Loubia bil zeit: Green beans braised in tomatoes, garlic and olive oil

Few in ingredients and quick to make, this beloved Lebanese recipe celebrates the humble green bean and allows its flavour to sing. Loubia bil zeit translates to “beans in oil” and is a simple dish of beans, garlic, tomatoes and — just as importantly — olive oil. It’s typically served as a cold appetizer alongside bread.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 454 g green beans (like Romano beans), washed, trimmed and cut in half
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
• 1½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 (398 ml) can finely chopped tomatoes (or 2 large heirloom tomatoes, finely chopped)

For the garnish:

• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Preparation

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and ½ cup of water. Season with salt and pepper.

Add beans and stir to combine. Cover the skillet and cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until the beans are fork tender, checking every 5 minutes to ensure there is enough liquid in the skillet. If not, add another ½ cup of water.

Arrange the beans on a platter and garnish with pine nuts and parsley. Serve cold with flatbread.

Serves 4

Produced in collaboration with CBC Creator Network.