Sep 08, 2011, Updated Sep 29, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Lebanese green bean stew (yahneh or lubieh) is even better on day two, so it’s a perfect make-ahead traditional Lebanese recipe. Also works great with leftover roast. Serve with Lebanese rice, the recipe is here.
This post comes to us from my sister Peggy, our Lebanese green bean stew yahnieh-maker extraordinaire…
As the youngest of five in a Lebanese family, you get used to a certain amount of teasing especially when you have three older brothers and a precocious elder sister. There are earlier stories of my childhood affinity for a certain pair of white snow boots, or hiding a full dinner plate under a table in a different room, that will not be recounted here. Just because we’re now all in our 40s doesn’t mean the teasing has come to an end. Of late, the siblings have taken to teasing me about my love of this dish, yahneh, even as they eat every last bit of it when it’s on their plates. Sure, it’s a dish usually made with leftovers, more an afterthought than a direct destination, but it’s delicious nonetheless.
Our Yahneh history.
Lebanese green bean stew, Yahneh, is a peasant dish and one that my father loved dearly. His mother made it regularly and must have made it with peas, something my own mother never did, but that fact didn’t stop him from asking every time, when I told him I was making it in my Chicago kitchen, “Are you making it with peas or beans?” I’ve never once had this dish with peas but I would always respond, “Green beans this time, Dad.”
I do it My Way…
I’ve been the recipient of family ire for using leftover prime rib or tenderloin to make the yahneh, as evidently some believe such luscious cuts of meat have higher purposes. But it must have been one of these preparations that started to turn the corner of some of them because last winter we received a text message from our oldest brother, Tom, requesting the recipe for yahneh. The great irony of it all was that the one who teased me the most about loving this dish was my sweet sister Maureen. And when the request came in from Tom for the recipe, who was the first one running to her laptop to type out the recipe? You guessed it, Maureen.
Lebanese Green Bean Stew
Ingredients
- 3 lb Chuck roast
- 2 tablepoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Few grinds Black pepper
- 1/2 pound button (or your favorite) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 28 oz. cans tomato sauce
- 28 oz. water
- 1 pound green beans, trimmed
Instructions
- Trim and cut the roast into 1- to 2-inch stew pieces.
- In a 4 quart pan, over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Pat the meat dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown and caramelize the meat in batches, removing the meat as it is finished.
- Over medium heat, add the mushrooms to the pot. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Saute until slightly caramelized and soft, scraping up the fond, or browned bits, from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the onions, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté until soft and translucent.
- Add the meat and the cinnamon. Mix well and add the tomato sauce and the water. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for one hour.
- Add the beans and cook until the beans are soft, about 15 minutes.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I am with you Peggy–Lubieh has always been one of my favorites! In the Lasher house we never have added the mushrooms, so I am eager to give that a try next time I make it. We serve it over hashwi. Love, love, love it!
I CANNOT wait to make this over the weekend!! Thanks!
If I remember correctly, Del Monte canned green beans made their way into this dish more often than not in the Abood household. And the meat was not usually given such TLC to bring out its’ fully caramelized potential, either. Cut up, very well done left over pot roast is my clearer memory. And it produced a pretty darn good Yah.
Your fancy extra virgin olive oil, and baby bella mushrooms, and farm market green beans are a little daunting for this peasant dish – but I will give them a try, because I know you are an expert in the genre, and particularly because it looks pretty good in the picture…but a full teaspoon of cinnamon I will not! Just a dash. And you forgot to mention the cayenne pepper and the cumin.
Well isn’t that something. I’m glad to see you are finally weighing in, Richard. You change out that full teaspoon cinnamon (yes) for cumino and you will be the only one eating your yahneh……
Yay! Someone besides me who doesn’t use cumin in anything. Cumin instead of cinnamon… shudder. Thanks for reminding me of this! Making it tonight. My mother’s recipe may have been Tunisian- green beans or sliced zuchinni and the meat could be beef or lamb or goat, leftover or not, even ground meat, or with pasta and no meat.Tomatoes could be sauce, or fresh, or canned. With or without mushrooms. The only things that were always included were sauteed onions & garlic, and cinnamon. With NO cominos.
