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Algerian · Moroccan · Maghrebi

Loubia (Maghrebi white bean stew)

Vegetarian

لوبيا · loubia

White beans simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce spiced with cumin and paprika and finished with fresh herbs. A humble, warming dish eaten all over Algeria and Morocco with bread.

Loubia (Maghrebi white bean stew) is an Algerian stew, ready in about 40 minutes and made with white beans (canned), tomato paste and cumin. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

Start cooking
Bowl of loubia, white beans in tomato sauce topped with chopped parsley
Photo: Ovva olfa / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-4.0
Prep
10 min
Cook
30 min
Total
40 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
267

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Warm the oil in a saucepan (opens in a new tab) and soften the onion (opens in a new tab) for 5 minutes. Add the garlic (opens in a new tab) and cook 1 minute more.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Stir in the tomatoes (opens in a new tab), tomato paste (opens in a new tab), cumin (opens in a new tab), paprika (opens in a new tab), cayenne and bay leaf (opens in a new tab) and cook until thick and fragrant.

    • 6 min
    • medium heat

  3. Step 3

    Add the beans, water and salt and simmer gently until the sauce is thick and the beans have absorbed the flavour.

    • 18 min
    • medium-low heat
    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Remove the bay leaf (opens in a new tab), stir in the cilantro (opens in a new tab) and serve hot.

      A finished dish being plated
      How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels

    About this dish

    Origin
    Not attributed to one place · Origin uncertainA common home dish across Algeria and Morocco; no single place of origin.Also popular in Algeria, Morocco
    Dish
    Lunch · Dinner · Stews & braises · Main courses
    Cooking method
    Simmered, Stewed
    Taste
    earthy, garlicky, savoury, aromatic / warmly spiced
    Diet
    Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients
    All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Carb-conscious
    Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    Budget-friendly · One-pot · Everyday · Freezer-friendly · Meal-prep friendly
    Cook more with
    White beans (canned) · Tomato paste · Cumin · Onion · Garlic · Tomato
    Techniques
    Simmering · Stewing

    Allergens

    None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    267 kcal per serving

    Calculated

    1 serving ≈ 335 g · recipe makes 4

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 15%
    • Carbohydrate 49%
    • Fat 35%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy267 kcal79 kcal
    Protein10.5 g3.1 g
    Carbohydrate34.1 g10.2 g
    Net carbohydrate26.3 g7.8 g
    Sugars4.3 g1.3 g
    Added sugars0 g0 g
    Fibre7.8 g2.3 g
    Fat10.9 g3.3 g
    Saturated fat1.6 g0.5 g
    Trans fat0 g0 g
    Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
    Sodium1006 mg300 mg
    Salt equivalent2.5 g0.7 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    873 mg
    Calcium
    132 mg
    Iron
    5 mg
    Magnesium
    82 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    61 µg
    Vitamin C
    14 mg
    Vitamin D
    0 µg
    Vitamin B12
    0 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    95 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Optional ingredients are not included: cayenne / chilli powder.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Tips

    • Mash a spoonful of beans against the side of the pan to thicken the sauce.

    Common mistakes

    • Boiling the beans hard — they split and the sauce turns starchy; keep it at a gentle simmer.

    Serve with

    • Serve with crusty bread, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of extra cumin.

    Storage

    • Refrigerate up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months.

    Reheating

    • Reheat with a splash of water.

    Variations

    • With lamb: Brown small pieces of lamb before the onion and simmer until tender before adding the beans.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    What the dish is built around

    Main ingredient

    Used in steps 2, 3

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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