Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 ribs celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Instructions
Beans might not be a very exciting ingredient, but we have to say: we love them so much. Specifically, cannellini beans. They’re delicious in salads, soups, appetizers and main courses, making them one of our go-tos in any dish. Here, we tried our hand at making a Greek classic, fasolada bean soup. While the name might not sound super interesting, it’s filling and delicious and we absolutely devoured it after making it.
So, since this is a bean soup, we’ve got three cans of beans in there, plus onion and celery for added flavor. Then it’s up to the oregano, bay leaf, cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper to give it extra depth and heat. Round things off with fresh lemon juice and zest, plus some parsley and you’re in business.
This is perfect as a weekday lunch or dinner, and if you add a hearty loaf into the mix you’ve got yourself a full, filling meal that everyone will love. It comes together in under thirty minutes and we swear you’re going to want to make extra of it because it tastes so good and is so good for you.
It’s not the first time and it sure won’t be the last time we’ve said it’s a real win to have easy, healthy, tasty recipes to turn to any time you’re in a cooking rut or want to switch things up. Better yet, make this soup and don’t get in a cooking rut in the first place! Give it a shot and see how much you like it - we know we’re utterly and completely hooked on it….
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sauté onion and celery until softened and translucent, 6-8 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Season with oregano, cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper.
- Pour in beans and chicken broth, then stir in bay leaf.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Transfer 2 cups of soup to blender or food processor and blend until smooth, then return to the pot and continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice, zest and fresh parsley, then transfer to bowls and serve hot.