Mother says: “Richard, back then we didn’t have fresh beans in Lansing in the middle of winter..”
Dicky sweetheart brother, you know we don’t use cumin in anything, ever! You are one of the supreme teasers about this dish especially as the zoom rolls down your chin! Enjoy!!!
I loved the article until I read the back and forth between you, Maureen and Dick – loved that more 🙂
Peggy, you made me laugh out loud when you said your Dad asked you if you were using peas or beans every time. I had the pleasure of eating Yahneh at the Abood house many years ago and it was everything you describe above and more……deeee-lish!! I especially remember how much your Dad enjoyed it.
Hi Maureen– please let Peggy know that I made this delicious dish last Sunday using her recipe and it was incredible. I never caramelized the meat before — (took forever but well worth it). My Mom’s recipe calls for Campbell’s Tomato Soup which always made me wonder if I had written the recipe down incorrectly! The Lubieh just improved overnight and we enjoyed it even more as leftovers!
Thank you both for sharing the sweet story and the yummy recipe! E.
Ellen, I am so excited to hear this!!! Thank you for letting me know that you are cooking up a storm over there, and so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!!
cousins!! love the blog! I am making this dish now (known affectionately as ” loobie” at my house). Your Aunt Pat didnt use mushrooms that I remember but we bought some this am so they are going in!! love to you all! keep the recipes coming. Much love, Alice.
@ Dick– LOL at your post
Hi Maureen: Just made a huge pot of lubee to be served tomorrow evening as the cousins arrive from all over for Thanksgiving weekend! It brought back an age-old discussion in our Lebanese community here in Lawrence: does one season lubee with cinnamon or allspice? At least here, the division seems to be drawn by Lebanese hometown! And if you are unlucky like me and my siblings and hail maternally from an allspice jurisdiction (thanks to Sitho Maroon who was actually 100% Irish yet a phenomenal Lebanese cook having trained with our “Big Sitho”) and paternally from a cinnamon jurisdiction (Sitho Gabriel has actually just become a cook in her eighties!), you are torn. I have been told that you take you lubee spice from your mother’s side though! So at least for tonight it was allspice!
Happy Thanksgiving!
PS: my mother calls the rice option “Basillah e ruz”. It is tasty also!
AWESOME!!!!! We have waaaay too much in common, Scot!! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Sorry, I meant the pea option!
I’ve only just come across this blog as today I’m cooking ‘beans, mutton and rice’, it looks the same as your yahneh! We don’t put the mushrooms in it, just onion, lamb, tomatoes and beans.. and served on rice.The whole family love it and that’s what we are having Christmas Eve for dinner, served with crusty bread.
my grandfather was Lebanese and we actually grew up with the Aboods from Kempsey.
Cheers and have a wonderful Christmas.
Rae Trees.
Rae, how cool! Aboods in Kempsey! Enjoy your delicious stew and a wonderful Christmas with your family.
Hi, Maureen: I asked my brother Chuck what he would like me to make for our Sunday dinner at his house today. Looks like we’re having some cousins in from Grand Rapids. He asked me to make Lubia. I’ve made it a couple times, trying to make it like my mom’s, but thought I’d look it up online. So when I typed it up your site pops up. How cool! Chuck will love that. -Teresa-
Teresa, you made my DAY! Thanks so much and tell your family hello–what a wonderful sister you are, cooking for all of the family. It’s going to be delicious!
Got your response to my post and am here.
Can I just say that if you were single and in Canada I would EASILY propose to you! lol
My (Lebanese) friend only ever made this with Chicken. I never thought to make it with Beef. AND mushrooms?!??!! SOLD!!!!!!!!!!!!
You absolutely ROCK!!!!!
Side note: I know it’s not Lebanese but I made an amazing Lasagna this week that I call a “4×4 Lasagna”. It has 4 kinds of mushrooms (button, Cremini, Portobello & Porcini) and 4 kinds of cheese (Ricotta, Parmesan, Mozzarella & Fontina). My partner is vegetarian and LOVES mushrooms (as I do) and I thought this would make her VERY happy. She was in heaven. 🙂
Michael, what a great comment, thank you! You rock too–4×4 lasagna and lubieh with chicken? Count me on on that heaven!
