Fasolada
Greek white bean soup: cannellini or butter beans simmered with carrot, celery, onion and tomato, finished with olive oil and lemon. Considered the unofficial national dish; everyday food, serious soul.
Overview
Soaked beans simmer slow with chopped vegetables, tomato and herbs in a generous pour of olive oil. Lemon juice goes in at the end to brighten. Served with a final drizzle of oil, maybe a sprinkle of feta and a heel of bread.
Ingredients
- 400 g dried cannellini (or butter beans, soaked overnight)
- 6 tablespoons olive oil (split through cooking)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 carrots (diced)
- 2 celery sticks (diced)
- 4 garlic cloves (sliced)
- 2 tablespoons tomato purée
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1.2 litres vegetable stock (or water)
- 1 lemon (juice)
- salt
- pepper
- A small bunch of flat-leaf parsley (chopped, to finish)
- 100 g feta cheese (optional, to finish)
Method
Stage 1 - Cook the beans
- Drain the soaked beans; rinse.
- Cover with fresh water in a large pot; bring to the boil and cook 30 minutes until almost tender. Drain.
Stage 2 - Soffritto
- Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
- Cook the onion, carrot and celery for 10 minutes until soft.
- Add the garlic; cook 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato purée; cook 1 minute.
Stage 3 - Simmer
- Add the chopped tomatoes, beans, bay leaves, oregano and stock.
- Bring to a gentle simmer; cover and cook 45-60 minutes until the beans are tender and the soup has thickened.
- Discard the bay leaves.
- Stir in the lemon juice; season with salt (only at the end; salt early toughens the beans) and pepper.
Stage 4 - Serve
- Ladle into bowls.
- Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
- Scatter parsley and crumbled feta if using.
Notes
- Lots of olive oil: Greek bean soups use it generously; the oil is the dish, not just a finish. Don't reduce.
- Salt at the end: Beans simmered in salted water stay firm. Add salt only after they've softened.
- Fresh lemon juice: Brightens everything; adds the acidity that distinguishes fasolada from generic bean soup.
Storage
- Improves overnight. Keeps 4 days refrigerated.
- Freezes 3 months.
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