Lithuanian Bean Soup
There’s something deeply comforting about a bowl of Lithuanian Bean Soup. It’s simple, nourishing, and inexpensive to make — the kind of Lithuanian soup that brings warmth to even the coldest Baltic evening. Made with humble root vegetables, dry beans, and a dollop of sour cream, it’s proof that comfort food doesn’t need to be fancy to taste wonderful.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (180g) dried beans like cannellini or borlotti
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil like vegetable or rapeseed oil
- 1 carrot finley chopped
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 large potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1.7 l (7¼ cups) vegetable or chicken stock hot
- 4 tablespoon creme fraiche or sour cream, to serve
Instructions
- The night before, place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover them with cold water, ensuring the water rises about 1 inch above the beans. Cover the bowl and let the beans soak overnight.
- The next day, heat oil in a large pot over low-medium heat. Add the carrots, onions and garlic and sautee for a few minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
- Drain and rinse the soaked beans in cold water. Add them to the pot with the sauteed vegetables. Pour the stock over and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
- Add the cubed potatoes and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until the beans and potatoes are soft.
- Season with salt and black pepper if needed, and serve in soup bowls with a spoonful of sour cream.