July 31, 2019

White beans stew- fasoles yiahni

Name: White beans stew - fasolada
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Ingredients: 500 g white beans, (Great Northern beans); 1 brown onion, (chopped); 2 garlic cloves, (minced); 2 carrots, (chopped); 1 cup celery, (chopped); 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tbs tomato paste; 1 cup passata, (or other tomato sauce of your liking); salt/pepper; chopped parsley, (optional)

The recipe for the white beans stew is a take on the typical Greek dish, “fasolada”. Fasolada is a tomato based soup with white beans included, as well as typically potatoes and carrots. The recipe below is referred to as “fasoles yiahni”. It might not be the soup style but you can definitely dip your crusty bread in this sauce! Yiahni are the dishes made with tomato sauce, but more of a stew type. They may include vegetarian options like this one or with meat.

Image of a plate with the braised beans in a bowl and the additions surrounding the dish.

The ingredients are so simple and the method is too! All you have to do is get a tiny bit organized and soak the beans overnight. Soaking the beans, and other legumes in general, help with cooking them faster and digesting them better.

To prepare the white beans stew you first need to boil them on their own until slightly tender. Then strain them and prepare the sauce before you return them back for the second time to boil and allow the sauce to reduce. You may also add potatoes in this dish and that will further help the sauce to thicken as the starch is released.

The white beans stew are eaten best with some crusty bread/rusks, some yoghurt, olives and pickles. The meal is perfect to be frozen in batches also and simply thawed to be enjoyed again.

For more vegetarian/vegan creations, traditional and non, check out this link!

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White beans stew – fasolada

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Soaking time

12 hrs

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: 6

Author: Eleni Georges

Ingredients

500 g white beans, Great Northern beans
1 brown onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbs tomato paste
1 cup passata, or other tomato sauce of your liking
salt/pepper
chopped parsley, optional

Instructions

Soak the beans in a bowl with enough water for them to be completely submerged, as they expand while absorbing the water. Allow the beans to soak for a minimum of 12 hours changing the water at least once.
Add sufficient water in a large pot to boil the beans. Once the water is boiled, add some salt and then add the beans.
Reduce the heat to medium and allow the beans to cook for at least 30 min (see notes¹), until they have slightly softened. During the cooking a white foam will form, which should be discarded with a slotted spoon.
After the 30min strain the beans and set aside. Use the same pot to saute the onion and garlic using some olive oil, then add the celery and carrot. Add the cumin and tomato paste, stirring until fragrant.
Then pour in the passata and return the beans back in the pot. The amount of water you add should be just above the beans once you stir it all. Then bring it to a boil and simmer for a further 25-30min or until the sauce reduces. Season with salt/pepper and stir through the parsley if you want.