Greek Bean Stew with Rice – A Fasolada-Inspired Comfort Dish

Greek Bean Stew

When the temperatures stubbornly hover around a chilly 10°C here in rural Andalucía, I’m straight into comfort-food mode. A warming Greek Bean Stew is exactly what I need. The best part? This little bean stew number is simple, hearty, full of flavour, and I already had everything in the house – which means no cold dash to the shops. Win.

This recipe is Fasolada-inspired, so you get all those traditional Greek flavours but in an easy, cosy bowl served over rice – perfect for a midweek meal or a campervan cook-up.

What Is Fasolada?

Fasolada is a traditional Greek bean soup often called the national dish of Greece. It’s a simple, comforting stew made with white beans, tomatoes, olive oil, and Mediterranean vegetables like onion, carrot, and celery. Traditionally, it’s simmered slowly into a silky, brothy soup and served with bread.

My version is Fasolada-inspired because I keep the essence of the dish – the beans, vegetables, herbs, and tomato base – but make it a bit thicker and more stew-like and serve it over rice for a more substantial, complete meal. It’s perfect for quick home cooking or a one-pot campervan dinner while still honouring the flavours of the Greek classic.

Greek Bean Stew with Rice (Fasolada-Inspired)

Serves: 2
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients for the stew

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ large onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 200g tinned chopped tomatoes (about ½ tin)
• ½ tbsp tomato purée
• 350ml vegetable stock
• 1 × 400g tin white beans (cannellini or butter beans), drained and rinsed
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• Small handful fresh parsley, chopped
• Optional: zest of ¼–½ lemon

Ingredients for the rice

• 125g long-grain rice
• 250ml water or stock
• Pinch of salt

Method: cook the rice

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
2. Add the rice, water or stock, and salt to a small saucepan.
3. Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer for 12–15 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and leave covered.

Method: make the stew

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan.
2. Sauté the onion, carrot and celery for 8–10 minutes until softened.
3. Add the garlic, paprika, oregano and thyme, and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomato purée and cook for another minute.
5. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, stock and bay leaf.
6. Simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Add the beans and cook for another 10–15 minutes until thickened.
8. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
9. Finish with fresh parsley and the optional lemon zest.

Serving suggestions

• Serve over rice, or spoon into a bowl with warm crusty bread.
• A drizzle of good olive oil at the end is very Greek.
• For extra brightness, squeeze over a little lemon juice before serving.

If this bowl of beans warmed up a chilly evening for you, you can buy me a coffee ☕ on Ko-fi.

Footnote

This Greek bean stew is featured in my Greek Recipes hub. It also features in my Gut Health Recipes collection – real food from a rural Andalucían kitchen, built around fermented foods, high-fibre pulses, wholegrains and prebiotic-rich ingredients – and in my Veg, Fruit & Pulses collection, resourceful vegetable, fruit and pulse recipes from rural Andalucía.
Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef