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Bob chorba (bean soup): photo of the dish
Illustrative photo: Gillgaramond — CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Soups

Bob chorba (bean soup)

A thick Bulgarian soup of white beans, simmered with paprika, onions and oil, often served with wine vinegar or fresh chili. It is the simple, hearty dish par excellence, popular in winter and on meatless days.

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Ingredients

Ingredients

Spices & seasoning

Optional extras

On the side

Nutrition facts

448 kcal per serving

Protein
20.7 g
Carbohydrates
52.6 g
of which sugars
9 g
Fat
12.7 g
of which saturated fat
1.5 g
Fiber
20.2 g

Ecomely’s estimate, calculated from the ingredients with the ANSES Ciqual food composition table, excluding sides and seasoning added to taste.

Instructions

  1. Drain the beans you soaked the night before, rinse them, then put them in a pot with 1.5 litres of cold water.
  2. Bring to a boil, skim the surface, then cook over medium heat for 45 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, sauté the sliced onions in the oil until golden, about 8 minutes.
  4. Off the heat, stir in the paprika so it doesn't burn, then add the grated tomatoes and the carrot rounds.
  5. Pour this mixture into the beans, add the bay leaf, salt and pepper.
  6. Simmer gently for another 30 minutes, until the beans are tender and the soup is creamy.
  7. Remove the bay leaf, adjust the seasoning and mash a few beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup.
  8. Serve hot with bread, and if you like, a drizzle of vinegar or fresh chili.

Variations and tips

Smoky version. Add a small smoked sausage or some bacon at the start of cooking for a richer soup.

Using what you can find. Canned white beans work well: add them near the end of cooking, 10 minutes is enough.

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Original Ecomely recipe.