The traditional Greek white bean soup, Fasolada, is as simple to make as it is delicious. The beans are simmered in a tomato-based broth to create a slurpable but hearty soup that's perfect for a cozy dinner.
Table of Contents
A classic Greek white bean soup
Fasolada, often called the national food of Greece, is a delicious soup made by simmering white beans in a broth of tomatoes, olive oil, and vegetables like carrots, celery, bell peppers and onions. According to some, this humble soup embodies Greek simplicity and frugality. It is eaten around the year but especially during the Greek Lent, a 40-day fasting period before Easter when no animals are eaten.
The olive oil plays a critical role in fasolada, as it does in so many Greek recipes, including these Greek lemon potatoes and Greek gigantes plaki. The oil is not just a cooking medium, it also flavors the soup. I also like drizzling some olive oil over the soup just before serving because the fruity flavor complements the soup so beautifully.
This is one of my favorite soups to curl up with on a cool winter's day, and it is a great weeknight recipe. It is also soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free and vegan. I typically serve it with a hunk of crusty Italian bread or French bread for a satisfying dinner.
There are so many good reasons to fall in love with fasolada, but here are just a few:
- It's hearty, healthy and delicious. Veggies and beans add both key nutrients and protein to this fasolada soup recipe, making it the perfect one-dish meal. There are 10 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber in each serving, along with healthy quantities of vitamin A, potassium and calcium.
- You just need pantry ingredients. This is also a good recipe for winter because it can be made with pantry ingredients, including canned tomatoes, dried or canned beans, and veggies like carrots and onions.
- Easy, one-pot recipe. This recipe makes a big batch, so you can eat some now and freeze the rest for later.
Recipe card
Fasolada (Greek Bean Soup) Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion or white onion, finely chopped.
- 4 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- 3 stalks celery (diced)
- 2 medium carrots (diced)
- 1 large green bell pepper (deseeded and diced)
- 1 cup tomato puree (made from fresh tomatoes or canned)
- 1 heaping tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups cooked white beans (like cannellini or great northern beans. If using dried beans, start with 1 cup beans, soak overnight, and cook until tender. Or use two 15-oz cans of white beans and drain and rinse the beans before using).
- 2 cups vegetable stock or vegetable broth or mushroom stock. You can add more stock if you want a soupier soup.
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place olive oil in a Dutch oven along with the garlic and chopped onions.
- Add salt and ground black pepper and saute over medium heat until the onions begin to soften.
- Add the celery, carrots and bell peppers to the pot and saute until they soften a bit.
- Stir in the tomato puree and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer.
- Add beans along with two cups of vegetable broth or the bean cooking liquid, if you cooked them from scratch. You can always add more stock later if you want a soupier soup.
- Stir in the oregano and red pepper flakes, if using. Bring the fasolada to a boil, cover, lower heat and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Notes
- Refrigerate: Store fasolada in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freeze: This soup freezes nicely. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to four months.
- Thaw and reheat before serving.
Nutrition Information
To print recipe card without images, uncheck "instruction images" after clicking the "print recipe" button.
How to make fasolada
Place olive oil in a Dutch oven along with the garlic and chopped onions.
Add salt and ground black pepper and saute over medium heat until the onions begin to soften.
Add the celery, carrots and bell peppers to the pot and saute until they soften a bit.
Stir in the tomato puree and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer.
Add beans along with two cups of vegetable broth or the bean cooking liquid, if you cooked them from scratch. You can always add more stock later if you want a soupier soup.
Stir in the oregano and red pepper flakes, if using. Bring the fasolada to a boil, cover, lower heat and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot.
Would you like to save this recipe?
Enter your email and I'll send this recipe to your inbox!
Fasolada FAQs
Yes, it works very nicely in both. To make it in the Instant Pot, saute all ingredients on the "saute" setting of the Instant Pot, then add uncooked beans and remaining ingredients. Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes and wait for the steam to release naturally or force-release after 10 minutes. For the slow cooker, saute ingredients on the "high" setting, add canned or cooked beans and remaining ingredients, and cook on "high" for three hours or "low" for up to six hours. Check a couple of times to make sure there's enough liquid in the pot and add more if needed.
The fasolada is a meal in itself. If you want to, serve it with a fresh, leafy salad and a chunk of French bread or Italian bread. You can also top the fasolada with chopped olives, fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
In addition to the carrots, tomatoes, celery, bell peppers and onions, you can add leafy greens like spinach or kale and potatoes.
Terri says
Very flavorful soup! My husband and I both loved it -- thanks for sharing! Will be making this again and again.
Vaishali says
Hi Terri, so happy you enjoyed the soup! Thanks for the feedback.