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Sopa de feijão verde

Green bean and potato soup

Sopa de feijão verde: velvety potato and onion soup full of thin-cut green beans

From June to September, Minho kitchen gardens are heavy with runner and flat beans, and this soup is what most families make with them, served as the first course of an ordinary weekday lunch. A smooth base of potato, onion and carrot is puréed, then the beans, cut into thin diagonal slivers, are simmered in it until just tender. It is thick, mild and comforting, finished with a thread of olive oil. A common mistake is adding the green beans with the potatoes; they turn grey and soft, so add them only for the last few minutes. Chef's tip: slice the beans very thinly on a slant, as Minho cooks do, so they cook evenly and every spoonful gets some.
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (5)

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Put the 2 onions, 2 cloves garlic, 1 ⅛ lb potatoes and 2 carrots in a large pan with the 6 ¼ cups water and 2 tsp salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potato breaks apart when pressed with a spoon.

    22 min
  2. Step 2: Blend until completely smooth with a stick blender. The base should coat the back of a spoon; add a splash of water if it is thicker than single cream.

    3 min
  3. Step 3: Add the 14 oz green beans or flat runner beans and half the 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, until the beans are tender but still bright green. Overcooking turns them khaki and soft.

    12 min
  4. Step 4: Taste for salt and serve hot, with the remaining 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil drizzled over each bowl.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
150 kcal
Protein
3 g
Carbs
20 g
Fat
7 g
Fibre
4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does sopa de feijão verde take?
About 50 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 35 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 garlic?
½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.

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