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Overview

Egyptian Green Beans in Tomato Sauce

Fasoolya, Fasoulya Khadra, Egyptian Fasoolya

This egyptian green beans recipe stews green beans and beef in a rich tomato sauce with garlic, cumin and coriander, the Egyptian fasoolya served over rice. One serving is about 396 g.

Fasoolya — green beans stewed in tomato — is one of Egypt's everyday home stews: meat is simmered until tender in a richly spiced tomato sauce, then green beans are added and cooked until just tender, and the whole pot is ladled over rice. It belongs to a family of bean stews found across the Middle East, but the Egyptian version is its own dish — beef in a garlic and coriander tomato sauce — while the Lebanese loubieh it is sometimes compared with is a vegetarian dish of green beans braised in olive oil, with no meat at all.

Pairs well with: White rice, warm baladi bread and a lemon wedge

Provenance

Egypt flag Egypt

Egyptian Home Stew

Middle Eastern

Time Dedication

1h 40m

20m prep • 80m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

287 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 396 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Slow Stew)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Hearty Midday Main

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Weeknight dinner, family lunch, meal prep Cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home
Tags: Beef Vegetables Savory Braised
Green beans simmering in a rich red tomato sauce in a pot

Egyptian Home Stew

Photo: gran, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)

Green beans and beef stewed in a tomato sauce with garlic, cumin and coriander, served over rice.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 1h 40m
P

Prep Stage: Beef, Beans and Sauce Base

20 Mins • Knife Work

Cut the beef into even 2 cm cubes and pat them dry. Trim the green beans and cut them into 4 cm pieces. Chop the onion and garlic, chop the coriander and measure out the tomato paste, cumin and water so everything is ready before the pot gets hot.

Maestro Tip: Even cubes cook evenly — a mix of big and small pieces means some beef is tough while some falls apart.

  1. 1

    Brown the Beef

    8 Mins Medium-high heat

    Heat half the olive oil in a heavy pot and brown the beef cubes in a single layer, turning once, until deep brown on two sides. Season with half the salt and pepper. The beef should reach at least 63°C (145°F) at the centre.

    Do not crowd the pot — brown in two batches if needed, or the beef steams grey instead of browning.

    Done when: The beef is dark brown and crusty on the outside, with browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.

  2. 2

    Soften the Onion and Garlic

    5 Mins Medium heat

    Add the remaining oil to the same pot and cook the onion for 4 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until fragrant but not browned.

    Stir the garlic constantly — burnt garlic turns bitter and spoils the whole sauce.

    Done when: The onion is soft and sweet-smelling, the garlic fragrant.

  3. 3

    Build the Tomato Sauce

    5 Mins Medium heat, simmer ~95°C (203°F)

    Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the crushed tomatoes, cumin and water, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Return the beef to the pot with its juices.

    Frying the tomato paste first takes away its raw, tinny taste and deepens the sauce.

    Done when: The sauce is thick, deep red and bubbling gently.

  4. 4

    Stew Until Tender

    50 Mins Low heat, gentle simmer ~95°C (203°F)

    Cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer gently for about 50 minutes, stirring now and then, until the beef is tender enough to cut with a spoon. If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash of water.

    A gentle simmer, not a boil, is what makes stewing beef tender — boiling tightens the meat.

    Done when: The beef yields easily when pressed with a spoon and the sauce has thickened around it.

  5. 5

    Add the Green Beans

    12 Mins Gentle simmer ~95°C (203°F)

    Stir in the green beans, cover and cook for 10–12 minutes until just tender and still bright green. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, then stir in most of the coriander. Serve at once over rice, with the last coriander scattered on top.

    Do not overcook the beans — they should still have a little bite and keep their green colour.