ALL: As Maureen knows I am working with memories of a friend who made a tonne of amazing Lebanese cuisine. She called “Lubieh” the “Kraft Dinner of the Lebanese” which I’m sure some of you will get as it’s a Canadian reference. She made it with Chicken and Mint (instead of Cinnamon). It was DELICIOUS!
For years I used to enjoy this and tried to convince my (Irish) mother to try it. She refused for years. One day she relented and – to this day – she absolutely LOVES Lubieh.
If you’re interested in the Chicken version (and Maureen doesn’t mind) I’d be happy to share.
Michael
I’d be very interested in your chicken lubieh, Michael! Please email me if you like!
I was hoping to make this for company this wekend, but all the fresh green beans don’t look very good. Would you use canned or go with less than appealing fresh? My mom says to use syrian pepper. would this be in addition to cinnamon or instead of? And lastly, if making vegetarian, would you just omit the beef or add something else instead? Thank you!
Hi Maureen–If the beans seem very large and sort of hollow, go with canned or frozen. You could certainly add a dash of Aleppo pepper in addiiton to the cinnamon; that will blend nicely. For vegetarian yaheneh, use mushrooms in place of the meat, very delicious!
Thank you! It tasted just like I remembered! I believe it was the cinnamon. The Syrian pepper my mom refers to is a combination of spices which includes cinnamon so maybe that was the difference. SYRIAN PEPPER (DA’A) black pepper, white pepper, nutmeg, ground cloves, cinnamon and allspice. Is that something you are familiar with?
I’m thrilled to have found you as a resource. My mom enjoyed your description of the yogurt making process as she recalls her grandmother putting her little finger in to test. I might need to try that next!
Oh, I see Maureen, that’s a spice blend rather than the spicy Aleppo pepper I thought you were referring to. That mix sounds delicious and like one of many blends used all over the region. Get after the laban-making too! And hello to your mom.
Thank you! I set my mom’s ipad up with your site bookmarked – I know she will find everything you write as delightful as I do.
I’m looking for a recipe my mom makes that she calls ishee sp? not sure how it’s spelled but it’s a mix of grated summer squash and zucchini with egg, flour mint.. do you have a recipe for something like that?
I’ve never had lubieh with mushrooms, but my sister’s Lebanese husband and mother-in-law have always made a veggie version with chickpeas instead of beef or lamb. In the summertime they swap the warm spices for lots of basil. It’s addictive!
Wonderful!
This was a staple growing up in our house and my grandmother and mother sometimes used peas instead of string beans. It’s such a simple dish to make, and comfort food at it’s finest! I’ve never had it with mushrooms, but think I’ll try it! Mmm, can smell it now….
I have eaten this dish all my life. Our family did not like green beans so we substitued the peas. I make it for my family all the time and they love it. Sometimes I put cut up potatoes but as my aunt told me, her mother did not do that and it was not the real thing.. The version I make takes a long time because I brown everything separate and then put together. It is worth it.
So good, thank you!
I grew up eating all theses wonderful Syrian/ Lebanese dishes.
Growing up around the corner from Situ I was able to watch her prepare dinner, not realizing at the time that by helping her in the kitchen at such a young age would be ingrained in my heart and forever be a part of my future life and cooking .
My mom was Syrian/Lebanese and my dad was Scotch Irish, so you see I had the best of all cultures combined.
To this day I prepare all of Situ recipes that I made with her and I must say that your delicious recipes are extremely close to my ingredients.
My children loved the food growing upas well as my grandchildren do today..
I enjoy reading your Blog.
Keep up the great recipes and stories..
LebIrish
This is beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing!
I was #10 in a family of 11 Lebanese and grew up eating the beans, rice and kibbi although I have never had it with mushrooms.
My mother in law used to make this.. so good! She also made a meatloaf (ground beef) in a roasting machine, with carrots and potatoes.. much like a pot roast… with this same tomato cinnamon sauce poured on top and around the potatoes and carrots…….. Can anyone tell me, how to make this? Please?
