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Instant Pot White Bean Stew {Fasoolia Bayda}

It’s cold! I mean, super cold here in Amman, and as anyone who’s ever experienced winter here knows, somehow it feels so much colder than the temperature indicates because it gets into your bones. Oh, right, and there isn’t any central heating in most homes — enter our gas heaters.

When I first moved here, I couldn’t wrap my head around gas heaters. I mean, gas tanks, inside the house — what?! But I came to realize that if you want to stay warm without breaking the bank, you need to get yourself a really good one. The best ones are the ones with metal tops with enough room to place a kettle or cast iron pan to multitask making tea and/or chestnuts.

Cold days need warm heaters and super comforting stews, and let’s be honest, I’m not trying to spend more time than absolutely necessary in our freezing cold kitchen, so I’m tapping into the Instant Pot as much as possible. I haven’t had Instant Pot White Bean Stew {Fasoolia Bayda} in quite a while, and just the thought has me feeling all cozy.

Instant Pot White Bean Stew {Fasoolia Bayda}

Instant Pot White Bean Stew {Fasoolia Bayda}

Ingredients

  • 2.5 cups dry white beans
  • 1/2 kilo (1 lb) beef stew meat cubes
  • 1 large onion
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon seven spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt, to taste

Directions

  1. Prepare the beans by soaking overnight in water and draining the liquid. If you’re short on time, you can “soak” the beans in the Instant Pot before you begin. To do that, place the white beans in the Instant Pot and cover with water (above the beans by about 1-2 inches). Pressure cook for 6 minutes. Manually release and Drain
  2. Prep the beans by placing them in the Instant Pot and cover with water, pressure cook for 15 minutes, manually release and drain, put the beans aside
  3. Use half the olive oil to Sauté the onions in the IP
  4. Add in the beef cubes and brown
  5. Turn the IP off, and add in the beans, tomato paste, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, seven spice, cumin, turmeric and salt
  6. Cover with water
  7. Pressure cook on high for 35 minutes
  8. Before serving, in a small fry pan, add the remaining olive oil and fry the cilantro and garlic until fragrant and the cilantro gets dark
  9. Manually release the IP, and stir in the garlic cilantro mixture
  10. Serve with Rice