{"id":1241,"date":"2025-12-14T16:38:18","date_gmt":"2025-12-14T16:38:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/?p=1241"},"modified":"2025-12-14T17:41:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-14T17:41:06","slug":"fasolada-greeces-national-bean-soup-for-cold-december-days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/2025\/12\/14\/fasolada-greeces-national-bean-soup-for-cold-december-days\/","title":{"rendered":"Fasolada: Greece\u2019s National Bean Soup for Cold December Days"},"content":{"rendered":"

When winter arrives in Greece and temperatures dip, one dish reliably warms homes and hearts: fasolada<\/strong>. Known as Greece\u2019s national bean soup<\/em>, this comforting classic is a symbol of simplicity, nourishment, and tradition\u2014especially welcome during cold December days.<\/p>\n

A Soup Rooted in Greek Tradition<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Fasolada has been enjoyed for centuries, tracing its origins back to ancient Greece when legumes were a dietary staple. Affordable, filling, and deeply satisfying, it reflects the essence of Greek home cooking: honest ingredients, slow preparation, and shared meals.<\/p>\n

What Makes Fasolada Special<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Fasolada is built around white beans simmered gently in a tomato-based broth with olive oil, onions, carrots, and celery. While recipes vary slightly from household to household, the generous use of extra virgin olive oil<\/strong> is what gives the soup its signature richness and Mediterranean depth.<\/p>\n

Ingredients<\/strong><\/h2>\n

(Serves 4\u20136)<\/em><\/p>\n

    \n
  • 500g dried white beans (such as navy or cannellini)<\/li>\n
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped<\/li>\n
  • 2 carrots, sliced<\/li>\n
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped<\/li>\n
  • 2\u20133 cloves garlic, minced (optional)<\/li>\n
  • 400g canned crushed tomatoes or fresh grated tomatoes<\/li>\n
  • 4\u20135 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<\/li>\n
  • 1 bay leaf<\/li>\n
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano<\/li>\n
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste<\/li>\n
  • Water (or light vegetable broth)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Optional additions:<\/em> chili flakes for heat, a drizzle of lemon juice, or fresh parsley for serving.<\/p>\n

    How to Prepare Fasolada<\/strong><\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. Soak the beans<\/strong>
      Place the dried beans in a large bowl, cover with plenty of water, and soak overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking.<\/li>\n
    2. Pre-cook the beans<\/strong>
      Add the soaked beans to a pot, cover with fresh water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 30 minutes, then drain. This helps create a cleaner, creamier soup.<\/li>\n
    3. Build the base<\/strong>
      In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saut\u00e9 the onion until soft and translucent. Add carrots, celery, and garlic, cooking for a few minutes until fragrant.<\/li>\n
    4. Add tomatoes and seasoning<\/strong>
      Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, oregano, salt, and pepper. Let the mixture simmer for 5\u201310 minutes to develop flavor.<\/li>\n
    5. Simmer the soup<\/strong>
      Add the beans back to the pot and cover with water or vegetable broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45\u201360 minutes, until the beans are tender and the soup thickens naturally.<\/li>\n
    6. Finish and serve<\/strong>
      Adjust seasoning, remove the bay leaf, and drizzle with extra olive oil before serving.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Why Fasolada Is Perfect for December<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      Fasolada is warming, nutritious, and deeply comforting\u2014exactly what\u2019s needed during winter. Rich in plant-based protein and fiber, it\u2019s a wholesome meal often served with crusty bread, olives, or pickled vegetables.<\/p>\n

      A True Taste of Greek Winter<\/strong><\/h3>\n

      More than just food, fasolada is a reminder of Greek winter evenings, family tables, and the beauty of simple, slow-cooked meals. One bowl captures the soul of Greece in December\u2014warm, generous, and timeless.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      When winter arrives in Greece and temperatures dip, one dish reliably warms homes and hearts: fasolada. Known as<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[83,4,164],"tags":[322,221,14,5,249,251,327],"class_list":["post-1241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-greek-cuisine","category-greek-snacks","category-greek-soup","tag-december","tag-fasolada","tag-greece","tag-greek","tag-greeksnacks","tag-greeksoup","tag-winter"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Fasolada.png",850,850,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Fasolada-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Fasolada-300x300.png",300,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Fasolada-768x768.png",640,640,true],"large":["https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Fasolada.png",640,640,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Fasolada.png",850,850,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Fasolada.png",850,850,false],"morenews-featured":["https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Fasolada.png",850,850,false],"morenews-large":["https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Fasolada-825x575.png",825,575,true],"morenews-medium":["https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Fasolada-590x410.png",590,410,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/author\/admin_xwoxkktr\/"},"uagb_comment_info":1,"uagb_excerpt":"When winter arrives in Greece and temperatures dip, one dish reliably warms homes and hearts: fasolada. Known as","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1241"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1241\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1245,"href":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1241\/revisions\/1245"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greeksnacks.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}