Fasolatha – White Bean and Tomato Soup Recipe
Fasolatha is a traditional Greek white bean and tomato soup, rich in flavor and comfort. Made with creamy cannellini beans, fresh vegetables, and a touch of tomato paste, this hearty soup simmers slowly to bring out deep Mediterranean flavors. It’s perfect as a warming, nutritious meal any day of the year.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Beans and Broth
- 500 grams (17.6 oz) dried Cannellini beans (or other small white beans)
- 2 ½ liters (10 cups) boiling hot water or half water and half vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt, to taste
Vegetables
- 160 grams (1 large) onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced ½ cm (¼ inch) thick
- 150 grams (1 ½ cups) chopped celery, including some leaves
- 150 grams (medium-large) extra ripe tomato, hand grated, skin discarded
Other Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- OPTIONAL: hot red pepper flakes or 1 small chili pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Beans: Soak the dried cannellini beans in plenty of water for about 1 hour at room temperature to soften them.
- Initial Cooking: Half fill a large cooking pot with water and add the soaked beans. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes to blanch the beans, then drain in a strainer. Do not rinse with cold water to avoid loosening the bean skins.
- Cook Beans with Aromatics: Return the drained beans to the cooking pot. Add 10 cups (2 ½ liters) of boiling hot water or vegetable stock along with the bay leaf and finely chopped onion. Season with salt. Bring everything to a boil.
- Simmer: Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and cook for about 1 hour until the beans are tender.
- Add Vegetables and Tomato: Stir in the tomato paste, hand-grated tomato (without skin), chopped celery with leaves, sliced carrots, and olive oil. If desired, add a chili pepper or hot red pepper flakes at this stage. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
- Continue Cooking: Increase heat to medium and simmer the soup covered for an additional 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to combine flavors evenly.
- Thicken the Soup: Raise the heat to medium-high (or keep at medium on gas stove) and stir frequently until the soup thickens to your preferred consistency.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from heat and let the soup stand partly covered for 15 minutes to further develop flavors and thicken. Serve hot, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and more hot red pepper flakes if you like it spicy.
Notes
- The soaking step softens the beans for even cooking but is short; some recipes recommend longer soak times.
- Blanching beans before cooking helps remove impurities and prevents the skins from breaking off.
- Do not rinse beans after blanching to keep skins intact and prevent mushy texture.
- Simmering slowly allows flavors to develop deeply and vegetables to soften perfectly.
- The soup thickens as it cools and rests, enhancing its hearty texture.
- Adjust the amount of chili pepper or flakes according to your spice preference.
- This soup improves in flavor if allowed to sit for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
Keywords: Fasolatha, White Bean Soup, Greek Soup, Cannellini Beans, Tomato Soup, Vegetarian Soup, Mediterranean Soup
