‘Fasolada’ is a warm bean stew made in Greek homes all year around. It is the ultimate healthy village comfort food. White beans, carrots, celery, potatoes, sun ripened tomatoes, dried chilly and generous quantity of extra virgin olive oil to bind everything together. Add feta cheese and parsley for a great finish! You’ve never dipped your bread in anything better!

Recipe serves: 4 persons. Total cook time: 1.5-2 hours (60 mins if using pressure cooker)

Ingredients

300g dried white small Greek beans
6-7 cups of fresh water
1 red onion, chopped
2 celery stalks (with their leaves), thickly sliced
2 carrots, thickly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil
2 large bay leaves
1½ cups tomato passata or thick crushed tomatoes
1 TBSP. tomato paste
2 medium sized potatoes, cut in large cubes
½ tsp. dried organic Greek oregano
¾-1 tsp. sea salt --- freshly ground pepper --- red pepper flakes
1-2 TBSP. vinegar
⅓ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil (at the end)
200g Mevgal Greek Feta Cheese (serving suggestion)
50g Kalamata or Sun Dried Olives (serving suggestion)

Instructions

1. Rinse the beans, discard malformed or stone-like ones. Soak the beans for at least 8 hours or overnight (preferably).

2. The next morning, drain and rinse the beans. Place them in a large pot with just enough fresh water to cover them. Bring to a boil. You will notice that white foam will rise to the surface of the water. Remove it with a spoon and then drain the beans in a colander. (This step is necessary to get rid of the impurities and it also makes the beans much easier on your stomach!)

3. Place the beans back in the pot with the six cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for about 30 minutes. While the beans cook, prep the vegetables.

4. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, ⅓ cup of olive oil and bay leaves to the pot. Simmer, partially covered for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Next, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, potato and the seasoning. Cover the pot partially and continue simmering for about 30 minutes more, or, until the beans are very tender and the soup is thick and creamy. Check to see if a little more liquid is needed, and if it does add a little warm water. The consistency of the soup should be casserole thick.

6. Just before removing from the heat, discard the bay leaves and stir in the vinegar and the remaining ⅓ cup of olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

7. Serve hot with some hearty bread, seasoned olives and Greek Feta cheese.

Notes

The cooking time depends on the age and condition of the beans. Older dry beans take much more time to cook, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.

This soup is even more flavorful the next day. You can keep it in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days, in an airtight container. Reheat the soup gently in a pan on the stovetop.

Pressure Cooker

If you use a pressure cooker, then follow steps 1-2 as above in an open pan and then combine steps 3-5 under pressure. Essentially add all the ingredients together, stir and then pressure cook. Cooking time can be around 35-45 minutes depending on your pressure cooker. Add more water and continue pressure cooking until beans are soft and creamy.

The ‘Mediterranean diet’ principle suggests that a good part of our diet should be made up of beans and pulses, and for good reason.

Besides the amazing array of recipes and ways beans and pulses can be cooked, they contain a wealth of protein, fibres and nutrients, essential to maintaining good health.

For all Greeks, rich or poor, city dwellers or villagers, beans and pulses are a staple comfort food enjoyed all year around. Some would say it’s Greece’s national food because it is so widespread, democratic and accessible by all. The combinations are endless - with tomato base, plain white base, with meat, without meat, fish on the side, with other veggies, with a slab of feta…. what is absolutely certain, is a large dose of freshly baked bread. That rich soupy sauce, whether made with fresh sun ripened tomatoes, or rich olive oil and lemon, is bread dipping heaven!

There really is too much variation and recipes to mention, so I’ll talk about the classic ‘fasolada’ which is the staple white bean stew you’re most likely to come across in Greece. There are two variants of this, one is with a tomato base and the other is what is referred to as ‘white fasolada’, which has no tomato. The creaminess of the white fasolada comes from the break down of the starches in the beans, combined with the ample extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice added.

Below are a few links to recipes which I liked and hope you can use and enjoy:

Red Fasolada: https://oldwayspt.org/recipes/fasolada-traditional-greek-soup
White Fasolada: https://30daysofgreekfood.com/greek-white-bean-soup-fasolada-lemon-tomato/