Greek Cannellini Bean Stew is an easy to make, meatless hearty stew with carrots, onion, garlic, celery and a hint of orange! It’s DELICIOUS!
If you’re looking for a healthy, filling dish that is scrumptious and has lots of healthy ingredients (and fiber) in it, may I suggest this recipe for Greek Cannellini Bean Stew? It’s a wonderful meatless dish that vegetarians AND meat-lovers will surely enjoy!
Greeks call this bean stew “Fasolada”, and it is a much-loved national dish that is considered “comfort food”. This simple stew has its origins in ancient Greece and was typically made using dried cannellini beans.
This version of the bean stew uses canned beans, which is very convenient, because it dramatically reduces the time needed to make this dish.
The stew only takes 15 minutes of prep, and then it is simmered on the stove for 30-35 minutes. When it’s done cooking, you will be left with a creamy, thick stew I’m confident you’ll enjoy!
The surprising ingredient in this soup is the addition of fresh orange slices while it cooks! The natural oils in the orange peel and the fruit itself provide a hint of orange flavor (not overpowering at all!), which is a nice touch. Here’s how to make the stew.
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Prepare The Veggies
Heat olive oil on Medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the chopped onion, and carrot and celery slices to the hot oil.
Cook the veggies 8-10 minutes in the hot oil, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and tender (especially the carrots).
Building The Stew
Once the onions, carrots and celery have softened, add dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, tomato paste and two slices of fresh orange (including peel) to the soup pot.
Stir to combine these ingredients, then let them cook 2 more minutes on Medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Now it’s time to add the canned cannellini beans to the soup pot. You will use a total of 2 cans of beans, following the instructions below.
Drain ONLY 1 CAN of cannellini beans and then add the beans (without liquid) to the stew. The remaining can of beans should be added to the stew INCLUDING THE LIQUID.
Stir in 1 cup of water to the soup pot, salt and pepper, then stir to combine all the ingredients.
Cook The Stew
Cook the Greek Cannellini Bean Stew (uncovered) for 30-35 minutes on a LOW simmer, stirring occasionally. The stew will thicken considerably as it cooks, which is a GOOD thing!
If at any point, you notice the stew is cooking too fast or begins sticking to the bottom of the pan, make sure the heat is very low. You may wish to add a tiny bit of water.
When the stew has finished cooking, and it’s thick and creamy, it is done. Remove the bay leaf and orange slices from the pot before serving.
Serve The Greek Cannellini Bean Stew
Ladle the Greek Cannellini Bean Stew into 4 bowls, dividing evenly. If desired, garnish each serving with half an orange slice (this is optional).
Serve the stew hot, and enjoy the wonderful flavor of this vegetarian dish. We especially enjoy eating the stew with a thick, crusty piece of garlic bread on the side. YUM!
I really hope you enjoy this hearty cannellini bean stew. Even though it is meatless, it has lots of protein (from the beans) and vegetables, and always fills us up!
Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to visit my blog. I appreciate it, and invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!
Looking For More SOUP And STEW Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of soup and stew recipes, including:
- Classic Beef Stew
- Creamy Avgolemono Soup
- Turkey Mulligatawny Soup
- Hearty Minestrone Soup
- Fully Loaded Potato Soup
Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!
I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.
Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks
Recipe adapted from: Koula Barydakis at: mediterraneanliving.com/white-bean-soup/
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Greek Cannellini Bean Stew is an easy to make, meatless hearty stew with carrots, onion, garlic, celery and a hint of orange! It's DELICIOUS!
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ large yellow onion chopped
- 3 medium carrots , peeled, thinly sliced
- 3 stalks celery thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 thin slices orange round slices, include peel and flesh
- 31 ounces canned cannellini beans =2 (15.5 oz. cans), DO NOT DRAIN
- 1¼ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt or more, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper or more, to taste
Heat olive oil on Medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add chopped onion, carrot and celery slices to the hot oil. Cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become soft/tender (especially the carrots).
Add oregano, 1 bay leaf, tomato paste and two slices of orange (including peel) to soup pot. Stir to combine, then let them cook 2 more minutes on Medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Drain 1 CAN of cannellini beans and then add the beans (without liquid) to the stew. The remaining can of beans should then be added to the stew INCLUDING THE LIQUID. Add water, salt and pepper to the stew; stir to combine ingredients.
Cook for 30-35 minutes on a LOW simmer, stirring occasionally. The stew will thicken considerably as it cooks. If at any point, you notice stew cooking too fast or sticking to the bottom of the pan, make sure the heat is very low. You may add just a tiny bit of water. When the stew has finished cooking, and it's thick and creamy, it is done. Remove bay leaf and orange slices from stew before serving.
Ladle stew into 4 bowls, dividing evenly. Garnish each serving with a fresh half of an orange slice (OPTIONAL). Serve hot, and enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!