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Vegetarian

Barbunya Pilaki with Rice Pilaf

Barbunya pilaki is a Turkish stew of borlotti beans simmered in olive oil with carrots, potato and tomato, served with rice pilaf. Made for 4 people, it takes 1 hour and is rated easy, at €1.90 per serving. The key is to let it simmer covered without stirring, so the beans stay whole.

Tonight, Turkish style borlotti beans simmered in olive oil, tender and sweet, with rice pilaf on the side.

Barbunya Pilaki with Rice Pilaf
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€1.90
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Barbunya pilaki is a dish of borlotti beans that simmer gently in a lightly sweetened tomato sauce, perfumed with olive oil. The carrots and potato melt into the sauce while the beans stay whole and creamy inside. Fresh parsley stirred in at the end brightens everything without covering up the dish's natural sweetness.

It's a weeknight recipe that needs very little attention, perfect when you want a hearty meatless meal without spending your whole evening in the kitchen. Kids tend to like it for its mild, gentle flavor, and leftovers are good cold the next day, drizzled with olive oil, as a starter. Mon Chou likes this dish for how simple and inexpensive it is.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • canned or cooked borlotti beansoften in the pantry 800 g
  • crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 400 g
  • tomato pasteoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • sugaroften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • olive oiloften in the pantry 6 tbsp
  • riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • saltoften in the pantry 2 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • carrots 3
  • potato 1
  • onions 2
  • garlic 3 cloves
  • flat leaf parsley 4 sprigs

The step by step recipe

  1. Sauté the sliced onions and garlic in the olive oil without letting them brown. 8 min

    Olive oil is the heart of this dish, don't be shy with it.

  2. Add the sliced carrots and diced potato, then stir in the tomato paste and let it toast for a minute.

    Briefly frying the tomato paste gives the sauce a deeper flavor.

  3. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt and beans, cover with a glass of water and let it simmer covered. 30 min

    You won't taste the sugar, it just softens the tomato's acidity.

  4. Cook the rice pilaf style, toasting it lightly in a bit of oil then covering it with salted water. 15 min

    Rinse the rice first, the loose starch would otherwise make it sticky.

  5. Let the stew cool slightly, sprinkle with parsley and serve with the rice.

    This dish is also good cold the next day, drizzled with olive oil, as a starter.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use already cooked or canned borlotti beans, well drained, so the stew doesn't turn out too watery.
  • Cut the potato and carrots into similarly sized pieces so they finish cooking at the same time.
  • Taste the sauce before serving, and stir in a little hot water if it has reduced too much during cooking.

The variations

  • Swap the borlotti beans for white beans, the dish keeps the same soft, creamy texture.
  • Add a diced red bell pepper along with the carrots for a more colorful, slightly sweeter version.
  • For kids in a hurry, spoon the warm stew straight over the rice on the plate instead of waiting for it to cool.

What to serve it with

  • Flatbread or crusty white bread
  • A cucumber and yogurt salad
  • A squeeze of lemon over the rice

Storage

Barbunya pilaki keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, without the rice, for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a saucepan, adding a splash of water if needed.

Questions about this dish

Can you use dried beans instead of canned?

Yes, soak 200g of dried borlotti beans overnight, then boil them for about 1 hour before adding them to the recipe. The total time will be longer, but the result is the same.

Can you make this dish ahead of time?

Yes, barbunya pilaki actually tastes better reheated the next day, once the flavors have had time to blend. Cook the rice fresh right before serving so it stays fluffy.

Why does the recipe call for sugar?

You won't taste the sugar in the finished dish, it simply softens the natural acidity of the tomato. This is a common trick in Turkish cooking to balance tomato based sauces.

Can you use fresh tomatoes instead of canned?

Yes, use about 4 ripe fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped. The flavor will be slightly lighter, so add 5 extra minutes of simmering to cook off the additional water.

How long does it take to make a barbunya pilaki with rice pilaf?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a barbunya pilaki with rice pilaf?

About 640 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a barbunya pilaki with rice pilaf cost?

About €1.90 per serving, or €7.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains none of the major allergens tracked by Mon Chou. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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