Bulgarian White Bean Soup (The Way My Husband Likes It)

My husband loves to eat Bulgarian white bean soup, but only if I prepare it the way he likes it. The traditional Bulgarian bean soup contains peppers, tomatoes carrots and onions. My husband likes his soup only with beans and onions. If add any other vegetable to it, he won’t touch it. He rarely eats any soup and when he does, he wants it to be simple. This means, no more than two vegetables in his soup. For example, he likes my leek and potato soup.

I’m sure that he is not the only one who eats that way, so I decided to share this recipe.

Why should you make this Bulgarian White Bean Soup

Here are some reasons why this recipe is suitable for you.

– Delicious -although it is made with simple ingredients the taste of this soup is so good. I prepare an aromatic oil that I add to the soup when the beans are cooked. Instead of boiling the onions with the beans I fry them. When they are caramelized, I add smoked paprika to the pan. Then I pour the hot aromatic oil into the soup to infuse it with sweet and smoky notes. This is what makes this bean soup different than any other soup you’ve tried. Also, the mint compliments the taste of the beans so well.

– Nutritious – beans are superfood. They are a great source of nutrients, antioxidants and fiber. They are filling and help control blood sugar and appetite.

– Affordable – white beans are cheap but are high quality food. You can make many dishes with a bag of dry beans. for this recipe you need only a cup and a half of beans.

– Great for the cold days– this soup will warm you up in a cold day. There is nothing like a bowl of hot soup on a freezing day. It is so comforting.

– Only five ingredients – this soup doesn’t contain any fancy and hard to find ingredients. You can probably find beans and onions in your pantry.

– Vegan meal with high protein content – this is a meatless meal but very high on protein. In a cup of cooked beans there are 15 grams of protein.

Helpful tips about making the soup

You can pick any beans that you like for this soup. I usually use Cannellini or Great Northern beans.

Soak the beans before cooking for at least 8 hours. I usually soak them overnight. Soaking them will help you with digestion. It also cuts cooking time in half.

Make sure that you have more water than beans when you soak them. The beans will expand and absorb some of the water.

You can cook the beans in the pressure cooker. Add the beans in the cooker and add 8 cups of water plus seasoning. Then cook for about 20-30 minutes once the pot is pressurized. I don’t like that method of cooking because it changes the flavor of the beans.

You might need to add more water. Some of the water evaporates and some of it is absorbed by the beans. While the soup cooks stir occasionally to check if you like the thickens of your soup. If you decide to add more water, you have to taste again and adjust the seasoning.

Different brands and types of beans take different time to cook. Cooking time might take from twenty minutes to an hour and a half.

Print Recipe

Bulgarian White Bean Soup

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 30

Course: Appetizer, Soup

Cuisine: Bulgarian

Keyword: coconut oil, dry beans, gluten free, mint, onion, smoked paprika

Servings: 6

Ingredients

1½ cup dry white beans Cannellini or Great Northern
8 cups water or more if needed
1 Tbsp dry mint
1 large onion
3 Tbsp oil I used sunflower oil
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper to taste
fresh mint leaves for serving

Instructions

Add the dry beans in a pot and add water so they are covered. The water should be at least two inches higher than the beans. Soak them overnight or for 8 hours. Drain the water and rinse the beans.
Return the beans to the pot and add 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.
Add dry mint and salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer the beans until they are fully cooked. Then remove from the stove. Cooking takes different time depending on the type and brand of beans.
Add a pan to a burner and preheat it to medium-low heat. Chop the onion to small cubes. Add the oil to the pan and then add the onions. Cook and stir the onions until they are slightly caramelized. Add some salt and the smoked paprika. Stir and remove from the burner immediately. Pour the oil with the cooked onions to the soup. Stir.
Before serving taste for seasoning and add chopped fresh mint.
Store leftover soup in a pot with lid in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.