Khorak-e Loobia Sefid (خوراک لوبیا سفید) — Persian White Bean Potage
A comforting Persian white bean potage simmered until velvety with onion, garlic, carrot, celery, bay leaf, and tomato paste, then brightened with fresh lemon and parsley. Hearty, simple, and perfect with warm flatbread.
Printable Recipe Card
Servings: 6 · Total: 680 min · Difficulty: easy
Ingredients (quick list)
- 350 g Dried white beans (cannellini or navy) (picked over and rinsed)
- 1500 ml Water (for soaking)
- 45 ml Olive oil (3 tablespoons)
- 250 g Yellow onion (finely diced)
- 180 g Carrots (diced (about 2 medium))
- 120 g Celery (diced (about 2 stalks))
- 12 g Garlic (minced (about 4 cloves))
- 30 g Tomato paste (2 tablespoons)
- 2 leaf Bay leaf
- 10 g Fine sea salt (about 1 3/4 teaspoons, plus more to taste)
- 2 g Black pepper (about 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste)
- 45 ml Lemon juice (3 tablespoons, freshly squeezed)
+ 1 more in the full ingredients section below.
Steps (summary)
- Soak the beans: Place the dried white beans in a large bowl and cover with 1500 ml water. Let soak 8–10 hours at cool room temp…
- Build the flavor base: In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, warm olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add diced onion and cook 8–1…
- Bloom aromatics and tomato paste: Add minced garlic and cook 45–60 seconds until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minu…
- Simmer until tender: Add drained beans, bay leaves, 1400 ml hot water, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat (…
- Make it velvety: Remove bay leaves. Using an immersion blender, blend 20–30 seconds to partially puree, leaving some whole bean…
- Finish bright and serve: Turn off the heat and stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley. Rest 5 minutes, then taste and adjust w…
Cultural Background
In Iranian home cooking, dishes labeled as “khorak” are typically hearty, slow-cooked preparations served as everyday meals with bread and fresh herbs. White bean potage is valued for being economical, filling, and adaptable, and it is often cooked in larger batches for family meals across the week.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- For a faster version, use a pressure cooker: after sautéing, cook soaked beans with water and bay leaf at high pressure for 22–28 minutes, then natural release 10 minutes before blending.
- If the potage becomes too thick after resting, loosen with 60–120 ml hot water and simmer 2 minutes to reheat evenly.
- For deeper sweetness, cook the onions until lightly golden but not browned; browning can make the soup taste bitter.
- Add lemon juice off the heat to keep its fresh aroma and prevent the potage from tasting dull.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Adding lemon juice early in the simmer
💡 Why: Acid can slow bean softening and can dull the final citrus aroma after long cooking.
✅ Fix: Simmer beans until tender first, then stir in lemon juice off the heat or in the last 2 minutes of cooking.
❌ Not cooking the tomato paste before adding water
💡 Why: Raw tomato paste can taste harsh and metallic, and it won’t integrate smoothly.
✅ Fix: Fry the tomato paste in oil for about 2 minutes until it darkens slightly and smells sweet.
❌ Boiling hard for the entire cook time
💡 Why: A rolling boil can break beans unevenly, reduce too fast, and cause sticking and scorching at the bottom.
✅ Fix: Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer with the lid slightly ajar; stir every 15 minutes and add hot water if needed.
❌ Over-blending the entire pot
💡 Why: Fully pureeing can make the texture gluey and less pleasant, especially as it cools.
✅ Fix: Blend only partially (20–30 seconds) or blend a portion and return it to the pot for a balanced, velvety texture.
🧊 How to Store
Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water, stirring often to prevent sticking.
📅 Make Ahead
Soak beans up to 24 hours ahead (refrigerated). The potage can be cooked 1–2 days ahead; flavors deepen as it rests. Reheat gently with a splash of water and add a small squeeze of fresh lemon just before serving to refresh the aroma.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Warm flatbread (lavash
- sangak
- or pita)
- Fresh herbs and crunchy vegetables (mint
- basil
- radishes
- cucumber)
- Pickled vegetables
- A simple tomato and cucumber salad
Regional Variations
- Tehran-style home cookingOften kept simple and bright, with lemon juice and parsley added at the end; the texture is usually semi-pureed so it eats like a thick potage with bread.
- Northern Iran (Caspian influence)Some households add more fresh herbs and a slightly tangier finish, sometimes increasing lemon juice and serving with a wider spread of herbs and pickles.
Ingredients
- 350 gDried white beans (cannellini or navy) (picked over and rinsed)
- 1500 mlWater (for soaking)
- 45 mlOlive oil (3 tablespoons)
- 250 gYellow onion (finely diced)
- 180 gCarrots (diced (about 2 medium))
- 120 gCelery (diced (about 2 stalks))
- 12 gGarlic (minced (about 4 cloves))
- 30 gTomato paste (2 tablespoons)
- 2 leafBay leaf
- 10 gFine sea salt (about 1 3/4 teaspoons, plus more to taste)
- 2 gBlack pepper (about 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste)
- 45 mlLemon juice (3 tablespoons, freshly squeezed)
- 25 gFresh parsley (finely chopped)
🔄 Substitutions
- Dried white beans (cannellini or navy)→ Cooked canned white beans
- Olive oil→ Neutral oil (sunflower or canola)
- Fresh parsley→ Fresh cilantro or dill
Instructions
- 1
Soak the beans: Place the dried white beans in a large bowl and cover with 1500 ml water. Let soak 8–10 hours at cool room temperature, then drain and rinse well. If your kitchen is warm, soak in the refrigerator to prevent fermentation.
- 2
Build the flavor base: In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, warm olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add diced onion and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden. Add carrots and celery; cook 6 minutes to soften without browning.
- 3
Bloom aromatics and tomato paste: Add minced garlic and cook 45–60 seconds until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, scraping the bottom, until it darkens slightly and smells sweet. This step removes raw tomato flavor and deepens the potage’s color.
- 4
Simmer until tender: Add drained beans, bay leaves, 1400 ml hot water, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat (about 8–10 minutes), then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook 75–95 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until beans are very tender.
- 5
Make it velvety: Remove bay leaves. Using an immersion blender, blend 20–30 seconds to partially puree, leaving some whole beans for texture. If using a countertop blender, blend 2 cups (480 ml) of soup and return to the pot. Simmer uncovered 10–15 minutes to thicken.
- 6
Finish bright and serve: Turn off the heat and stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley. Rest 5 minutes, then taste and adjust with up to 2 g more salt and extra black pepper if needed. Serve hot, with flatbread for dipping and a drizzle of olive oil if desired.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
In Iranian home cooking, dishes labeled as “khorak” are typically hearty, slow-cooked preparations served as everyday meals with bread and fresh herbs. White bean potage is valued for being economical, filling, and adaptable, and it is often cooked in larger batches for family meals across the week.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
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