This Moroccan Slow Cooker Bean Stew, also called Loubia is the ultimate comfort food full of flavor. Made with Cannellini Beans, tomatoes and spices, these slow cooker white beans recipe are sure to warm you up on a chilly fall or winter night.
If you ask me, beans make the ultimate vegan comfort food. If you tried my Georgian Lobio or White Bean Stew, you know that I'm right.
Loubia is a traditional Moroccan recipe. Just like Moroccan Almond Semolina Cookies, or Moroccan Semolina Pancakes, this slow cooker bean stew is simple yet so delicious.
Protein-packed Cannellini Beans are cooked low and slow along with the onion, garlic, tomatoes, and spices. There's nothing better than that.
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Here's Why This Recipe Works
- it's made in a slow cooker, so you can dump all ingredients and then go about your day;
- white beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein as well as fiber. With this Moroccan slow cooker bean stew, you get a meal that is not only delicious but nutritious as well;
- the ingredients are simple and you might already have everything in your pantry
Ingredients
Here's an overview of the specific ingredients for this recipe. For the exact ingredients and measurements, please scroll to the recipe card below.
Ingredient Notes
- beans. Any white beans will work for the Loubia recipe. I usually buy dry Cannellini beans, but dry Navy or great Northern beans are also good choices. (Check out my collection of the best vegan Cannellini Beans recipes). Dried beans are often found in the Beans, Rice, and Assorted Grains aisle
- tomatoes. Any kind of tomatoes will work in this Moroccan slow cooker bean stew
- smoked paprika. Although this ingredient is not traditionally used in Moroccan stewed beans, I think adding a touch of smokiness works really well for slow cooker bean recipes.
🔪 Instructions
- Start off with soaking your Cannellini beans. Rinse the beans and add them to a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water. It should cover the beans completely. Leave it on the counter for at least 8 hours or better overnight to expand.
- The next day, drain all water from the beans and rinse them once again.
- Grate the onion and tomatoes in small holes of a box grater.
- In a bowl of your crock pot combine onion, tomatoes, garlic pushed through a garlic press, soaked beans, olive oil and all spices. Give it a stir.
- Finally, add water, stir once again, cover your slow cooker with a lid, and cook for 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.
- Serve Loubia slow cooker bean stew with some crusty bread or over rice.
Expert Tip
This Loubia Moroccan slow cooker bean stew recipe uses ⅛ teaspoon of Cayenne pepper which is just right for most people. If you like your dishes on the spicier side, go ahead and add ¼ teaspoon of Cayenne pepper.
After your beans are ready, taste them and if necessary, add more salt. Proper seasoning is the key to the best Moroccan Bean Stew.
Now, cooked Loubia will have a lot of liquid. It will look more like bean soup.
If it's too much for you, just remove ½ or 1 cup of liquid from the stew and either discard it or use it for other cooking purposes.
Also, make sure the Moroccan beans are soft and cooked through. If the bean's skin is still tough, cook them for 30 more minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beans naturally contain phytates, special substances that hold on to the nutrients in legumes and prevent their absorption. Soaking helps to significantly remove the amount of phytates.
Yes. This will significantly speed up the cooking process. No soaking required. Just dump all the ingredients in your crock pot and cook everything on low for 2 hours. For this recipe you would need to use three 15 ½-ounce cans of drained canned beans.
Splitting is not an issue and it means that beans are cooked.
The cooking time should not change, make sure you have a large slow cooker to fit all the ingredients. When the cooking time is over, check the beans if they're tender and if not, give them another 30 or 60 minutes on high.
Recipe Variations
Although this humble Moroccan Loubia stew is flavorful enough and doesn't need any additional ingredients, you can certainly take it up a notch with the following ingredients.
- Vegetables. Add 2 chopped carrots for a hint of sweetness and/or 2 cups of fresh spinach. If you add spinach, make sure to add it the the very end, since you only need the spinach to wilt and it takes very fast, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Herbs. Add 1 teaspoon of dried thyme to give this Moroccan Beans a fresh and earthy flavor.
- Broth. You can also use a low-sodium vegetable broth instead of water.
Storage Tips
Moroccan slow cooker bean stew should be stored in the airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This Moroccan Loubia stew also freezes well. Divide it among freezer-friendly bags, lay flat in a freezer and freeze for up to 3 months.
Let the beans thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then simmer for a few minutes on the stovetop over a medium heat.
Serving Suggestions
Loubia is a humble yet very satisfying bean dish. Smoked paprika and cumin make it flavorful and comforting. That's why you can enjoy Moroccan Loubia recipe as a main meal with my 4-ingredients Flatbread or serve it over homemade rice or even pasta.
Since beans store really well, this Moroccan slow cooker bean stew is great for meal prep.
If you make this recipe, please leave me a comment below and rate it. I always appreciate the feedback. Also, you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Similar Recipes
If you're looking for a quick overview of the recipe, please check out my Loubia web-story.
Recipe
Loubia Recipe (Moroccan Slow Cooker Bean Stew)
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried Cannellini beans
- ¼ c olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 5 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon powdered ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ c parsley finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ c water
Instructions
- Rinse the beans and add them to a large bowl. Fill the bowl with water. It should cover the beans completely. Leave it on the counter for at least 8 hours or better overnight to expand.
- The next day, drain all water from the beans and rinse them once again.
- Grate the onion and tomatoes on small holes of a box grater. In a bowl of your slow cooker combine onion, tomatoes, garlic pushed through a garlic press, soaked beans, olive oil, salt, parsley and and all spices. Give it a stir.
- Add water, stir once again, cover your slow-cooker with a lid and cook for 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.
- Serve Loubia with some bread or over rice.
Equipment
- Slow cooker
Notes
Recipe is adapted from Moroccan Stewed White Beans Recipe.
Nutrition
Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
Christin says
This is my 2nd time cooking this and it's still AMAZING! The 1st time I substituted a can of diced tomatoes because I didn't have any fresh ones, and my family devoured it in 2 days. This time I had to double the recipe because I was making some to take to my parents and I wanted them to have enough to last for at least 2 days, and I had fresh tomatoes... but only 3. So I grated those and added a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes and I diced those up even more. I kept all the ingredients the same but just doubled, and once again my family tore it up! I served it with rice, fresh garden salad, and some garlic bread. This is now one of my go to meals that I can have prepared by the time everyone is home from school and work! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Iryna Bychkiv says
Christin, thank you so much for your comment and 5-star rating! I'm happy you loved this Loubia recipe!
Kathi Bloy says
I made this when my daughter's family, including her in-laws, visited. Everyone liked it, and my daughter just asked for the recipe!
Robert says
what does "c" mean, as in "¼ c olive oil"? I've never seen that measure before. I'm from the UK.
Iryna Bychkiv says
Hi Robert! "C" stands for a cup. So it's 1/4 cup of olive oil.
Brad Crouch says
Where I shop they don't stock dried cannellini beans, so I tried something new, mayocoba beans. Followed the recipe as directed and served over a date/rice pilaf with chopped cilantro and lemon juice. The result was fine but seemed rather one dimensional, even with all those spices, but somehow it was lacking substance. The next day, after giving it some thought, I small diced a medium russet potato and shredded a large carrot and cooked these together in seasoned water just to cover. When the potatoes were fork tender I added the vegetables, liquid and all, to the cooked beans. Then I reheated everything and served over the rice pilaf. I must say, it was delicious. The carrot added a bit of sweetness and the potatoes a little heft. Nice and filling. I would venture to say that a diced sweet potato would be equally as tasty, even without the carrot.
Michelle says
hi, I made this recipe and it had a tangy aftertaste to it. I can't think what is in the recipe to cause this. do you have any ideas. I used pinto beans instead of cannelleni. Michelle
Iryna Bychkiv says
Hi Michelle! I don't believe the pinto beans might have caused the tangy taste. Perhaps tomatoes? Did you use fresh or canned tomatoes? Sometimes tomatoes can add too much acidity to a dish. In this case, I like adding a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to balance out the flavors.
Vera says
Hi Iryna,
How can I make a god tasting kasha?
Spaciba
Vera
Iryna says
Hi Vera, not sure what you mean by that. What kind of recipe are you looking for?
Greg N. says
Can I use canned tomatoes to make this?
Iryna says
Yes. If you're using 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, I would recommend using 2/3 of a can.
Monika says
If using canned beans, how many cups or grams is that? Also, will the loubia still be good without garlic? I want to make it for someone...but they are averse to garlic 🙁
Iryna says
Hi Monica, you can use three 15 ½-ounce cans of drained canned beans. And yes, you can totally make it without garlic, the stew will still be delicious.