🍲 Balkan White Bean Soup (Creamy, Smoky, and Soul-Warming)

Description

This hearty white bean soup is slow-cooked with root vegetables, smoked paprika, and bay leaf — just like grandma made it. Creamy without cream, rich without meat — it feeds the soul on cold days.

Ingredients

• 🫘 300 g dried white beans, soaked overnight (1 ½ cups)
• 🧅 1 onion, finely chopped
• 🥕 1 carrot, diced
• 🌶️ 2 g smoked paprika (1 tsp)
• 🌿 1 bay leaf
• 🧂 1 ½ tsp salt
• 🧄 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 🫒 30 ml olive oil (2 tbsp)
• 💧 1.2 L water or vegetable broth (5 cups)
• 🍅 Optional: 15 g tomato paste (1 tbsp)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Prep beans: Drain soaked beans and rinse.
2. 2️⃣ Start base: In a large pot, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.
3. 3️⃣ Build flavor: Add carrot, paprika, bay leaf, and tomato paste. Stir well.
4. 4️⃣ Simmer: Add beans and pour in water or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low.
5. 5️⃣ Cook gently: Cover and simmer for 1.5–2 hours, or until beans are soft. Stir occasionally.
6. 6️⃣ Adjust: Remove bay leaf, season to taste, and mash a few beans for extra creaminess.

Total Time

🛠️ Prep: 15 min
🔥 Cook: 1 h 45 min
🕒 Total: 2 h (including soaking overnight)

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