If there is any dish that should be considered the true national dish of Greece, it would be fasolada – Greek white bean soup. Fasolada (pronounced: fah-so-LAH-tha) is a simple white bean soup that consists of just a handful of basic ingredients. But these seemingly plain ingredients transform into one of the most comforting and delicious meals in Greek cuisine.
Take a stroll through any Greek village in the winter and you are sure to smell fasolada wafting from people’s homes. My hubby and I were talking about our most beloved Greek soups the other day and we both agree, that fasolada is the Greek soup that we could eat the most often.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT FASOLADA – GREEK WHITE BEAN SOUP
Every Greek family believes that their recipe for fasolada is the best. And because fasolada is such a cherished meal, every family is entitled to that opinion if you ask me! No matter what variation of fasolada you make, there are a few key factors that every version shares:
- USE DRIED WHITE BEANS: If you are at all familiar with the Greek diet, then you know that legumes are a way of life for Greeks. When Greeks make bean soup, they always, always use dried beans. For best results, make sure your beans are fresh. Meaning, you don’t want to use beans that are old and stale, or they may never soften.
- SLOW COOKING IS SUPERIOR TO QUICK METHODS: The earmark of a perfect fasolada is a creamy texture. When you cook dried beans for upwards of 2 hours or longer, they almost start to melt. Thickening the broth just enough to yield a luscious consistency. Using a pressure cooker or an instant pot just can’t compare to the result you get with slow cooking.
- FINISH WITH OLIVE OIL: It is a common practice in Greek cooking to add a generous amount of olive oil to a dish just before it is done cooking. The olive oil you add at the end of the cooking process cooks into the soup and contributes not only to the flavor of the soup but to the texture as well. Using genuine Greek olive oil is important because it is not acidic, spicy, or bitter in any way.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH FASOLADA:
A simple soup like fasolada requires simple accompaniments. Traditionally fasolada is paired with salt-cured fish, a tradition that dates back to Ancient Greece. Other common pairings are feta cheese, a touch of smoked chili flakes (boukovo), crusty bread, and olives. I love to make a fresh loaf of my no-knead Greek olive bread to pair with our fasolada. It combines the olives and crusty bread into each bite and it is perfect for dipping!
If you can’t tell by now, fasolada is a quintessential Greek meal. While many people associate Greek cuisine with foods like gyros or spanakopita, fasolada is, in fact, one of the most eaten foods across Greece. Fasolada – Greek white bean soup is a humble, homely meal that you are sure to fall in love with once you try it.
FASOLADA – GREEK WHITE BEAN SOUP
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 500g small dried white beans (we use navy beans)
- 2 yellow onions, chopped
- 3 carrots, finely chopped
- 2 large celery stalks, finely chopped (reserve the green celery leaves if your stalk has them)
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 8–10 cups of water
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
- for serving: feta cheese & chili flakes (we love to garnish with these smoked chili flakes: boukovo)
Instructions
- Soak your beans in a large bowl with enough water to cover them by a few inches the night before you are going to make your fasolada. (This step is crucial if you want to ensure your beans cook all the way through in a uniform manner)
- The next day, drain the beans, add them to a large pot along with 2-3 liters of water. Cook over high heat just until the water comes to a boil and foam has started rising to the top of the pot. Drain the beans and reserve.
- In a medium sized pot or dutch oven set over medium heat, add 1/4 cup of olive oil along with the chopped onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring often, just until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes to bring out the flavor of the tomato.
- Add in the par-boiled beans & 8 cups of water, turn the heat up to high and cook until the soup has come to a boil. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer, with a lid left slightly ajar, for 1 – 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Test the beans after 1 – 1.5 hours, once they are adequately soft you can season the soup with salt & pepper to taste (some beans may need more cooking time, just make sure they are relatively soft before adding the salt because salt can inhibit the cooking process of the beans) Once you have seasoned the soup, add in chopped green celery leaves if you have them)
- Continue cooking the soup over medium low heat for another 30 minutes to 1 hour. The broth should have started to thicken and the beans should be on the verge of almost melting. When the fasolada has reached this stage, stir in the remainder of the olive oil and cook for about 10 minutes. Adding the olive oil will thicken the broth to just the right consistency and lend a beautiful flavor to the soup.
- Serve with feta cheese and chili flakes if desired. Enjoy with crusty bread and olives (or my [no-knead Greek olive bread|https://www.ful-filled.com/2021/01/10/no-knead-greek-olive-bread/)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
This looks so, so good! Soup is one of our major food groups so I can’t wait to make this one xx
Aw, thanks Erin! Soup is our main food group in the winter, lol! I cannot wait for you guys to try this!
I can’t wait to make this Bella! I just bought some beautiful beans from the farmers market.
Oh yay! Perfect timing once again Carolyn ;)
Comfort and joy at just the right time.
It’s cold in Florida.
Mmm. ❤️
Fasolada is a staple in our house. We seem to have it on the table all the time. We always keep the ingredients on hand because it is so delicious!
This looks fabulous Bella! I can’t wait to try with some buttery smooth olive oil like how you describe! This recipe looks ad sounds insanely comforting!
Thank you so much Monique! I am so excited for you to try it :)
Hi, I love Fasolada … but I wouldn’t call it a soup… It’s one of many Greek or Cypriot
‘Braised dishes’ with either fresh or dried pulses.. with or without meat..
Slow cooked is best.
🔹If using dried pulses (chickpeas haricot beans, fava, etc… ‘always’ soak overnight in plenty of fresh water, until fully hydrated … but not for more than 12 hrs, then changing that water when ready to cook, with a fresh lot of water……NEVER ADD SALT WHILE BRAISING .. only towards end of cooking time, as the beans can get really hard to cook….hope this helps…
Hello! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on fasolada! Yes, slow-cooked is indeed always the best and your tips are all great! For people outside of the Greek culture, it is easiest to describe it as a bean soup when comparing it to other types of bean dishes. Not to mention, some people prefer more or less liquid in their fasolada, so the liquid can be thicker or thinner depending on the family recipe :)
You can definitely call it a soup. Maria is talking through her hat.
hahaha!
O po po Maria, O po po Maria, O po po Maria, bouliseto, sta sigoura bouliseto, egrapses to minima sou san itan ti thiki sou tyn sintayi kai to thiko sou to blog, skasila mas, skasila mas.
Fasolada is one of my families FAVORITES and your version is the Absolute Best we have EVER had in our lives!!!
The flavors and smells an textures and creaminess and olive oil blissness are all spot on perfection Bella!!
We have made and ate this countless times since you posted it!!!
A kazillion thank yous for all your incredible recipes Bella!!