Description
Arabic Baked Beans is a flavorful and hearty dish combining tender cannellini beans with aromatic spices, fresh tomatoes, and a luscious topping of labneh and cheddar cheese, all baked to bubbly perfection. Finished with a fragrant sautéed garlic and ginger topping, this dish is perfect for a comforting meal served with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Beans and Tomato Base
- 1 x 570g jar Organic White Beans or Queen Cannellini Beans with their bean stock (or 2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, rinsed and drained)
- 3 plum tomatoes (350g/12oz) or 1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, very finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 25g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped, seeds and all
- 2 tsp cumin seeds, finely crushed
- 2 tsp coriander seeds, finely crushed
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tsp sugar
- 25g fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 120g mature cheddar, roughly grated
Topping
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 15g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 spring onions, green parts only, finely chopped
- 120g labneh or cream cheese
Optional
- Crusty bread, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the Tomatoes: If using fresh plum tomatoes, remove stems and score an ‘X’ on the base. Soak in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until skins begin to peel. Drain and remove skins. Quarter the tomatoes and set aside. If using canned tomatoes, proceed to next step.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to its highest temperature and position a rack on the top shelf for baking.
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large ovenproof cast-iron or sauté pan, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped onion and ⅛ tsp salt, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally until onion is soft and pale. Add grated garlic, ginger, chopped green chili, crushed cumin and coriander seeds, paprika, and tomato puree. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently until the mixture becomes a deep red color.
- Add Tomatoes and Beans: Stir in the fresh or canned tomatoes along with sugar. Add the beans with their stock; if using jarred beans, add an additional â…“ jar of water; if using canned beans, drain and add 400ml water plus a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, cook for about 12 minutes stirring occasionally until tomatoes begin to break down and sauce thickens slightly. Stir in chopped fresh coriander and remove from heat.
- Add Cheese and Bake: Dollop spoonfuls of labneh or cream cheese over the bean mixture and evenly sprinkle grated cheddar on top. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until the cheese is browned and bubbly.
- Prepare the Topping: While the beans bake, heat olive oil in a small frying pan over medium-low heat. Add chopped garlic, ginger, and spring onions with a pinch of salt. Cook gently for 12-15 minutes without browning, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl.
- Serve: When the beans are done baking, spoon the sautéed garlic and ginger topping over the beans. Serve warm, ideally with crusty bread to scoop up the delicious sauce.
Notes
- Using a cast-iron or ovenproof sauté pan makes transfer to the oven easier and helps develop deeper flavors.
- Adjust the green chili quantity to control the spice level.
- Labneh can be substituted with cream cheese if unavailable, but labneh adds a tangier flavor.
- Cannellini beans are preferred for their creamy texture but any white bean can be used.
- Serve with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce, making it a perfect hearty meal.
