Turkish Stewed Beans with Beef (Kuru Fasulye)

Kuru fasulye is what I make when I want dinner to taste like home. Tender beef, soft white beans and a tomato sauce that slowly deepens on the stove. It is simple food that gives comfort back. We put buttered rice, pickles and a little cacık on the table and everyone is happy.

I have loved this dish since my Istanbul days. Think of the steam from a plate in Eminönü and you will know the feeling. On busy weeks I take a shortcut with canned beans and the pressure cooker. The flavor still comes from the base of onion, tomato paste and tomatoes simmered with the meat. The rest is easy.

Turkish kuru fasulye with tender beef and white beans in a rich tomato sauce, finished with pul biber

Ingredients

• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil

• 350g beef or lamb, cubed

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 400g peeled tomatoes (canned or fresh)

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 750g boiled white beans (drained weight – around 2 cans)

• 2 cups hot water

• Salt

• Black pepper

• Dried thyme or oregano (optional)

• Pul biber (Aleppo pepper or chili flakes), to taste

Instructions

Heat some olive oil in your pressure cooker and sear the meat until browned on all sides.

Add the chopped onion and cook until it softens. Stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for about a minute. Add the peeled tomatoes and gently crush them into the pot. Season with salt, pepper, and dried herbs if you’re using them. Pour in 2 cups of hot water—just enough to cover everything.

Close the lid and pressure cook for 30 minutes, until the meat is tender and the flavors have come together.

Carefully release the pressure and open the lid. Add the drained beans and let the stew simmer uncovered for another 10–15 minutes so the beans can soak up the flavor and the sauce can thicken slightly.

Finish with a generous sprinkle of pul biber, and serve it just like we do at home—with a scoop of rice, a side of cacık or pickles, and maybe a chunk of crusty bread to soak up the last spoonfuls.