Loubiya has been one of my favorite meals of all time. These beans are so creamy and full of flavor, they really stand out from any other bean I have tried. This Egyptian black eyed pea stew is such a healthy and flavorful comfort dish. Loubiya is a lovely medley of onions, garlic, and luscious black-eye peas that have simmered away in a rich tomato broth. Egyptian loubiya is traditionally cooked with tender stew beef and its broth, but in our plant focused kitchen, I always make it vegan. This easy plant-based dinner is flavorful and satisfying, and best of all it is conveniently made with inexpensive pantry basics.
Ingredients
As with all of my beans and legumes, I use dried beans. Black eyed peas are available almost anywhere; and believe me when I say it is worth cooking them fresh from scratch! For one thing, you do not want them too soft for this stew. The taste is always better when cooked fresh, and not out of a can.
First, I spread the beans in a large shallow dish and let the kids pick through them for any bad pieces; they love this “game” ! I wash and rinse the beans and cook them directly without soaking because I use a pressure cooker. The Instant Pot has been my reliable choice for easy pressure cooking for over 10 years now. The beans are cooked in 15 minutes in the Instant Pot! (Click the link to purchase directly from Amazon).
Like any bean, black eyed peas are a superb source of fiber. What sets these apart though, is their creamy texture and super quick cook time. They are also particularly rich in Vitamin B, folate, potassium and iron. These beans are high in protein and a low fat and low calorie food, making them ideal for weight loss.
The tomato broth is a flavorful mix of onions, shallots, garlic, and carrots infused with fresh ground coriander and cardamom.
I love using blended tomatoes, but if I don’t have enough tomatoes, crushed tomatoes in a jar work very well. I simmer the tomato broth until it thickens and incorporates all the delicious flavors.
Loubiya stew pairs perfectly with a bowl of fluffy white rice. I serve it alongside a green salad, which makes for a filling and hearty meal you can feel good about. I hope you all enjoy! Bil Hana, wal shifaa ( Arabic for with health and healing)!
Loubiya (Egyptian Black Eyed Peas Stew)
Equipment
- Instant Pot (to cook the dry beans)
Ingredients
- 2 c dried beans
- 4 c water (to cook beans)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 tbsp ground coriander seed (kuzbarra)
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 shallot, minced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 large carrot, minced or diced small
- 2.5 c blended or crushed tomatoes
- 2 c water or broth
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Pick the black eyed peas over for any bad beans, wash, and place into pressure cooker with 4 cups of water. Cook on high pressure for 9 minutes and natural pressure release. Alternatively, you may soak the beans in water for one hour, drain, rinse and then cook them covered in water in a conventional pot on the stovetop for 1.5-2 hours, until beans become fork tender.
- In a separate stock pot, saute onions in olive oil over high heat until golden.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and toss in coriander and cardamom spices. Move around the spices so that they become fragrant over the heat, being careful not to scorch them.
- Add minced shallots, garlic, and carrots.
- Pour in the tomatoes, followed by the water or broth. Turn heat back up to medium-high.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, starting with 1 teaspoon of salt as you can add more once you add the black eyed peas.
- Simmer the tomato broth for 10 minutes.
- Add the cooked black eyed peas and simmer for 5 minutes more.
- Serve with white rice and enjoy!
Notes
You may need:
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