Middle Eastern Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Fasolia
A hearty white bean stew cooked with meat in a tomato broth.
No common allergens detected
Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.
Instructions
6 steps- 1
In a large heavy pot, heat 1 tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes and sear them until browned on all sides.
- 2
Add the chopped onion to the beef and sauté for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the seven spice.
- 3
Pour in the beef broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour until the beef is very tender. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
- 4
Once the beef is tender, stir in the tomato paste until dissolved. Add the rinsed white beans and simmer for another 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken.
- 5
In a small separate skillet, make the "taqleya" (tempera): heat 1 tbsp of olive oil, add the minced garlic and chopped fresh cilantro, and fry for 1-2 minutes until highly fragrant (do not burn the garlic).
- 6
Immediately pour the sizzling garlic-cilantro mixture directly into the bean stew, stir well, turn off the heat, and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving over rice.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
72/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving450
Calories
46 g
Protein
11 g
Carbs
24 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Fasolia is a Levantine and broader Middle Eastern white bean stew whose name comes from the Greek word for beans, a trace of the long culinary exchange around the eastern Mediterranean. It is comfort food across Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq, cooked with or without meat and almost always served over rice. What distinguishes it is the slow-built tomato and garlic base that lets the beans turn creamy while staying intact.
Listahan note
This version builds a deep garlic-tomato base and simmers the beans until they are tender and the broth has thickened around them, so it eats like a hearty one-pot meal over rice. It can be made meatless or with chunks of beef or lamb folded in.
Technique cues
- Saute the garlic only until fragrant and never let it brown hard, because scorched garlic turns the whole stew bitter.
- If using dried beans, salt them only after they have softened, since early salt can keep the skins tough.
- Let the stew simmer uncovered for the last stretch so the broth reduces and coats the beans instead of staying watery.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- While the beans or meat simmer, mince the garlic and prep the rice so everything lands together.
- Make-ahead
- Fasolia deepens overnight, so making it a day ahead and reheating actually improves the flavor.
- Leftover move
- Mash leftover beans slightly and spread on toasted bread with olive oil for a quick lunch.
- Cleanup rhythm
- It is a one-pot dish, so rinse the pot while the rice steams and you are nearly done.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
white beans
main body of the stew
Purpose: Cannellini or navy beans turn creamy inside while holding their shape, giving the stew its substance.
Handling: Soak dried beans overnight and simmer until tender, or drain and rinse canned beans well.
Adaptation: Great Northern beans or even chickpeas work, with cooking time adjusted for the variety.
garlic
aromatic backbone
Purpose: Generous garlic is the defining flavor of fasolia and carries the savory base.
Handling: Mince or thinly slice and bloom in oil before the tomato goes in.
Adaptation: Garlic powder will work in a pinch but loses the fresh aromatic lift.
tomato paste
broth base and color
Purpose: It gives the stew its rust-red color and savory depth without thinning the body.
Handling: Fry briefly in oil to caramelize, then loosen with water or stock.
Adaptation: Crushed tomatoes work if you reduce the liquid longer.
beef stew meat
optional protein
Purpose: Browned beef adds richness and turns the stew into a full main course.
Handling: Brown in batches first, then simmer until fork-tender before the beans finish.
Adaptation: Leave it out for a vegan version, or use lamb shoulder for a deeper flavor.
cilantro
fresh finish
Purpose: A handful of chopped cilantro brightens the long-simmered base right before serving.
Handling: Chop and stir in at the very end, off the heat.
Adaptation: Flat-leaf parsley gives a milder green note if cilantro is not for you.
Technique notes
- Reserve a ladle of bean cooking liquid to adjust the stew's consistency at the end rather than plain water, since it carries body and flavor.
- Finish with a swirl of good olive oil off the heat to round out the tomato's edge and give the stew a glossy sheen.
- A squeeze of lemon at the table cuts through the richness and is the traditional way it is served.
Ingredient swaps
- Weeknight shortcut
- Use two cans of white beans and skip the soak, cutting the cook time to about half an hour.
- Vegan direction
- Omit the meat and use vegetable stock, leaning on extra garlic and a final drizzle of olive oil for richness.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Use dried beans cooked from scratch and unsalted stock so you control the salt entirely.
Serve alongside
- Vermicelli rice
- Cucumber and tomato salad
- Warm pita bread
- Pickled turnips
- Mint tea
- Sparkling water with lemon
- Ayran (salted yogurt drink)
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate for up to 5 days in a sealed container; the stew thickens as it sits, so loosen with a little water when reheating on the stove. It freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently, stirring to keep the beans from breaking.
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Fine mesh strainer for rinsing beans
- Ladle
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