Fasolada ~ Greek Bean Soup

Fasolada is a traditional Greek bean soup made with white beans and lashings of extra virgin olive oil. You'll fall in love with the this creamy, comforting soup that's naturally vegan, gluten free and super simple to make.

When you think of Greek food, what springs to mind is normally moussaka and souvlaki (and with good reason), but have you ever heard of fasolada?

This simple bean soup is frequently referred to as the national dish of Greece. But, outside of Greece fasolada is not as well known as it deserves to be. That's why I'm excited to show you how simple, comforting and absolutely delicious this humble bean stew is.

🙋What Is Fasolada (Greek Bean Soup) ?

Fasolada has it's roots in ancient Greek mythology. Ancient Greeks offered it as a sacrifice to the Greek God Apollo at the Pyanopsia festival, a whole day dedicated to Greek white bean soup! To this day, beans remain an important staple in the the Greek diet.

Fasolada is a simple stew with a base of onions, celery and carrots. Traditionally there are two kinds: One has a base of crushed or grated tomatoes, and the other is made with lemon juice and garlic.

Greek bean soup is usually made using dried white beans that are have been soaked overnight. But, to simplify things I 've used canned cannellini beans. The flavor is equally delicious, and the recipe more suited to a modern, quick midweek meal.

💚Reasons You'll Love This Recipe

💚Fasolada only requires a few simple ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantry or fridge.

💚Greek bean soup makes a budget friendly family meal that's both satisfying and nutritious.

💚You can have it on the table in 30 minutes!

💚Fasolada is a great source of protein, fiber and Vitamin B.

🛒Ingredients

• Cannellini Beans: Cannellini beans are the traditional choice, but any white bean will do. We're going to use canned cannellini beans that have been rinsed and drained.
• Onion: Fasolada always has base of sauteed onions, carrots and celery. Use a large yellow onion that's finely diced.
• Carrots: Sweet and earthy carrots are part of the holy trinity of Mediterranean cooking (referred to as sofritto by the Italians).
• Celery: Herbaceous, peppery celery is one of the key ingredients in a great fasolada. Be sure to use the leaves as well.
• Vegetable Broth: You can use your own homemade stock, or a prepackaged vegetable stock.
• Olive Oil: Olive oil is the backbone of Greek bean soup, so use a high quality extra virgin oil.
• Lemon: We will be making the lemon/garlic version of fasolada, so a nice ripe lemon is essential. We'll be using the juice and the zest for an extra acidic, lemony kick.
• Oregano: Earthy oregano compliments this soup perfectly.
• Chili Pepper Flakes: We're using a very small amount of chili pepper flakes for a spicy background note. If you prefer your soup less spicy, please feel free to omit this.
• Salt & Pepper: Season generously with salt and pepper to make all the other flavors pop.
• Parsley: Stir in finely chopped parsley once your soup has cooked. It adds a bright, fresh taste that's hard to replace.

👨‍🍳How To Make Fasolada

1. Heat your olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pan. Saute the onions over low heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add your carrot , celery, garlic, oregano and chili pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and pepper. Saute for a further 5 minutes.
3. Drain and rinse your beans and add them to the pan along with your vegetable stock. Simmer gently for for 15 minutes.
4. Add the juice and zest of one ripe lemon to your soup and simmer for two more minutes.
5. Take the soup off the heat and remove one cup of beans and place them in a separate bowl. Using an immersion blender, blend them until they are broken down and creamy. You can also do this in your food processor. Return the beans to the stew and and stir in the chopped parsley.
6. Let everything heat through for a few minutes and serve!

💡How To Make Fasolada In An Instant Pot

To make Greek Bean soup in the Instant Pot, begin by using the sauté function to cook a mix of onions, carrots, celery, garlic, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper for about 5 minutes.

Once the vegetables are sautéed, add the cooked cannellini beans and vegetable broth. Switch the Instant Pot to manual mode and set the timer for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Ensure the pot is properly sealed.

After the cooking cycle, perform a quick release. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. If desired, use an immersion blender to cream a portion of the soup.

🍽️What To Serve With Greek Bean Soup

🧡Fasolada is lovely served with bread to soak up the creamy liquid. Try my semolina bread or my popular Turkish bread.

🧡Serve with marinated Kalamata olives on the side. Or, chop the olives and scatter them over the top of your soup.

🧡If you're making Greek bean soup as a main course, serving it alongside a simple and fresh salad such as Jerusalem salad would be ideal.

🧡Scatter a handful of fresh herbs over each bowl of soup. In addition to the oregano in the recipe, rosemary and thyme would be good choices.

❄️Storage Instructions

Refrigerator

Allow the fasolada to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to four days.

Freezer

Let the Greek Bean Soup cool completely. Divide it into individual servings and store in airtight containers. It will stay fresh in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Defrosting & Reheating

When ready to eat your frozen Fasolada, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat.

🙋Frequently Asked Questions

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📖 Recipe

Fasolada - Greek Bean Soup

Keri Bevan

Fasolada is the a creamy, comforting white bean soup that has ancient historical roots in Greece. It's a simple, satisfying midweek meal that the whole family will love. This is a quick and easy version of the tradional recipe that can be on the table in under 30 minutes.

5 from 40 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course dinner

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 servings

Calories 333 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 2 15 ounce cans cannelini beans drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 2 carrots sliced
• 2 ribs celery diced
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lemon zest and juice
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup parsley leaves finely chopped
• 5 cups vegetable broth

Instructions

 

• Heat your olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pan. Saute the onions over low heat for 5 minutes.
• Add your carrots ,celery, garlic, oregano and chili pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and pepper. Saute for a further 5 minutes.
• Drain and rinse your beans and add them to the pan along with your vegetable stock. Simmer gently for for 15 minutes.
• Add the juice and zest of one ripe lemon to your soup and simmer for two more minutes.
• Take the soup off the heat and remove one cup of beans and place them in a separate bowl. Using an immersion blender, blend them until they are broken down and creamy. You can also do this in your food processor. Return the beans to the stew and and stir in the chopped parsley.
• Let everything heat through for a few minutes and serve!

Notes

1. Stored in an airtight container, Greek bean soup will stay fresh for about four days.
2. You can freeze fasolada. Let it cool down, divide it into individual servings, and store in airtight containers. It will stay fresh for 3-4 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat.

Nutrition

Calories: 333kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 14gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 1830mgPotassium: 247mgFiber: 13gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 6517IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 175mgIron: 6mg

Keyword fasolada, Greek bean soup

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