Description
Fasolatha is the kind of soup that warms your soul from the inside out — thick, hearty, and bursting with fresh Mediterranean flavor. Made the traditional way with white beans, ripe tomatoes, and good olive oil, it’s a simple comfort dish that proves you don’t need fancy ingredients to make something absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
- 500 g (about 17.6 oz) dried cannellini beans or another small white bean variety
- 2 ½ liters (10 cups) of boiling water — or half water, half vegetable stock for extra flavor
- 1 large onion, finely chopped (around 160 g)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 carrots, sliced into ½ cm (¼ inch) rounds
- 150 g (1 ½ cups) celery, chopped (include some leaves for extra aroma)
- 1 medium to large tomato, grated by hand with the skin discarded
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- (Optional) A pinch of red pepper flakes or one small chili for a subtle kick
Instructions
Pour the dried beans into a large bowl and cover them with plenty of water. Let them soak for about an hour at room temperature. Once they’ve plumped up a bit, drain them.
Fill a large pot halfway with fresh water and toss in the soaked beans. Bring them to a full boil over high heat and cook for 2–3 minutes. Drain again, but don’t rinse with cold water — this helps the beans hold onto their skins.
Transfer the beans back into your pot and pour in 10 cups (2 ½ liters) of boiling water or vegetable stock. Add the bay leaf and chopped onion, then sprinkle in a bit of salt.
Lower the heat and simmer gently with the lid on for about an hour. The slow simmering is key here — it coaxes the starch out of the beans, giving the soup that signature creamy body.
After an hour, it’s time to load in the flavor. Stir in the tomato paste, grated tomato, celery, and carrots. Pour in the olive oil and give everything a good mix.
If you’re feeling adventurous, toss in your chili pepper or red pepper flakes now. Add some freshly ground black pepper, too.
Bring the heat up to medium and simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks.
When the soup is nearly done, turn up the heat a touch (medium-high if using an electric stove, medium for gas). Keep stirring often — this helps the soup thicken naturally as the beans break down and release their starch.
Once it’s reached your desired consistency, remove the pot from the heat. Let the soup rest, partially covered, for about 15 minutes. This step deepens the flavors and lets the texture settle into creamy perfection.
Ladle the Fasolatha into bowls and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper. For a touch of spice, add hot red pepper flakes on top.
Serve it with crusty bread (for all that dunking you’re about to do), a wedge of feta, or some salty olives on the side.
Notes
- Want it extra thick? Scoop out a ladleful of soup, blend it until smooth, then stir it back into the pot.
- Prefer more flavor depth? Use vegetable stock instead of water — it’ll give your soup an earthy, rich undertone.
- Make it spicier. Add extra chili or smoked paprika for a bold kick.
- Storage: Keeps beautifully in the fridge for 3–4 days, and actually tastes better the next day as the flavors meld together.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1serving
- Calories: 458kcal
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 33g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 13g
- Protein: 9g