Greek White Bean Soup (Fasolada)

This classic and traditional comforting Greek White bean soup or Fasolada is really easy to make and hearty, simmered in a tomato based broth with some veggies and aromatics. Make it even easier and quicker by using canned beans or you can make this recipe using dried white beans as well. This is a staple recipe in every Greek home - and each Greek home has their very own favorite way of cooking it or version of it - this is mine - enjoy!

Why You Will Love This Greek White Bean Soup:

• Super easy to make
• Warm, comforting hearty and so so good for you.
• So much simple flavor
• Packed with plant-based protein and nutrients
• Stores great and is even better the next day and its even freezer-friendly
• Super flexible! If you don’t have any of the veggies or spices on hand, there are plenty of substitution options.
• Affordable - a great meal if your trying to stretch the budget
  
  

What is Fasolada?

Fasolada/Fasolatha (Greek: φασολάδα) or fasoulada (Greek: φασουλάδα) comes from the word ‘fasoli’, meaning beans. We cook with a lot of beans and lentils in the Greek Kitchen. Typically there are at least 1-2 nights a week where we eat beans in some form - cause not only are they hearty filling and healthy, they are inexpensive to cook with and a great source of protein and fiber too. They are a true staple to the mediterranean diet as whole. To be honest growing up I hated white beans and lentils - I needed to be bribed with Nutella to eat any of those - I really gave my mom loads of trouble when it came to those two meals. I was not a picky eater in general but at the time beans and even some potato dishes I just couldn’t do cause of a texture thing. I don’t actually know when the switch happened but it did and I’m over that now and we too eat beans at least once a week in our home now. Love them! Can’t get enough of Green Lentil Soup, and Gigantes.

There are two ways to cook Fasolada - typically you will see this tomato based version but there is another version similar to my chickpea soup that has no tomatoes and loaded with lemon juice and fresh herbs. Those are the two main types of faskolada recipes in Greece. Usually Fasolada is made meatless but that is not to say that you cannot add any meat to it. My mom’s version doesn’t include oregano or bay leaf and she always makes hers with tomato paste alone no extra tomatoes or tomato sauce. I personally don’t have rules when it comes to this soup - traditionally it’s a very simple white bean soup with simple flavors and that is what most people expect from this classic - if you want to jazz it up with more ingredients herbs and spices that is fine - you do you!

Greek White Bean Soup Ingredients

• OLIVE OIL: Extra virgin olive oil is what I recommend - I use a Greek one but any one will do
• WHITE BEANS: I use cannellini beans but feel free to use any white beans like Navy beans, Great Northern beans, Baby Lima beans, butter beans or even chickpeas. Canned works great but you can also use white beans you cooked from scratch (see recipe notes for more on that)
• ONION & GARLIC: Yellow or sweet onion work best here nut I often use red onion or shallots as well. Add as much or as little garlic as you like - I usually use 2 large cloves of garlic. Garlic is one of those ingredients in this recipe that is optional - not all recipes for fasolada call for it but I like adding it.
• VEGETABLES: I like to include carrots for little sweetness, pop of colour, celery and red bell pepper for flavor. Not all white bean soups are alike, region and family dictates what goes into it. My mom almost always adds red bell pepper but not always celery - I love to add both for a heartier more flavorful soup. I also like to add leeks if I have some on hand.
• TOMATO PASTE: I like to use tomato paste alone with no sauce or canned diced or chopped tomatoes but if you prefer to add a small can of tomato sauce or diced tomatoes for a more tomato based soup feel free to do so.
• BROTH: To keep the soup vegetarian or vegan, use vegetable broth. Otherwise, you can certainly make it with chicken broth or bone broth. You could also substitute some of the broth for water if you prefer that. I usually use low sodium or low salt broth.
• FRESH HERBS & SPICES: When it comes to fresh herbs in this soup I typically add in some fresh chopped celery leaves of fresh parsley. I don’t usually use dried or fresh oregano, thyme, rosemary or bay leaf but if you would like to add them for a different spin on the flavors you may. I also like to add fresh mint. If you would like to you can also add in some Paprika. For dried spices I use red pepper flakes but that is optional.
• ADD INS: Not traditional but you can also add in other hearty ingredients - feel free to add more veggies into the soup like diced potatoes or Greens (I have a reputation for adding a couple of handfuls of spinach the last few minutes of cooking time). Parmesan cheese for salty flavor works too. You can also play with the spices - traditionally we keep things simple but if you want to add in more spices please feel free to - that goes for anything else you would like to add. Some people even like to sear sausage before sautéing the vegetables and adding the sausage back into the pot as it simmers or adding other types of protein chicken or beef as well.
  
  

How to Make Traditional Greek Bean Soup:

1. SAUTE veggies with the onion and garlic in half of the olive oil.
2. STIR in the white beans and tomato paste and stir to coat
3. STIR in the broth, and fresh herbs
4. SIMMER partially covered until veggies are tender.
5. STIR in remaining olive oil and season more to taste
6. SERVE warm with more fresh mint or fresh parsley
7. BLEND: (optional). I like this soup brothy but if you would like your soup puréed or blended or partially puréed you can do so at this point. Use an immersion blender or traditional blender to do so if you wish for a creamier soup. (other suggestions below)
   
   

Tips & Variations For Making Fasolada

• Make it Thicker: If you don’t want to use a stick blender to blend some of the soup you can take out about a cupful of beans and mash them in a bowl with a spoon until they form a paste. Then, stir back into the pot. As any white beans soup though, keep in mind, it may seem brothy at first but it does get thicker as it sits and as it cools. Another trick I use often in white bean soups is to puree the beans from one of the cans to help give the soup a thicker richer texture and the rest are drained and rinsed before being added to the soup. Feel free to simmer the soup longer too - which not only reduces the soup to a stew like meal but it also builds a ton of flavor in the soup
• Herbs & Spices: Adjust amounts to taste and feel free to add in your choice of herbs and spices if you want to switch the flavor profile if the soup - because as I mentioned several times here Fasolada has very simple flavours - like any kind of peasant like meal. Some may find it sort of bland - but traditionally it’s a simple meal with simple flavors that are enhanced with the vegetables, aromatics, beans, rich olive oil and minimal herbs and spices.
• Finish with Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Ok so it seems like you are using a lot of olive oil - and yes you are. We are not only sautéing the veggies in olive oil but drizzling some in at the end and this adds loads of flavor and richness to the fasolada and even thickens the texture as well.
• Garnish: I like to garnish with red pepper flakes and more fresh herbs but I know some really like to load up with crumbled feta and even chopped olives. Some like to squeeze over lemon juice - that is not what I are up doing though wit this tomato based version. Feel free to garnish with whatever you prefer.
  
  

Storage & Freezing Instructions

• Refrigerate: Store fasolada in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Flavors are even better the next day so a great make-ahead soup.
• Freeze: This soup freezes nicely. Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.Thaw and reheat before serving.
  
  

If you Like This Recipe You Will Love

• Greek Green Beans (fasolakia yiahni)
• Easy Greek Lentil Soup
• Greek Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Youvarlakia Avgolemono (Lemony Greek Meatball Soup)
• Lamb Giouvetsi
• Greek Style Broccoli Soup
• Makaronia Me Kima (Greek Meat Sauce)