I have ALWAYS had this dish growing up with lamb only, fresh green beans, and allspice in place of cinnamon………..understanding it is a “peasant” dish, where, in the 60s growing up, lamb was cheaper than beef anyway………lol…………..otherwise, it is very comparable recipe, minus mushrooms, and sauce replaced with fresh tomatoes, as we grew our own garden, and our family of 7, would never have it without the chunks of fresh tomatoes………..thank you for sharing your version…………….Our family recipe came back to me as i read yours……..Marie Joseph-Bacon (Abouchachine family name from Beirut)
Wonderful!
One curious question I have……………my older brother just had a yard sale, where I found 3 copper items /tools that were homeade by my father, which I immediately grabbed up, while excitingly asking “what WERE these used for?” My brother smiled, and said “for falafel” 2 paddles on handles, and 1 with a round encased mold looking tool with small handle…………I would love to know, if you have ever saw anything like this in your household? My father worked at Pontiac Motors in Michigan, as a tool and die maker, which contributed to his talent of many “handmade” items, (I have a frame made of brass, with 50 caliber shells, from WWII), that holds favorite photos of dad and mother………..Thank you
Wow! Sounds like a very interesting hand-tooled falafel mold. How cool. I don’t know if it’s exactly like the falafel molds we see (google the molds and you can compare!) but what a special piece of family history. Thank you for sharing here!
I’m a little older Lebanese and have cooked yahneh many times. I usually make it with spring lamb and canned string beans, and no mushrooms. I’d like to try the mushrooms , but my husband would object. I season with cinnamon and no alspice but I do use fresh garlic. I do also make it vegetarian for some of my friends and it is almost as good . I just had a dinner that I donated for a fund raiser and had yahneh as one of the dishes . The Archbisop of our church came and loved it.
I also make it with chicken and peas, garlic , cinnamon, salt and pepper. It’s good too.
I loved reading your blog and enjoyed hearing about you and your siblings. I hope everything goes well with you .
Best wishes,
Antoniette W
Antoniette, thank you so much! You are a yahneh expert! I’d love to try it with chicken and peas. My father used to ask if we were adding peas all of the time and we never did it! Please keep in touch!
I grew up eating this stew- though my mom, being Irish (to my dad being Lebanese) would add some sliced potatoes to the recipe- we never had it with mushrooms. I thought it as a basic American dish; it wasn’t until my 20s that I realized that only Lebanese people knew what it was. I really truly thought that this dish was as all American as apple pie.
Don’t get me wrong – my family would make it, even I would make it and people who never saw it before LOVED it.
Thanks for not only posting the recipe but also the comments. Reading some of them warmed my heart and brought back memories of my long gone sitoo. She died when I was in 11 years old in 1976 and I still miss her.
David, so special and so funny too! Thank you!
I look forward to trying!
In our household, Sitto gave us many options for Yahneh. Sometimes stew beef with green beans, or chicken wings with either baby lima beans or peas (which ever she had on hand). This was a very popular dish in the winter when someone had been sick. I continued the tradition with my children whenever they were sick. It seemed like a warm, nurturing comfort food.
I’m fascinated by your Sitto’s yahnehs! And how great that you are keeping the tradition alive and well. Very special.
This is served at the Lebanese Festival here but they put no meat in it.
There’s no reason to use fresh beans nor mushrooms.
I made it with canned beans, canned tomatoes, cinnamon and allspice.
Obviously there are many variations as when making meatloaf. I’ve seen recipes which call for a ton of garlic, too.
This is still one of my favorites! Your version is so similar to my Lebanese grandmother’s. She used to make it for us all the time and now I make it for my grandchildren. Even my grown boys know how to make it. My grandmother made two versions- one with ground lamb or beef and peas – the second was trimmed 1″ pieces of chuck steak or lamb with fresh green beans. Instead of cinnamon, we use Syrian spice. For me, it’s comfort food at its best!
Maureen- my Tate Anna always used the leftover bones from the Spring lamb that she had frozen every year! I use lamb shanks for the meat, so the old people have the bones to suck on! Ha, it drives the kids crazy. I love this dish and the way it fills up my kitchen with a delicious aroma, reminding me of sitting in my Tate’s kitchen waiting to help serve dinner! Making it for Christmas dinner this year to serve with rice, Kibbe and spinach pies!
How delicious!!
