This version of Ful uses black beans, as they are easier to find than fava beans. The tomatoes and parsley are cooked into the beans to bring all the flavors together. It tastes great, and the dish is ready so quickly!
This Middle Eastern Breakfast food, known as Ful, is a quick yet delicious dish made with black beans and a flavorful mixture of fresh tomatoes, garlic, onion, fresh herbs, and spices. It’s simple enough to throw together on a busy weeknight and so tasty that you’ll want to make it all the time!
One of the best parts about this recipe is how versatile it is! Serve it as a side dish with Croatian Chicken or Grilled Salmon, or enjoy it as a plant-based main dish with Egyptian Rice, some greens, and bread! It’s also just as great cold as it is warm, so you can even bring it to a potluck or keep it in the fridge for a quick meal! It’s an amazingly satisfying recipe that people will rave about for a long, long time.
What is Ful?
Also known as “foul,” ful is a traditional dish served in Egypt, North Africa, and the Middle East, usually made by cooking down fava beans in a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, and other spices. The cooked beans are then served with a simple salad of chopped fresh tomatoes, herbs, and other garnishes. It’s often eaten with pita bread as a breakfast dish in Egypt, although you can easily serve it any time of day.
Why you’ll love this Middle Eastern Beans
- Naturally vegan - There are absolutely no animal products in this recipe, which makes it a great option for potlucks, barbecues, or people on a vegan or vegetarian diet. It’s delicious exactly as it is, and the beans are a great source of plant-based protein!
- Quick & delicious - Since this recipe uses canned black beans, it’s much easier to prepare than the traditional version using fava beans. The ingredients are all gently cooked together to make sure all the flavors mingle together. It’s so flavorful, but only takes 25 minutes from start to finish!
- Perfect for summer - In the summer, we like to have fresh tomatoes every day when we can! The freshly diced tomatoes add such a pop of flavor to these Middle Eastern black beans, and the mixture of herbs, garlic, and lemon is truly refreshing.
Ingredients
- Olive Oil
- Onions - Preferably chopped.
- Garlic - Mince the cloves.
- Seasonings - Season with a mixture of dried mint, cumin, and salt.
- Tomatoes - Chop these into small pieces.
- Black beans - Make sure to wash well before draining.
- Lemon juice - You’ll need the juice while cooking and extra lemon wedges on the side for garnish.
- Chopped parsley
How to Make Middle Eastern Black Bean Ful
This recipe is adapted from the ful recipe in Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites.
- Over medium temperature, heat the oil in a Dutch oven for about 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the onions, garlic and salt.
- Cover and cook until the onions are transparent, stirring occasionally.
- Add the mint and cumin, and continue cooking for another couple minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and heat for about 4-5 minutes, stirring periodically.
- Add the beans. Stir.
- Heat through, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in the lemon and parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Expert Tips
- Mash (or don’t) - Ful is prepared in so many different ways, but one popular option is to mash it until it is like a dip. This gives it a thicker texture which is really easy to eat with some pita bread.
- Rinse the beans well - The bean liquid can add a purple tint and an unpleasant flavor to the dish. Give them a really good rinse before you start cooking.
- Use different beans - If you don’t have black beans or prefer pint beans, you can easily use a different type of bean if you’d like. Red kidney beans are delicious this way, too!
Variations
- Add more garnishes - There are many different versions of ful from around the world, and you’ll often find it served with diced cucumbers, hard-boiled eggs, pickles, extra tomatoes, and more!
- Use fava beans - Traditional ful uses either fava beans (or broad beans), which are gently simmered in the lemon juice and spices until tender. Feel free to use them instead!
- Use dried beans - Although it will take quite a bit longer, you can cook the black beans from scratch instead of using canned beans.
- Add some heat - Add up to ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper for a nice heat. They’d also be great with jalapenos or spicy green chiles for a more Southwestern flavor.
What You Need
I love Moosewood cookbooks. The recipes are always amazing. No matter what cookbook you use. Lately I have been buying the jarred minced garlic. It's such a time saver. Every kitchen should have the very best tools you can afford. For this recipe, you need a knife, cutting board, measuring cups and spoons, and good set of pots and pans.
Middle Eastern Breakfast Dish Black Bean Ful
Author: Recipe Idea Shop
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 10 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped
- 3 cans black beans drained and rinsed (15 ½ ounces each)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 10 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
- Lemon wedges to garnish
Instructions
- Over medium temperature, heat the oil in a Dutch oven for about 1 minute.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the onions, garlic and salt.
- Cover and cook until the onions are transparent, stirring occasionally.
- Add the mint and cumin, and continue cooking for another couple minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and heat for about 4-5 minutes, stirring periodically.
- Add the beans. Stir.
- Heat through, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in the lemon and parsley and serve with lemon wedges.
Recipe FAQs
How do you store leftover ful?
Like other cooked bean dishes, you’ll want to place the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate them for 3-4 days. It can be eaten either warm or cold.
Can you make ful with black beans?
Yes! This black bean ful is a quick and easy twist on the classic. You’ll need 3 cans of black beans, and I like to keep the beans whole to serve them like a salad. It’s really convenient and delicious like this!
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- Sweet Potato Black Bean Casserole
Kathy acquired the blog, Recipe Idea Shop in 2024. She was raised on a farm in Arkansas where having a big garden and good food to eat was the norm. She shares recipes for homemade comfort food and new trending dishes.
Kathy began her blogging journey in 2011 when she founded PetticoatJunktion.com, a home décor blog focused on repurposing and upcycling furniture, and thrift store finds.
