White bean soup (Fasolada)
This is my great grandmother's bean soup recipe which has been passed down 4 generations. It is very easy to make and delicious. It’s a perfect meal during lent, but we cook it all year round, especially in the winter. Perfect for the cold winter nights.
Servings 8 people
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz. bag Great Northern beans
- 6-8 cups water or chicken broth ( I use low or no sodium)
- 2 medium onions chopped
- 1 can (15 oz) Tomato (or pasta) sauce
- 2-3 carrots sliced in rounds
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1-2 sticks celery diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Any type of sausage for accompaniment
Instructions
- Wash beans and let them soak in water overnight or a least a minimum of 4 - 5 hours. If that’s not possible then bring to a boil for a few minutes, simmer for half an hour and empty the water.
- Add another 6 - 8 cups of water, or if you are using chicken broth instead of water, now is the time to add it.
- Add salt, pepper and olive oil. Dice the onion and slice the carrots and add to the beans. Decrease to medium heat and continue cooking for approximately 2 hours.
- Finally, add the tomato or pasta sauce and continue cooking until the beans, onions and carrots have reached the desired tenderness.
- The consistency of the soup is your personal preference. If you prefer it less thick then add more water.
- You can accompany with feta or any type of sausage. I sometimes use hot Italian to give it a bit of a kick.
Notes
Voila! Your soup is ready. I like to eat it with feta cheese and bread (it doesn't matter if the bread is a day or so old as the soup will absorb it).
Yanni
February 23, 2014