Hi there, I make the meatless version of this and use Lebanese 7 spice blend. I use frozen green beans and make in my pressure cooker. It’s one of my favorites and has been a stable since I went vegan. I’m going to try it with peas and potatoes next time. Or maybe right now… I’m getting hungry!
Ohh, I bet those spices make it extra delectable!! I think you will love it with peas!
Dear Maureen
Mushrooms?
Dear Maureen
I don’t know of any Lebanese who use mushrooms in Lubieh. I’m sure its good but are mushrooms something you added?
+Father Raphael
Father Raphael, thanks for asking. We just add mushrooms because we love them, true to the classic or not!
Aha! I’ll give it a try. Thanks Maureen. Suhtyne!
Where’s the GAHLIC.
Hi Kyle Culver!! For some reason we don’t include gahhhlic! I know it’s delicious and a great addition to this dish!
Hi Maureen! Just making this tonight and in reviewing the ingredients I’m not seeing mushrooms or the amount. Is that info included somewhere else? Thank you!
Kathy, thank you! I’ve updated the recipe to reflect about 1/2 pound of mushrooms will do it. More or less won’t hurt anything though!
Hello, thank you for this recipe. I am eating this as leftovers for my lunch right now. In my family my great grandmother would make this all the time for her kids and it has passed down through the generations. They were poor when they came to America from Lebanon in 1890 so this was the catch as catch can dish. If they were lucky enough to have lamb at the time it was in the dish. There was usually a potato or two and of course the tomato and water. Green beans usually won out over peas. My dad would use a few potatoes sliced up and a whole onion along with the meat and often leave out the beans and peas. I make this now every couple weeks for my 16 year old who loves it (I love it too). Interestingly, we don’t sauté the onions. We stew them just like the potatoes in the tomato/water mix, right along side the meat that was browned with salt and pepper. My dish misses something from my great grandma’s. I have to believe it is the cinnamon or the mint. We always had a mint garden and mint was in kibba and everything else. I will try that in a couple weeks. Thanks for this post.
I love all of that RJ! I bet the onion is just fine as you do it. Mint sounds delicious in this, I’ll try it too…
So here’s my story…I got married in 1995 to a blonde haired, blue eyed man. My in-laws were 8th cousins from Canada that met at a funeral. MIL’s Mom was Grandma Lil, and she came from the old country. My (now ex) husband still has several cousins that buy their beautiful wives & bring them to Canada (Winnipeg, mainly). Grandma Lil told us several times that my ex owns land in Lebanon, & that the women over there were going to throw themselves at him, because ‘Nobody over there has ever seen a blonde haired, blue eyed Arabic before!’ Grandma Lil wasn’t even 5′ tall, but she was a workhorse. Sunup to Sundown, Cooking, cleaning, she on top of everything, ‘Serve your table, ladies, Serve your table’ with a thick accent rolling off of her tongue, in what I called her sexy lounge singer voice, (but was really from smoking for 60+ years), barely sleeping. ‘Eat, Eat!’ she would tell us all the time we were awake. Grandma Lil beat breast cancer twice, she was tough as nails, when something upset her she would swear under her breath in Arabic. I know several of those words too, just can’t remember what they mean! ×) She was so highly respected, I am sad to say she has passed on but she lived a very good long life. The yakhne that they made used a tomato base, chicken, garlic, onion, green beans, garbanzo beans (chick peas) & cumin. The more cumin the better. This ‘stew’ was the all served over cooked rice. I thought I had died & went to Heaven. They laughed at me because they said this is the dish they make to use up leftovers, you just throw whatever you have that you need to use up in there. Haven’t made this in decades, but am going to soon. My other favorite is kibbe. Mine has to be cooked, but the majority of the men loved their ‘tiger meat.’ Such wonderful flavors, amazing dishes that I would never have had the privilege of tasting (my life was pretty sheltered) had I not met & fell in love with this man, & his family. Thank You for posting your recipe. Hopefully seeing yours can jog my memory enough to make it just like Grandma Lils’.
Oh my goodness, thank you for sharing your memories and wonderful stories! I hope you will make these dishes and feel the love (and deliciousness!) you have enjoyed in your warm Lebanese family!