Mediterranean Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Fasolada
Greek white bean soup simmered with onion, carrots, celery, and tomato in olive oil-rich broth, often called the country's national dish.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Drain and rinse the overnight-soaked white beans. Place them in a large pot with plenty of water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes to soften slightly. Drain again.
- 2
In a large, clean pot or Dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, sliced carrots, and chopped celery. Sauté for 8-10 minutes until softened.
- 3
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to cook out its raw flavor.
- 4
Add the crushed tomatoes, the par-boiled white beans, the bay leaf, and the 6 cups of water or broth. Bring to a rolling boil.
- 5
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid slightly ajar, and simmer gently for 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are buttery and tender and the broth has thickened into a rich sauce.
- 6
Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil to add richness and a velvety texture. Season generously with salt and black pepper just before serving.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
70/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving485
Calories
18 g
Protein
43 g
Carbs
29 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Fasolada is widely called the national dish of Greece, a humble white bean soup that has nourished households for generations and dates back in spirit to ancient bean stews of the region. It is a cornerstone of Greek Lenten and everyday cooking, proof that olive oil, vegetables, and dried beans can make a deeply satisfying meal with no meat at all. Its richness comes entirely from a generous pour of good olive oil and slow simmering.
Listahan note
This version simmers the beans slowly with a soffritto of carrot, celery, and onion, and finishes with a bold hit of olive oil and lemon the way Greek cooks do. It treats the olive oil as a primary ingredient, not a garnish.
Technique cues
- Simmer the beans gently and salt them only once they are nearly tender, since early salt can keep dried beans firm and the skins from softening.
- Stir a generous, almost startling amount of good olive oil into the pot near the end, because that is what gives fasolada its silky body and Greek character.
- Finish each bowl with a squeeze of lemon, which brightens the earthy beans and lifts the whole soup the way a good Greek kitchen always does.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Soak the beans the night before and dice all the soffritto vegetables while the beans come up to a simmer.
- Make-ahead
- Fasolada is better the next day; cook it fully, chill overnight, and the beans drink in the broth and deepen.
- Leftover move
- Mash leftover soup lightly and spread it on toasted bread with olive oil and lemon for a quick bean toast.
- Cleanup rhythm
- It is a one-pot soup, so soak the pot right after serving and the only other items are the cutting board and ladle.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
dried white beans
soup base
Purpose: Cannellini or navy beans give the soup its creamy body and gentle earthiness; they are the whole point.
Handling: Soak overnight, then simmer until tender before adding heavy salt or acid.
Adaptation: Canned white beans cut the time dramatically; great northern beans work too.
extra-virgin olive oil
richness and flavor
Purpose: A generous pour of good olive oil is what makes fasolada rich and is treated as a core ingredient, not a drizzle.
Handling: Use some to build the soffritto and stir more in at the end.
Adaptation: There is no real substitute here; use the best olive oil you have.
carrots
sweet aromatic
Purpose: Carrots add gentle sweetness and color to the soffritto base.
Handling: Dice small so they soften into the broth.
Adaptation: A diced parsnip gives a similar sweet note.
celery
aromatic backbone
Purpose: Celery brings the savory, slightly bitter depth that rounds out the vegetable base.
Handling: Dice the stalks; chopped leaves can go in too for extra flavor.
Adaptation: Fennel or a celery-root cube can stand in.
tomato paste
depth and color
Purpose: A spoonful of tomato paste deepens the broth with savory sweetness and warm color.
Handling: Stir into the hot soffritto and cook a minute before adding water.
Adaptation: A few chopped fresh or canned tomatoes give a brighter version.
lemon
finishing acid
Purpose: Lemon at the table cuts the richness and brightens the earthy beans.
Handling: Cut into wedges and squeeze over each bowl.
Adaptation: A splash of red wine vinegar provides the same lift.
Technique notes
- Do not skimp on the olive oil; an honest fasolada uses far more than feels normal, and that is where its luxurious texture comes from.
- Mash a ladleful of the cooked beans against the side of the pot and stir it back in to thicken the broth naturally without flour.
- A pinch of dried oregano and a bay leaf simmered in deepen the broth toward classic Greek flavor.
Ingredient swaps
- Weeknight shortcut
- Use two cans of drained white beans to skip the overnight soak and long simmer entirely.
- Heartier direction
- Stir in a handful of chopped kale or spinach in the last few minutes for extra greens and body.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Build the soup with water rather than salted stock and season at the end with lemon and herbs.
Serve alongside
- Crusty bread with olive oil
- Feta and olives
- Greek village salad
- Pickled peppers
- Crisp Greek white wine
- Sparkling water with lemon
- Mountain herb tea
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate up to five days in a covered container; the flavor deepens noticeably overnight. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a little water if it has thickened, and finish with fresh olive oil and lemon. It freezes well for up to three months and thaws overnight in the fridge.
Equipment
- Large heavy soup pot
- Ladle
- Sharp knife for the soffritto
- Wooden spoon
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