This recipe originates from Macedonia, Greece, and it’s back by popular demand, because Joan hadn’t heard of Fasolatha, as you can see it’s just ordinary tomato and bean soup, but it’s very tasty and nourishing, a real winter warmer.
Soup which is suitable for vegans!
I blogged about this soup a few years ago, early on in my blogging career. It’s Duncan’s favourite soup and as he is living in his own place now he might tackle making it himself!
1 mugful of dried haricot beans soaked overnight
3 tomatoes, quartered or about 12 tiny ones
2 onions
4 carrots
3 sticks of celery (optional)
2 200g tins of chopped tomatoes
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp tomato puree
chopped parsley and thyme (to your taste)
Roughly chop the onions carrots and celery and whizz up in a blender with water. You will have to do this a few times to deal with it all. Reserve some of the carrot and celery just roughly chopped if you like chunky bits in your soup as we do. Add all of this to a large pan with the haricot beans and tins of tomatoes. Then. add the tomato puree, dried oregano and chopped parsley and thyme. Lastly, add the quartered tomatoes and more water. I use my pressure cooker for this recipe as then you don’t have to bother about soaking the beans first, just cook at pressure for about 20 minutes. I add enough water to make about 12 bowls of soup. If you don’t have a pressure cooker then just boil it all up for about 1 hour. Season to taste. Try it, you’ll love it. If you can’t be bothered with the dried beans, try using ordinary tinned beans. Obviously you will only have to boil the soup for about 20 minutes then. I’ve never tried tinned beans but I think it will work fine.
I use tin beans for soups and have no problem at all with them.
Soup is a staple in my house, always have some on the go whatever the weather. I hope your son tackles the soup; he should listen to his mother!
Jo,
We are exactly the same, I’m sure that soup is good at keeping colds and lurgies at bay. I think he will have a go at this, he’s getting good at cooking. I knew he’d manage as he enjoys food so much!
Thanks, Katrina! You answered my question and provided what looks like a great recipe. I love soups, making them and eating them – and eating the leftovers so I don’t have to cook again!
Joan,
The great thing about soup is it’s so quick and easy to do and it means that you’re always half-way to having your meal sorted out. We’re great leftover eaters, nothing goes in the bin, just as well we don’t have a dog, it would scrounge in vain. The best soup is what I call kitchen sink soup as it contains everything which is lying around needing to be used up – except the kitchen sink! It’s never the same twice though.
We have printed out this recipe and my husband is going to make it sometime soon. He is always trying new recipes for white bean soups.
He also likes your photo of the Forth Bridge at the top of the post. He is a fan of old bridges.
TracyK,
I hope you enjoy the soup.
If you look over at my categories bit on the right hand side you’ll see a bridges category, I love them. Click on it and you should see some better photos, I keep meaning to update the Forth Bridge at the top right hand corner. There are some here http://piningforthewest.co.uk/2012/02/05/south-queensferry-scotland/ but there are a lot of old stone bridges dotted around too.
I’m not much of a soup person because it just never sounds good when it is 100+ degrees outside. However, this soup looks easy & delicious. Perfect for the few weeks of really cold weather we have here!
Anbolyn,
I know I wouldn’t ever want soup if I lived in Arizona, not that I would survive the heat long enough to eat anything. I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to breathe!
Maybe you could eat this soup cold. What do you think?
I love making (and eating) soup! My mother used to call your kitchen sink soup “Intilt soup” as everything went intilt (into it). I once made Christmas dinner soup with the left over cooked turkey, stuffing, chipolatas, brussels sprouts, carrots….even cranberry sauce. Whisked it all up in the blender and heated it up! It was great!
Evee,
I don’t know if fancy it cold, in this weather anyway but I’ll give it a go, before I heat it up. I like intilt, I haven’t heard it before. Those soups are always the best but you can never replicate them exactly. Cranberry sauce was adventurous!