    Done when: The beans are tender with a slight bite, bright green, and coated in the red sauce.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Ladle the fasoolya generously over white rice, spoon the sauce over the top and scatter the last coriander over everything. Serve at once, with lemon wedges and warm bread on the side.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

287

kcal / serving

Protein

27g

Complete AA

Carbs

23g

Complex

Fats

12g

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 396 g)
Energy287 kcal
Protein27 g
Carbohydrates23 g
Fat12 g
Fibre6.2 g
Sugar9.8 g
Sodium708 mg
Per 100g
Energy73 kcal
Protein6.7 g
Carbohydrates5.7 g
Fat3.1 g
Fibre1.6 g
Sugar2.5 g
Sodium179 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin C and vitamin K (green beans), iron and vitamin B12 (beef), vitamin A (tomatoes), folate (beans).

Lean Protein and Fibre

Beef and green beans together give about 27 g of protein and 6 g of fibre per serving, which keeps you full without heaviness.

Rich in Vitamin C

Green beans and tomatoes are both good sources of vitamin C, which also helps the body absorb the iron from the beef.

One-Pot Simplicity

Everything cooks in one pot — the beef, the sauce and the beans — so there is almost no washing up.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

White Rice

The classic partner: plain rice soaks up the tomato sauce and turns the stew into a complete, filling meal.

More Pairings

Warm Baladi Bread

Warm flatbread is perfect for scooping up the beans and sauce, and for wiping the plate clean.

Vegetables

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

A cool, crisp salad with lemon adds freshness and crunch against the warm, rich stew.

Drinks

Mint Tea

Mint tea after the meal is the Egyptian way to finish — fresh, light and settling.

Complete menu

Serve the fasoolya ladled over white rice with warm baladi bread, a cucumber and tomato salad on the side and a lemon wedge.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Cooking the Beans from the Start

Green beans added at the beginning cook for an hour and turn grey, mushy and dull. They go in only for the last 10–12 minutes, so they stay bright and tender. This is general guidance, not medical advice.

A Heavy Cream Sauce

Cream would hide the tomato, garlic and coriander flavours that define fasoolya. Keep the sauce tomato-based and light. This is general guidance, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA hearty, balanced dinner — beef, beans and tomato sauce over rice.
  • ChildrenSuitable for children from age 2+; the beans are soft and the beef is tender. Cut the beans shorter for younger children.
  • ElderlyVery suitable — soft beef, tender beans and a warm, easy-to-digest stew.
  • Pregnant womenGenerally suitable; the beef gives iron and B12. Ask your clinician if unsure about any ingredient.
  • Breastfeeding womenGenerally suitable; a filling, iron-rich dinner.
  • AthletesA good post-training dinner — high in protein and iron, with carbs from the rice.
  • Weight gainA good choice — add a generous serving of rice and bread.
  • Weight lossA good choice — the stew itself is light for its protein; keep the rice portion modest.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesThe stew itself is low in carbs, but the rice adds up — keep the rice portion modest and fill up on the beans. Ask your clinician about portion size.
  • High blood pressureTinned tomatoes are already salted, so go easy on added salt and taste before adding more. Ask your clinician about a suitable portion.
  • Kidney diseaseBeef and tomatoes are both high in potassium and protein; keep portions modest and ask your clinician about portion size.
  • GoutEat occasionally — beef is high in purines, so this is a treat rather than an everyday dinner.
  • Stomach issuesUsually gentle, but the tomato sauce is acidic and can bother a sensitive stomach — eat a modest portion and skip extra chilli.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseA reasonable choice — lean stewing beef, beans and olive oil, with little saturated fat if the beef is trimmed.
  • Fatty liverKeep the portion modest and the rice small; the stew itself is low in fat.
  • Food allergiesContains no major allergens as written. The rice and bread served alongside contain no allergens either, but check bought bread for sesame or gluten if that matters to you.
  • Special therapeutic dietsIf you follow a prescribed low-potassium or low-protein diet, check with your clinician before eating this stew.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store in an airtight container, rice stored separately.
In the fridge
3 days.
In the freezer
2 months; the beans soften a little on thawing.
How to reheat
Warm gently in a covered pan until steaming hot; reheat to 74°C (165°F). Add a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
Freezing recommended
Yes — it freezes well.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy beans, or mould on the surface.

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