# White Beans With Beef, Done Properly

> Beans stay hard when **salt or tomato paste go in before they have softened**. Both toughen the cell wall. The right order is: **soak overnight**, **boil in plain water**, and only after they are tender add the sauce, the meat and the salt.

**Egyptian Cuisine · 160 min · 6 servings · 380 kcal per serving**

White beans with beef is a staple Egyptian winter dish — cheap, filling and dependable. The usual frustration is beans that are still hard after two hours, and the cause is the order of operations, not the cooking time.

## Ingredients

- 2 cups — dried white beans
- 700 g — stewing beef, cubed
- 2 — onions, chopped
- 5 cloves — garlic
- 4 tbsp — tomato paste
- 3 — tomatoes, grated
- 3 tbsp — ghee or oil
- 2 leaves — bay
- 1 pod — cardamom
- 1 tsp — cumin
- 1 tsp — mixed spices
- 1 tsp — salt
- 1 bunch — fresh coriander

## Method

1. **Soak overnight** — Soak the beans in plenty of water for **12 hours**, then discard the soaking water. Soaking halves the cooking time and removes the sugars that cause bloating.
2. **Boil in plain water** — Boil them in fresh water with a bay leaf for **60 minutes with no salt and no tomato** until tender enough to crush between your fingers.
3. **Brown the beef** — Dry the beef cubes and brown them in the ghee in **small batches over high heat** until deeply coloured. A crowded pan steams rather than browns.
4. **Simmer the beef** — Add an onion, cardamom, bay and water to cover, and cook **60 minutes** over low heat until tender. Beef and beans cook separately.
5. **Fry the paste** — In a pot, fry the second onion in ghee for **8 minutes**, then add the garlic, tomato paste and spices and fry **5 minutes** until the paste darkens and releases its oil.
6. **Bring it together** — Add the grated tomatoes and cook 5 minutes, then add the cooked beans and the beef with its broth, and **salt only now**.
7. **Final simmer** — Cook over low heat for **20 minutes** until the sauce thickens and the flavours marry. Scatter the coriander over two minutes before serving.

## Tips

- No salt and no tomato until the beans are tender — both block softening.
- Fry the tomato paste for 5 minutes until it darkens; that is what gives the sauce its colour.
- Beans and beef cook separately and only meet at the end.
- It improves on the second day — make a big batch and keep it.

## FAQ

### Why do my beans stay hard?
Salt or tomato went in too early. Both strengthen the cell wall and stop the beans absorbing water. Boil them in plain water until tender, then add the sauce and salt.

### Can I use tinned beans?
Yes, and the cooking time drops sharply. Rinse them well of their liquid and add them in the last 15 minutes only, with the sauce and cooked meat — any longer and they turn to mush.

### How do I reduce bloating?
Soak for 12 hours and throw the soaking water away, then boil in fresh water. Adding cumin or a bay leaf helps digestion and improves the flavour at the same time.

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Source: https://hanakoleah.com/en/egyptian-cuisine/white-beans-with-beef-stew
Edited by: Marwa Mohamed
Last updated: 2026-10-23