Name: Fasolada – Greek White Bean Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 pound (450g) dried white beans (gigantes, cannellini, or small navy beans), soaked overnight in plenty of cold water; 8 cups (2 liters) water, plus more as needed; ⅔ cup (160 ml) extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 3 medium carrots, diced; 3 celery stalks, diced, leaves reserved and chopped; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 cup (240 ml) crushed tomatoes or tomato passata (optional, for a richer broth); 1 bay leaf; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, or juice of ½ lemon, to finish; Crusty village bread; Kalamata olives; Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Instructions

The night before cooking, rinse the dried beans, place them in a large bowl, and cover with at least 3 inches of cold water. Let them soak for 8 to 12 hours, then drain and rinse well.
Transfer the soaked beans to a large pot and cover with fresh cold water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat and let them boil hard, uncovered, for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
Reduce the heat so the beans simmer gently, then cover partially and continue cooking while you prepare the vegetables.
In a separate large pot or deep skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
Add the carrots and celery and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, stirring now and then, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant and the paste has darkened slightly.
If using, add the crushed tomatoes along with the bay leaf and oregano, and let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes to bring the flavors together.
Drain the parboiled beans, reserving their cooking liquid, and add them to the pot with the vegetables. Pour in enough of the reserved liquid (topping up with water if needed) to cover everything by about an inch.
Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook for 1 to 1½ hours, stirring occasionally and adding a little more water if the soup looks too thick, until the beans are completely tender and the broth has turned rich and creamy.
About 15 minutes before the beans are done, season generously with salt and pepper. Adding salt earlier can toughen the bean skins and slow their cooking.
Stir in the remaining olive oil during the last 10 minutes of cooking and let it simmer gently into the soup.
Remove the bay leaf, then stir in the vinegar or lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Let the soup rest for a few minutes off the heat before ladling it into bowls.
Finish each bowl with a drizzle of good olive oil and serve hot, with crusty bread and a small dish of olives on the side.

A pot of fasolada simmering on the stove with a wooden spoon resting among the beans, carrots, and celery. — Simmering low and slow on the stove

A bowl of fasolada served at the table with a plate of crusty bread and pepper grinders alongside. — Served as a full meal, with crusty bread

Tips for Success

Hold off on salting until the beans are nearly tender — salting too early toughens the skins and slows the cooking considerably.
The age of your dried beans matters more than the clock: older beans can take well over an hour longer to soften, so keep tasting rather than relying on a fixed time.
Do not skimp on the olive oil. The generous amount added toward the end is what gives fasolada its characteristic silky, almost velvety broth.
Fasolada tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have settled and the broth has thickened further. Thin leftovers with a splash of water when reheating.