Name: Imeretian Lobio with Leeks
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 55 min
Total time: 10 h 25 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 400 g dried red kidney beans, picked over and rinsed; 1.5 L cold water for soaking; About 5 L fresh water for cooking, divided; use enough to cover the beans by 5 cm; 1 bay leaf; 6 g fine salt, divided; 25 ml neutral sunflower oil; 1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g), finely diced; 1 medium leek (about 200 g trimmed), white and pale-green parts, washed and sliced; 3 garlic cloves (about 9 g), crushed; 120 g red tkemali (sour plum sauce); 2 g ground coriander (1 teaspoon); 1 g dried savory (1 teaspoon); 1 g ground black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon); 15 g fresh coriander leaves, chopped; 10 g celery leaves, chopped; 10 g fresh basil, chopped

Georgian Imeretian bean stew with tkemali and fresh herbs in a clay bowl, with bread alongside.

Yield4 servings

Serving size1/4 of the finished stew, about 400 g depending on reduction

DifficultyEasy; plan ahead for soaking

DietVegan and gluten-free when the tkemali is gluten-free; no declared major allergens

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The dish

About Imeretian Lobio with Leeks

Red kidney beans simmer until completely tender, then thicken into a substantial stew with softened leek, onion, sour plum tkemali and fresh herbs.

Lobio is a family of Georgian bean dishes rather than one fixed recipe. This version follows an Imeretian direction built around boiled beans and leek, with tkemali adding a bright, tart plum note. Recipes vary across households and regions, so the measured version here is a useful home approach rather than a claim to one definitive formula.

Dried red kidney beans need an overnight soak and a specific high-heat cooking step before they can simmer gently. After the beans are fully soft, leek and onion give the stew sweetness, while garlic, coriander, savory and basil provide an aromatic finish. Mashing some of the beans thickens the pot without turning it into a smooth purée.

Serve lobio hot in bowls, with mchadi or bread and pickled vegetables if you like. The stew is vegan and filling on its own; the accompaniments are not included in the yield or nutrition estimate.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Georgian Red Bean Stew with Tkemali and Herbs (იმერული ლობიო)

Ingredients

400 gdried red kidney beans, picked over and rinsed
1.5 Lcold water for soaking
About 5 L fresh water for cooking, divided; use enough to cover the beans by 5 cm
1bay leaf
6 gfine salt, divided
25 mlneutral sunflower oil
1medium yellow onion (about 150 g), finely diced
1medium leek (about 200 g trimmed), white and pale-green parts, washed and sliced
3garlic cloves (about 9 g), crushed
120 gred tkemali (sour plum sauce)
2 gground coriander (1 teaspoon)
1 gdried savory (1 teaspoon)
1 gground black pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon)
15 gfresh coriander leaves, chopped
10 gcelery leaves, chopped
10 gfresh basil, chopped

Method

Soak the beans. Cover the rinsed beans with 1.5 L cold water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and discard the soaking water, then rinse the beans.
Boil for safety. Put the beans in a large pot and cover with fresh water by at least 5 cm. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil vigorously for at least 10 minutes. Drain and discard this water, rinse the beans and pot, then return the beans to the pot.
Simmer until tender. Cover the beans with fresh water by 5 cm and add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for about 90 minutes, until completely tender. Keep the beans covered with water and add hot water as needed. Do not cook dried kidney beans from raw in a slow cooker.
Soften the leek and onion. While the beans simmer, warm the sunflower oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and sliced leek and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until soft but not browned. Set aside until the beans are tender.
Season and thicken. Remove the bay leaf and reserve about 250 ml of the bean cooking liquid. Stir the onion and leek mixture, tkemali, garlic, ground coriander, savory, black pepper and the remaining salt into the beans. Mash about one-third of the beans against the side of the pot, leaving the rest whole.
Finish with herbs. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick but still spoonable. Add some reserved bean liquid if needed. Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh coriander, celery leaves and basil. Taste; serve hot, with the remaining salt quantity used only if needed.

Practical guidance

Tips for success

Soak the beans in plenty of water, then discard it before cooking; the beans expand considerably.
Keep the beans covered with fresh water as they simmer, adding hot water if the level drops.
Mash only about one-third of the beans. This thickens the stew while keeping a satisfying mix of whole beans and creamy broth.

Practical notes

Tkemali varies in tartness, sweetness and salt, so the same measured amount can produce slightly different results. Choose a sauce whose ingredient label fits your needs if you require a gluten-free meal. You can soak the beans a day ahead; drain them after soaking and refrigerate in a covered container until cooking. Cooked lobio keeps in a covered container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until steaming hot, adding a splash of water if it has thickened. Mchadi, bread and pickles are traditional-style accompaniments but are optional.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1/4 of the stew
Energy: About 480 kcal
Carbohydrates: About 79 g
Protein: About 24 g
Fat: About 14 g
Fibre: About 27 g
Sodium: About 800 mg

Approximate ingredient-based values for one quarter of the batch. The salt and sugar in tkemali vary by brand, and final stew reduction changes the serving weight.

Allergens and food safety

The listed ingredients contain no declared major allergens, but check packaged tkemali for allergen statements and gluten-containing ingredients. Dried red kidney beans must be soaked, drained and boiled vigorously in fresh water for at least 10 minutes before they are simmered until completely tender. Do not cook dried kidney beans from raw in a slow cooker. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours at or below 4°C and use within 3–4 days; reheat until steaming hot.

The result

A thick, spoonable bean stew with a few whole beans, soft leek and a tart plum-herb finish.
Four hearty servings of Imeretian-style lobio, ready to pair with bread or mchadi.

About Imeretian Lobio with Leeks

Ingredients

Ingredients

Method

Tips for success

Practical notes

Estimated nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

The result

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