Traditional Greek bean soup / Φασολάδα της Γιαγιάς Πόλλυς

Soak the beans overnight in cold water. If you forget this step, you can always boil the beans just with water for 30 minutes and then drain them and add them later for the soup.

 

 

Grate the onion, and chop the carrots and celery and celeriac stems. Add half the olive oil in a pan and add the vegetables and mix. Sautee for a few minutes and then add the drained beans. Continue sauteing for a minute.

 

 

Add enough water to cover the beans and a bit more. Add the Knorr cube and tomato paste or juice (or both) and mix well.  Then add the chopped celeriac leaves. Place the lid on and simmer in medium low heat for 1-1.15 hour. If you use canned beans or have pre-boiled them the cooking time is around 30-35 minutes.

 

 

Towards the end of cooking season with salt, pepper and paprika or chili flakes, a bit more of the celeriac leaves and the remaining olive oil. This helps retain the flavor and nutritious ingredients of the olive oil. Boil for another 10 minutes and with the spoon press some of the beans against the pot to melt them and help the soup become thicker.

 

 

Serve the soup hot with some freshly baked bread and add lemon juice per
preference. She always accompanies the soup with some feta cheese, olives and
anchovies or sardines. Enjoy!

 

 

tip // About the beans:

First of all the whiter the beans are, the better. If the beans have a slightly yellow colour that means that they have been laying around for too long and will be tough when cooked.

The second thing you should watch for is for the beans to be smooth on the outside, are not peeling and have not puffed up.