Lubia Polo – Persian Green Bean and Tomato Rice

A flavorful and filling Persian rice dish, Lubia Polo (or Loobia Polo) is layered with small cubes of tender beef and fresh green beans. The basmati rice is stewed in both fresh Roma tomatoes and tomato paste to give it extra sweetness and is infused with delicious Persian spices.

Lubia polo is a repeat favorite in our household, and every Persian family has their spin on this dish. It is traditionally made with long-grain basmati rice, green beans (Lubia means green beans), and beef or lamb. I make it with Advieh, a Persian 7-spice blend with cumin, coriander, and cardamom, but I also provide an easy substitution with cumin and turmeric that is also delicious, and I use it when I’m out of advieh and don’t feel like mixing more.

I usually serve this as a one-pot dish, but my mom often serves it as a side. You can make this a vegetarian recipe or side dish by leaving out the meat entirely.

🧾Ingredients in this recipe

• Beef – You can use any cut of beef like stew meat, but I usually use top sirloin. You can also use ground beef in this recipe. See the recipe card notes for instructions for using ground beef.
• Advieh spice – You can make your own Advieh, or substitute this with a simple mix of 1.5 teaspoon cumin and 0.5 teaspoon turmeric.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

👩‍🍳How to Make This Recipe

• Start with your preparation steps. Bring 2/3 of a pot of water to boil. Add 3 tbsp salt. While the water is boiling, wash the rice 3-5 times with cold to lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Slice the onion into thin half-moons or a small dice. And use a knife to cut a shallow X on the bottom of each tomato

• Drop the tomatoes gently into the boiling water. Cook for 30 seconds, then remove from the water. Let them cool, then remove the skin. It should peel off very easily.

• Cut the green beans into 3/4-inch to 1.5-inch length segments. Add them to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the water.

• Add the rice to the water and cook until al dente, strain. Do not overcook! If salty, rinse with cold water. Shake the colander to remove as much water as possible.

• Sautee the onion in 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Season with salt. Cook until it starts to turn a light golden brown. This takes 10-20 minutes. Then add the beef cut into small 1/2-inch cubes.

• In the meantime, peel the cooked tomatoes and blend them in a blender, food processor, or immersion blender.

• Add the beef, Advieh (or cumin and turmeric), and season again with salt. Cook until the beef is brown on all sides. If you’re using ground beef, you will need to break it up using your hands as you add it to the pot, then break it up further into tiny pieces using a cooking utensil (my preference is a slotted spoon) as it cooks.

• Add the green beans, tomato puree, and tomato paste, and cook until the green beans are tender.

⭐️ Pro Tip ⭐️

If making tahdig, use the instructions in this post about tahdig and line the bottom of the pot with 1/2-inch slices of potatoes. In addition to using a nonstick pan, layering potatoes helps prevent the tahdig in lubia polo from sticking, as it’s more prone to sticking due to its higher moisture content compared to plain rice. Be sure to add oil to the clean non-stick pot before adding in the potatoes and then the rice mixture.

• Add in the par-boiled rice and mix well to combine. Using the back side of a kitchen utensil, make 6 deep holes in the rice, then put the lid back on. Cook the dish on medium heat, watching it carefully. When the lid gets foggy, pour a little oil over the rice – about 2 tablespoons. Then put the lid back on (you can wrap the lid in a kitchen towel to absorb extra moisture) and turn the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cook for 30-40 minutes from when the oil is poured on top.

Finally, fluff up the rice with a fork and serve on a large platter. Noushijan!

Lubia Polo – Persian Green Bean and Tomato Rice

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A flavorful and filling Persian rice dish, Lubia Polo (or Loobia Polo) is layered with small cubes of tender beef and fresh green beans. The basmati rice is stewed in both fresh Roma tomatoes and tomato paste to give it extra sweetness and is infused with delicious Persian spices.

Author: Candice Walker

Print Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Persian

Calories: 551

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 cups rice
• ▢ 1 lb. green beans
• ▢ 1 lb. beef any cut like sirloin, see notes if using ground beef
• ▢ 4 tbsp oil flavorless like canola or vegetable
• ▢ 1 yellow onion small to medium
• ▢ 1 lb. roma tomatoes
• ▢ 2 tsp advieh or sub. 1.5 tsp cumin and .5 tsp turmeric
• ▢ 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ▢ salt to taste

Instructions

Cook Mode

1. Bring about 2/3 a pot water of water to boil. Add 3 tbsp salt.
2. In the meantime, wash rice 3-5 times with cold to lukewarm water until the water runs clear and slice the onion into thin half-moons or a dice.
3. Slit a shallow X on the bottom of each tomato and drop them gently into the boiling water. Cook for 30 seconds then remove from the water.
4. Cut the green beans into 3/4"-1.5" length segments. Add them to the boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the water.
5. Add the rice to the water and cook until al dente, strain. Do not overcook! If salty, rinse with cold water. Shake colander to remove as much water as possible.
6. Sautee the onion in 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Season with salt. Cook until it starts to turn a light golden brown. This takes 10-20 minutes.
7. In the meantime, cut the beef into 1/2-inch cubes. Also, peel the tomatoes and blend them in a blender, food processor, or immersion blender.
8. Add the beef, advieh (or cumin and turmeric) and season again with salt. Cook until brown on all sides.
9. Add the green beans, tomato puree, and tomato paste, and cook until the green beans are tender.
10. Add in the par-boiled rice and mix well to combine. Using the back side of a kitchen utensil, make 6 deep holes in the rice, then put the lid back on. Cook on medium heat, watching it carefully.
11. When the lid gets foggy, pour a little oil over the rice – about 2 tbsp. Then put the lid back on (wrap the lid in a kitchen towel to absorb extra moisture) and turn the heat to the lowest possible setting.
12. Cook for 30-40 minutes from when the oil is poured on top.
13. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Notes

If using ground beef, break it up using your hands as you add it to the pot, then break it up into tiny pieces using a cooking utensil as it cooks.

You can substitute the tomatoes with tomato puree.

If making tahdig, use the instructions in this post about tahdig and line the bottom of the pot with 1/2-inch slices of potatoes. In addition to using a nonstick pan, layering potatoes helps prevent the tahdig in lubia polo from sticking, as it’s more prone to sticking due to its higher moisture content compared to plain rice. Be sure to add oil to the clean non-stick pot before adding in the potatoes and then the rice mixture.

Video

Nutrition

Calories551kcalCarbohydrates61gProtein20gFat25gSaturated Fat7gPolyunsaturated Fat3gMonounsaturated Fat13gTrans Fat1gCholesterol54mgSodium4756mgPotassium700mgFiber4gSugar6gVitamin A1235IUVitamin C22mgCalcium80mgIron3mg

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