Greek Bean Soup with Tomato and Celery

• 120mlolive oil
• 2onions, finely chopped
• 4carrots, diced
• 4celery sticks, diced
• 4garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsptomato puree
• 2 tspdried oregano
• 2 x 400gtins chopped tomatoes
• 4 x 400gtins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1.5litres vegetable stock
• 2bay leaves
• 30gflat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 30 mllemon juice
• fine salt
• black pepper
• 200gfeta, crumbled
• 8thick slices sourdough, about 50 g each

Method

1. 1Heat 90 ml of the olive oil in your largest saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery with a small pinch of salt and cook for 12 minutes until soft and sweet with no colour. This slow start is where the sweetness of a good fasolada comes from.
2. 2Stir in the garlic, tomato puree and oregano and cook for 2 minutes until the puree darkens a shade and smells rich.
3. 3Add the chopped tomatoes, cannellini beans, stock and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, then simmer with the lid half on for 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the carrots are completely tender and the broth has thickened around the beans.
4. 4Mash a ladleful of beans against the side of the pan and stir back in. Discard the bay leaves, then add the lemon juice, chopped parsley and black pepper. Taste before adding any salt; the stock and feta already season the soup.
5. 5Serve with the feta, bread and the reserved 30 ml olive oil divided between eight portions. Add toppings only to the portions being eaten now.
6. 6Cool the rest within 2 hours and freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on the hob until piping hot, loosening with a splash of water. Add the feta and olive oil fresh on the night.

Per serving

kcal

510

protein

21.4g

fibre

12.8g

carbs

58.3g

fat

20.5g