Fasolada

About Fasolada

Fasolada is a Greek white bean soup so central to the national table that it is often called the country's unofficial national dish. At its heart are cannellini beans simmered with the classic mirepoix of carrot, celery, and onion, and it belongs to the lean, olive-oil-driven cooking that Greeks eat during Lent and fasting days — hearty enough to be a full meal without any meat. What sets it apart from a generic bean soup is the sheer volume of olive oil: the vegetables are cooked slowly in plenty of it, and more is poured over at the end, so the fat carries the flavor rather than butter or stock alone.

Expect a thick, almost stew-like bowl where some beans break down to lend body while others stay whole and creamy, the tomato adding gentle acidity and color. It is comfort food in the truest sense — warming, filling, and quietly rich from the oil — traditionally eaten with crusty bread, a wedge of feta, and a few olives on the side. This version keeps things honest and low-effort: soften the vegetables gently so they never brown, then let the beans and tomato simmer down until the soup thickens on its own. Finishing with a generous last pour of extra-virgin olive oil is not optional; it is what makes fasolada taste like fasolada.