Greek · Authentic-ish Greek
Fasolada
363 kcal a serving, against 498 for the traditional version. That is 135 kcal off, or 27%, with 19.4g of protein. Serves 6. 105 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A thick, hearty soup made from dried white beans, simmered for hours with carrots, celery and onions. The broth is heavily emulsified with a massive volume of extra virgin olive oil, turning it thick, glossy and incredibly rich. It relies entirely on the quality of the oil and the slow breakdown of the beans for its body.
What changed, and what each change costs
150g of olive oil down to 30g
Olive oil is glorious, but pouring that much of it into a soup turns a lean bowl of beans into a heavy meal. Cutting it back slashes the fat while leaving the protein untouched.
What it costs you. You lose the glossy, emulsified texture of the traditional broth. The modified soup feels a bit more watery in the mouth, and you miss that grassy olive pepperiness at the end.
Adding 100g of crumbled feta to the finished bowl
Because I stripped out so much oil, the soup needs a little hit of fat and salt to wake it up. Feta brings that, along with a highly useful bump to the protein.
What it costs you. Purists will tell you feta belongs on a plate next to the soup, not in it. They're probably right. You lose the purely vegan nature of the dish, and it changes the traditional flavour profile.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 498 | 363 |
| Protein | 16.8g | 19.4g |
| Fat | 26.3g | 9.7g |
| Saturated fat | 3.6g | 3.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 52.2g | 52.4g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 3.4g | 5.4g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Greek prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. celery, milk.
The method is in the book
A brilliant, warming bowl of food. You miss the heavy, oily mouthfeel of the original, but you gain a soup you can actually eat for lunch without needing a nap afterwards. The feta does a great job of replacing the lost richness, making the whole thing feel complete.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Greek, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback