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Lebanese Beef Stew

Lebanese beef stew with tender chuck cubes simmered in a seven-spice tomato sauce until rich and flavorful. Green beans cook through in the final simmer for a hearty bite, finished with fresh cilantro and toasted pine nuts.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Lebanese
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

beef chuck
  • 2 lb beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
salt
  • 1.5 tsp salt
Lebanese seven spice
  • 1 tsp Lebanese seven spice
ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
onion
  • 1 onion, diced
garlic
  • 4 garlic, minced
tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
water or beef broth
  • 3 cup water or beef broth
green beans
  • 1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut in half
fresh cilantro
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
pine nuts
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
vermicelli rice
  • 1 vermicelli rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the spiced beef
  1. Season the beef with salt, Lebanese seven spice, and ground cinnamon, then toss until evenly coated. Brown the beef in olive oil over medium-high heat until deeply browned, stirring so the cubes pick up color on multiple sides.
Build the tomato-spice base
  1. Cook the diced onion for about 5 minutes, until softened and lightly translucent with a steady sizzle. Add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant and darker in color.
  2. Add the crushed tomatoes and water (or beef broth) and bring the mixture to a simmer. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom so they dissolve into the sauce.
Simmer for tender beef
  1. Return the browned beef to the pot, cover, and simmer until very tender for about 1 1/2 hours. Keep the heat at a gentle simmer, with small bubbles rising steadily around the edges as the sauce thickens.
Finish with green beans and herbs
  1. Add the green beans and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender but still bright. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, watching the liquid reduce to a stew-like consistency.
  2. Stir in the chopped cilantro, then top with toasted pine nuts. Serve the stew over vermicelli rice while hot so the sauce coats the noodles.

Notes

For the richest stew, keep a steady gentle simmer during the 1 1/2-hour cook so the sauce reduces without drying out. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days in an airtight container; reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is yes for the stew base (without vermicelli), up to 3 months. If you want a lighter option, use lean beef chuck and swap half the olive oil with an equal amount of water to reduce added fat.