If you like your beans spicy, you’ll love loubia, a spicy North African dish that’s also popular in France. Deep red and belly warming, it’s thick with white beans, tomatoes and aromatic vegetables, and may be prepared with or without meat. Like any traditional dish, loubia—which also means “white bean” in Arabic—has multiple versions, but the flavor is defined by the array of spices. The beans are served accompanied by extra-virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar to drizzle on top, a finish that provides amazing results. Don’t omit it.
Loubia is a main-dish stew or it can be served, as I also like to do, as an accompaniment to grilled steak or lamb chops, or even hamburgers.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive, plus more for serving
- 1 onion, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
- 2 celery stalks with leaves, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- ½ pound dried Alubia Blanca, Lingot or Tarbais beans, picked over and soaked
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 ½ ablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 ½ cups water
- 1 cup chopped canned tomatoes, with juice
- Red wine vinegar, for serving
Preparation
In a heavy-bottomed casserole or pot over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add onion and saute until translucent, 2 or 3 minutes. Add garlic, celery and carrots and saute another 2 or 3 minutes. Add beans, cumin, turmeric, paprika, salt and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and continue to stir until well incorporated, about 1 minute. Slowly add 1/2 cup of water, stirring to make a thin sauce. Add remaining water and bring to a boil while stirring.
Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and gently simmer for 1 hour. Add chopped tomatoes and juice, stirring well. Partially cover and continue to simmer until beans are tender, another 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the beans. Check the liquid level during the last hour of cooking, adding a little more water as needed. The stew should have just enough sauce to hold it all together, but not be soupy.
In a small bowl, combine equal parts olive oil and vinegar.
To serve, spoon loubia into bowls or onto dinner plates, topped with a teaspoon or more of the oil and vinegar condiment.
