Loubia: A Moroccan White Bean Stew

Loubia, a comforting and flavorful bean stew, is a cornerstone of North African cuisine. Traditionally made with white beans, tomatoes, and a symphony of warming spices, this dish is a vegetarian's dream, bursting with protein and flavor. What we really love about this traditional Moroccan recipe, is its ease! 

It’s the simplest way we know to turn a can of beans into a complete and tasty meal in just about 20 minutes - perfect for a weeknight meal. 

Loubia's magic lies in its combination of warm spices. Cumin adds its earthy warmth, while smoked paprika lends smokiness. Harissa spice, a North African blend with chilies and fragrant spices, brings a touch of heat and a deep complexity. Turmeric adds a subtle peppery note and earthiness with a beautiful color.

Other than beans and spices, this recipe simply calls for tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Super simple yet super delicious! 

Ingredients

Spices

Ground Cumin.

Cumin adds a nuttiness and smokiness to this white bean recipe.

Smoked Paprika.

SpiceTopia’s Smoked Spanish Paprik is a powder ground from the capsicum annuum pepper. The peppers are roasted over hot fires to deliver a deep smoky flavor before being ground. This is a great chili powder for adding lots of flavor without added heat.

Turmeric.

Turmeric, the vibrant yellow spice with its earthy aroma and warm, bitter flavor, is a staple in Northern African cuisine. It adds a peppery earthy flavor and a beautiful color to this recipe.

Garlic.

Three cloves of chopped fresh garlic or 3 teaspoons of Minced Dried Garlic adds a depth of flavor to this easy loubia recipe that can only come from garlic! SpiceTopia’s Minced Dried Garlic is a convenient substitute for fresh garlic. With a package of this in your pantry, you won’t have to worry about dried up or sprouted garlic cloves! 

Harissa.

Harrissa is a North African spice blend. Although often thought of as spicy, this seasoning doesn’t just add heat, but rather also adds a deep and complex flavor.

Pacific Flake Sea Salt.

No recipe is complete without a really good salt.  SpiceTopia’s Pacific Flake Sea Salt is just that – a really good salt!

Beans

This recipe calls for one 15 ounce can of white beans. Cannellini beans, or white kidney beans, are pretty close to the beans found in Northern Africa, but feel free to use any white beans you prefer or have available. 

Produce

Traditional loubia calls for just onions, garlic, and tomatoes and this recipe sticks close to that tradition. We do add tomato paste to help thicken up this quick loubia recipe. In North Africa, this recipe would most likely be cooked using dried beans and the fresh tomatoes would cook down and thicken as the beans cook for several hours. Tomato paste adds that thickening power in just 10 - 15 minutes of cooking time. 

 Garnishes or How to Serve Loubia

A sprinkle of flat leaf parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice brings a bright fresh flavor to this white bean main dish. If you enjoy dairy, a dollop of thick yogurt is also a lovely addition to this authentic North African recipe. 

In Morocco, this dish is often enjoyed for breakfast with a flat bread for dipping. We personally enjoy this dish with a few pieces of toasted sourdough bread. 

Techniques

Just like many dishes from around the world, Loubia has many versions. This easy loubia recipe is naturally vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. But it is traditional in some parts of North Africa to cook this dish with lamb or chicken or to serve it alongside grilled sausages.

The sauce for the beans is created just like an Indian curry. Onions are cooked until translucent. Next, push the onions to the edges of the pan. If the pan appears dry, add a teaspoon more of oil and let it heat up for about a minute. Then add the spices. Cook the spices for about one minute. 

This step is important as the spices need to cook–or bloom–in the oil, so they don’t taste raw. Blooming or tempering your spices allows the natural oils of your spices to awaken and bring out their flavor. 

The tomato paste is also bloomed so as to roast the tomatoes and add an additional depth of flavor.

For a creamier texture, mash some of the beans against the side of the skillet before serving.

Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 - 5 days and just like many soups and stews just taste better a day or two after being made.

Let’s Get Cooking!