This spicy and delicious soup was adapted from the Classic Greek Bean Soup recipe from the marvelous cookbook, The Greek Vegetarian, by Diane Kochilas.

December 2021 – Updating the recipe to reduce the beans and increase the veggies and spices.  The soup is good both ways, but we’ve been enjoying the new version lately even more than the old.  Cheers!

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1.5 cups)
1/4 – 1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes (to taste)
1 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
3 stalks celery, chopped (approx. 1.5 cups)
4 carrots, peeled and sliced into thin half-moons (approx. 2 cups)
1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and chopped into small 1/2 inch dice (approx. 2 cups)
1 bay leaf
3 Tbsp tomato paste
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped or 1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
4 cups vegetarian vegetable bouillon
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 can (formerly 2 cans) organic cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well*
1 T fresh lemon juice

Method:

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent.  Add the dried chili pepper flakes and continue cooking until the onions are nicely golden.  This will take between 10 and 15 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the dried oregano, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper and mix well.

If using fresh tomatoes, add them now and mix well.

Add the celery, carrots, and bay leaf and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the cubed potatoes and continue cooking another couple of minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir until everything is well blended.

Add the canned tomatoes and cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft.

Mix in the vegetable bouillon, raise the heat, and bring to a boil.

Stir in the chopped parsley.

Cook for about 10 minutes or until the vegetabls are done to your liking.

Gently stir in the cannellini beans, lower the heat to medium, and cook until the beans are heated through.

Stir in the lemon juice.  Taste and adjust seasonings.

Turn off the heat and let the soup rest a while before eating.

Enjoy!

*Don’t use Eden Organic.