Loubia (Moroccan Stewed White Beans)

Name: Loubia (Moroccan Stewed White Beans)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 small yellow onion, grated; 2 tomatoes, grated; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 3 cans Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained; 2 tbsp parsley, minced; 2 tbsp cilantro, minced; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp paprika; 1 tsp cumin; ½ tsp ginger; 1/8 tsp cayenne; 2 cups water; 1 tbsp tomato paste

by Salima Benkhalti on Nov 1, 2022 (updated Apr 9, 2026)

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Jump to Recipe·5 from 2 reviews

Today we are making Loubia, a Moroccan dish made with stewed white beans, tomato, onions, garlic, herbs, and a blend of warm spices. This easy to make and super satisfying plant based recipe is a popular entree across North Africa and the Middle East. Ready in under 1 hour.

Like many of my favorite Moroccan recipes, this dish celebrates humble ingredients, bringing them to life with bold spices and accessible staples.

Despite the simple and affordable ingredients, the end result is rich and complex.

I grew up eating many variations of Moroccan bean recipes, prepared by my dad, grandma, and aunts. One of my dad’s favorite ways to prepare these cannellini beans with tomatoes was slow cooked in a tagine with cow’s feet.

While this version doesn’t use any meat, it’s still plenty hearty and flavor packed. This dish makes the perfect cozy meal served with a crusty piece of your favorite bread.

If you’re into these beans, be sure to also try these Moroccan stewed chickpeas for another quick and easy weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Instructions

veggies and spices in a pot — Heat oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until they begin to turn translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant before tossing in grated tomatoes and spices. Sauté for a few minutes, or until the seasonings begin to bloom.

loubia in a pot — Heat oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until they begin to turn translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant before tossing in grated tomatoes and spices. Sauté for a few minutes, or until the seasonings begin to bloom.

Dried vs. Canned Cannellini Beans

In this modified version of my dad’s Cannellini beans with tomatoes, I’m using canned beans to cut the prep and cook time in half. Here are my recommendations if you want to use dried beans instead:

Dried Cannellini Beans: add the beans to a bowl and cover with water, soak overnight before draining and using. Stew for at least 1 hour, or until fully cooked, adding water to the pot if things start to dry out.