Fasolia Bi Zeit (Middle Eastern Green Beans)

Fasolia bi Zeit is a traditional green bean Middle Eastern dish. It’s so easy to make and requires very simple ingredients. This dish often made in Palestine, Jordan, and Syria.

Stove and Instant Pot instructions included.

Fasolia Bi Zeit

Fasolia bi zeit translates into beans in oil, meaning green beans cooked with olive oil. This dish is so simple, and really loved in the Middle East. My mother-in-law shared this recipe with me after I went over for lunch and she served this delicious dish. Her version of fasolia bi zeit is so simple, yet so flavorful and delightful.

Interestingly enough, my mother-in-law comes from the Palestinian city Nablus, and she told me that they always cut the green beans lengthwise for extra flavor! I tried that, and they turned out great. Is it necessary though? I don’t think so. So do what you prefer, and the green beans will turn out delicious regardless of how you choose to cut them.

Middle Eastern Green Beans

This recipe uses green beans, aka string beans or runner beans. An ingredient that I love to cook with in the summer!

The olive oil is an essential ingredient in this recipe, however, it does not use too much of it. And the flavors come from the onion, garlic, and tomato. I only season the green beans with ground black pepper and salt, but feel free to use any spices that you like such as cumin or baharat. The reason why I don’t add spices is that I like the taste of green beans to be obvious.

How to Make Middle Eastern Green Beans

Start by heating some olive oil, then sauteing an onion until it’s soft and translucent. Add the green beans and shallow fry them for a few minutes. And finally, add the diced and peeled tomatoes, minced garlic, water or stock, salt, and black pepper. 

Cover with a lid, and simmer on low-medium heat stirring occasionally until the green beans are soft. This should take around 25 minutes.

Instant Pot Green Beans

I personally cook the green beans in the Instant Pot as they’re done quicker and become quite tender and nice. 

Click on “Saute” for 10 minutes, heat olive oil, cook the onion, and shallow fry the green beans. Then switch off the saute setting, and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover with the lid, make sure that the vent is in sealing position then click on “manual” or “pressure cook” and set on 5 minutes on high pressure.

Once the cooking is finished, quickly release the steam then carefully open the lid and serve.

Also, make sure to check out my seriously good Instant Pot garlic green beans recipe and there’s a Greek version of this dish (they also add potatoes), it’s called Fasolakia and honestly, it’s sooo good!

What to Serve With?

We usually eat this with either rice such as Lebanese rice, or freshly baked pita bread, yellow onion wedges (raw), rocket (arugula) leaves, and olives.

Is This Dish Served Warm or Cold?

Traditionally cold. However, I personally like to eat it warm right after it’s cooked. If I have leftovers, then I enjoy them cold. Feel free to drizzle some extra olive oil over the green beans if you’re serving them cold (that’s the traditional way).

Store the green beans in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You should also try this Greek version of the green beans, fasolkaia recipe. It’s very similar to this one, but usually served as a main meal as it also contains potatoes. It’s sooo good, promise!