clay tagine or dutch oven with 1/2 c olive oil (yes really), 3 grated tomatoes (instead of canned), and unsoaked Rancho Gordo Alubia Blanco beans (which are generally fresher than generic supermarket dried beans and cook faster). Other ingredients generally the same. You must have the tomato cooked into the beans. I just cook it longer -- leave it in the oven for a few hours until the beans are cooked. They do soften.

Anyone with experience cooking beans also knows that the beans will eventually cook/soften. That experience also informs that the beans soak up the flavor of the tomatoes, which is desirable.

Yum, what a winner! I made this for sick household, and everyone found it nourishing and soothing. I added chicken (stock and meat) since the original request was “chicken soup.” Also adapted to what we had on hand, specifically less ginger, powdered garlic instead of fresh, and smoky paprika. It was delicious and seems like a very forgiving and adaptable recipe for folks who need to approximate.

Added fresh spinach for a nice touch of color and nutrition. I used the canned beans so it was quick and easy.

Rest assured a recipe steeped in tradition knows how to soften beans and use its ingredients. See under: "chili" (beans cooked with tomatoes), or soups and stews the world over from Spain, Italy, Morocco, India, and the good old USA.

This was delicious! I used a can of diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic instead of the San Marzano and I think it gave the stew a nice kick. And yes, it took longer for the beans to soften because of the tomatoes. I just cooked it longer and I used more like 4 cups of broth but it made a much richer sauce. And then at the end I threw in a handful of grated Parm, took this recipe to another level. I will definitely make this again.

I’ve been making this for 50 years. You can use any dry bean. I use black eyed beans. I lightly brown slivered garlic in oil then add the drained soaked beans. Heat them thru and add water halfway up the pot with tomatoe paste and salt. Just let it cook down. Keep adding water and cook down until beans are soft. Serve over rice.

Looks simple and tasty but for one fatal flaw that makes me think the author hasn't really cooked this. Can the author really say they have followed this recipe? It seems to violate chemical science.Beans will not soften in an acidic environment like canned tomatoes. Cook them fully BEFORE adding tomatoes or they'll be hard nuggets no matter how long you cook them. Or as Laura M. says, "use canned beans".

I received a late invite to dinner, put the uncooked stew in the refrigerator (I was using canned beans) then finished it the next day. THe extra day of sharing flavors made a tasty dish even better. I might make the refrigeration method a habit.

Delicious, though I would reduce the salt and add a little heat from red pepper flakes next time.

Simple yet excellent! I used extra parsley and next time would make even more of the parsley oil topping, though it's still tasty without. I also added some kale to it - I imagine any leafy green would work well.

Simple and hearty. If you use canned beans, it’s an easy weeknight meal.

I found this recipe to be quite bland. I added more of the spices, but still, bland. Maybe some hot pepper flakes would help.

Made almost exactly as written - substituted giant lima beans from Rancho Gordo that I soaked overnight. Cooked for 75 minutes and they were perfect. Served over rice with flat bread for scooping it all up. Made in morning and reheated at dinner time so I would not need to cook while entertaining - it all heated up well and I look forward to the leftovers tonight.

VERY forgiving recipe. This was absolutely delicious and this is what I had on hand/prep method: substitutions: smoky instead of sweet paprika, dried Cassoulet beans (rancho gordo brand) soaked overnight, a can of diced tomatoes. Method: Cooked onions as usual but used pressure cooker for 6 minutes on high with soaked beans. Turned out amazing! Will make again/ use leftovers in other meals

Cooked using 4 cans of whatever beans I had in pantry- 2 butter and 2 black. Followed recipe until adding broth as I didn’t want a soup. Instead mashed 1/3 beans and added broth in small increments until desired consistency. It was beautiful. And easy.

I highly recommend a pressure cooker. You can have perfect tender beans with 25 minute cook time that are far superior to canned beans

Please add cilantro as well. Moroccan recipes include cilantro and just a bit of parsley. You need cayenne pepper and not paprika. We eat these beans spicy in Morocco.

Glad I came here to read the notes before making this - I added the tomatoes once the beans were tender and then cooked for about another 15 minutes. Came out great. I used Goya beans soaked overnight, and bean cooking time was about an hour and a half.

Used canned beans. Came out delicious.

Hmm. The only thing I did differently was I used white beans that I had already cooked in the slow cooker. Could it be that my garlic turned bitter just because I stirred it a few times with the spice mix and onions? I would try making this again and mince the garlic instead of grating it, but the flavor of this stew was so abhorrent that I don't want to invest the time to find out if that was the problem. Is it me? I usually love any kind of bean dish like this.

I had a bad time with the beans due to the acidity of the liquid. Next time, I’ll absolutely pre cook the beans or used cans.

I found this just OK. I thought it would be more flavorful, given the mix of spices. Probably won't make it again, as I have a couple of other recipes for white beans that I look better and don't take as much time to cook.

I used Rancho Gardo Marcella beans that were soaked overnight. Even though I used tomatoes, there was no problem with the bean softening as others have opined. Great dish