Fasoulada
Φασολάδα
Yiayia once said, “The first meal Italians ever made was spaghetti. The first meal Arabs ever made was pilafi. And the first meal the Greeks ever made was Fasoulada.” With that in mind, it feels only right to begin this section with the same dish the Greeks began with. A rare meatless recipe from Yiayia’s kitchen, Fasoulada is quick, simple, and satisfying—whether you make it more like a hearty stew or a lighter, soupier version. And if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, it tastes even better the next day.
Ingredients
- 500g white beans dry or from a can
- 2 tomatoes, cut into eighths
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 1 small carrot, cut into 0.5cm half moons
- 2 celery, thinly sliced
- 2 mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 strand of dill, separated from stem
- 1 small fresh chili, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 small lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Half a bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Method
Tap, click or hover over a highlighted ingredient to see its quantity.
- Put the into a deep cooking pot and cover with water. If you are using dry beans as Yiayia suggests soaking them overnight and rinse them before cooking
- Bring a large pot of water to boil and add in , , , , , and
- Reduce the heat and bring to a simmer for 1 hour. Slow cooking the beans will help create a thick soup texture with the starch from the beans
- After 1 hour of cooking, add the and and let it cook for another 10 minutes
- and pepper to taste, garnish with and drizzle with extra lemon if it needs it. Serve with buttered bread (See page 107 for an easy bread recipe)
From Yiayia's Fridge · page 23