Traditional Romanian Bean Soup (Ciorba De Fasole)
A comforting, hearty Romanian bean soup with vegetables, herbs, and a tangy kick from BORS or lemon juice. Perfect for cold days.
Servings: 4
Calories: 1799kcal
Ingredients
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 2 cans of beans white beans or kidney beans
- 1 cup BORS or ½ lemon juice (use lemon juice if you prefer or don't have bors)
- 8 cups vegetable stock
- 4 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon dry thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Mixed Vegetables:
- 1 grated carrot
- 1 small grated parsnip
- 1 chopped pepper
- 1 chopped tomato
- 1 celery stick chopped
Instructions
- Start by heating a large pot over medium heat. Add a little oil (about 1 tablespoon) and let it warm up. Then, add the chopped onion and stir it around. Cook for about 5 minutes until it turns soft and slightly golden.1 large onion, 3 tablespoon olive oil
- Next, add the grated carrot, grated parsnip, chopped pepper, chopped tomato, and celery. Stir everything together and let the vegetables cook for about 7-10 minutes. They should soften and smell really good!1 grated carrot, 1 small grated parsnip, 1 chopped pepper, 1 chopped tomato, 1 celery stick
- Now, sprinkle in the dried thyme and fresh dill. Then, add the tomato paste and stir well. Let everything cook for about 2 minutes. This step helps mix all the flavors together. At this point, season with salt and pepper.4 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoon dry thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- Open the canned beans and pour them into a colander. Rinse them under cold water to remove any extra liquid from the can. Then, add the beans to the pot and gently stir.2 cans of beans
- Now, pour in the vegetable or chicken stock. Make sure the beans and vegetables are fully covered. Bring everything to a gentle simmer and let it cook for 20 minutes over low to medium heat.8 cups vegetable stock
- After simmering, it’s time to add the BORS (or lemon juice if you’re using that instead). Pour it in and stir well. Let the soup cook for another 10 minutes on low heat. This step gives the soup a little tangy taste, just like traditional Romanian soups.1 cup BORS
- The final step is to add the fresh parsley. Sprinkle it on top and give the soup a quick stir. Now, it’s ready to serve!2 tablespoon fresh parsley
- For a true Romanian experience, serve this soup with polenta or fresh bread. If you like a little extra kick, you can add spicy peppers or fresh onion quarters dipped in salt.
Video
Notes
- Don’t rush the simmering process. Let the soup cook gently for the full 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together perfectly.
- If you want a thicker soup, use an immersion blender to blend some of the beans and veggies before adding the BORS.
- Always taste the soup before serving! Depending on your stock, you might want to adjust the seasoning with a little extra salt, pepper, or lemon juice.
Nutrition
Calories: 1799kcal | Carbohydrates: 119g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 129g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 81251mg | Potassium: 675mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 4074IU | Vitamin C: 91mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg
