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Fasolada
White bean soup with carrot, celery and olive oil (φασολάδα)
Fasolada is sometimes called the national dish of Greece, and it is the soup that fed families through winters and long Lenten fasts. It is humble and filling: small white beans simmered slowly with carrot, celery, onion and tomato until the broth turns thick and creamy, then finished with a generous pour of raw olive oil. On a cold weekday it is dinner on its own, eaten with olives, pickled peppers, raw onion and bread. Soak the beans the night before. Chef's tip: let it simmer gently with the lid ajar and stir now and then so some beans break and thicken the broth; boiling it hard is the common mistake that splits the beans and leaves the soup thin.
- Total time
- 105 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Drain 14 oz dried white beans (cannellini or navy), cover with fresh water in a large pot and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain; this first boil makes the beans easier to digest.
8 minStep 2: Wipe out the pot and warm half of ½ cup olive oil over a medium heat. Cook 2 onions, 3 carrots and 2 sticks celery for 8 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add 2 cloves garlic and 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
9 minStep 3: Add the beans, 14 oz chopped tomatoes, 2 bay leaves, ¼ tsp chilli flakes and 1.8 litres water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer with the lid ajar for 60–75 minutes, stirring now and then, until the beans are completely soft and the broth is creamy.
70 minStep 4: Add 2 tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper and the rest of the oil and simmer 5 minutes more. If it is too thick, add a little hot water; it should be soupy but rich.
5 minStep 5: Stir in ½ oz flat-leaf parsley, fish out the bay leaves and serve with an extra drizzle of oil.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 47 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 13 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fasolada take?
- About 105 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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