Whenever I have dried beans in the pantry and a bit of smoked sausage, I know I can quickly whip up a hearty soup for the whole family. On cold days or when I want something simple and filling, this recipe gets me out of a bind. It's not hard to make, but there are a few steps to pay attention to, especially when it comes to hydrating the beans.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours (plus 12 hours for soaking the beans)
Preparation time: 20 minutes actual
Cooking time: 1.5 - 2 hours, depending on the beans
Servings: 8
Difficulty: medium (especially due to the organization of the phases)
Recipe type: traditional Romanian soup, suitable for lunch
Ingredients
500 g dried beans
250 g smoked sausage
150 g onion
200 g carrots
150 g parsley root
50 g tomato paste
100 ml oil
Salt, pepper
1 parsnip
Paprika (to taste)
5 cloves of garlic
Fresh lovage
Fresh parsley
50 ml vinegar
Thyme
Bay leaf
Vegetable seasoning (optional)
Preparation method
1. Clean the dried beans of any impurities or damaged beans, then wash them well in several waters. Soak them in cold water for at least 12 hours. I usually put them in the evening and use them the next day.
2. After soaking, drain the beans and put them to boil in cold water. Boil them for 15 minutes, then discard the water. Add fresh hot water, enough to cover the beans, and continue boiling over medium heat.
3. While the beans are boiling, prepare the vegetables: peel the onion, carrots, parsley root, and parsnip. Wash them well and chop them finely. For a pleasant texture in the soup, do not leave large pieces.
4. Cut the smoked sausage into small cubes. You can leave a few pieces slightly larger if you want them to be more noticeable in the end.
5. When the beans are halfway cooked (about an hour, but it depends on the variety and how old the beans are), add the chopped vegetables, a bay leaf, a little thyme, salt, pepper, and vegetable seasoning if using.
6. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and sauté the sausage cubes until they release their fat and are slightly browned.
7. Mix the tomato paste with about 75 ml of water to thin it out.
8. When the vegetables have softened in the soup (about 20-25 minutes after adding them), add the sautéed sausage along with the resulting oil and the diluted tomato paste. Add paprika if you want color and a little extra flavor.
9. Check again for salt and add more water if it reduces too much.
10. After all the vegetables and beans are well cooked, add the crushed garlic, then turn off the heat. Adjust the taste with vinegar to your preference.
11. Finally, sprinkle chopped fresh lovage and parsley on top. The soup is served hot, with additional greens if you wish.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s a recipe I can rely on when I need something hearty and easy to adapt to what I have at home. I like that I can make a large pot and have food for several days. It doesn’t require special ingredients, and the smoked sausage gives the specific flavor to the bean soup. It’s also useful for fasting if you omit the sausage.
Tips and variations
Tips
If you want the beans to boil faster, you can change the water two or three times at the beginning of the boiling.
Add salt only after the beans are almost cooked, otherwise, they will harden while boiling.
For an extra flavor, you can add a pinch of smoked paprika.
Substitutions
You can replace the sausage with another smoked meat (pork belly, hock, smoked pork).
Lovage can be replaced with dill, but the final taste will be slightly different.
If you don’t have tomato paste, use a few ripe tomatoes, chopped and added to boil with the vegetables.
Variations
For a thicker soup, leave the vegetables in larger pieces or mash some of the beans at the end.
Those who prefer spicy can add a little hot pepper when serving.
If you make the soup for fasting, skip the sausage and use more vegetables (e.g., celery or bell pepper).
Serving ideas
Serve hot, with greens on top and possibly a little raw red onion on the side.
It pairs well with fresh bread or polenta.
You can put the soup in bowls, large mugs, or soup pots for a rustic look.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use canned beans?
You can use them, but it significantly shortens the cooking time. However, the soup won’t be as flavorful as when boiling dried beans. If you choose the quick option, add the canned beans directly after sautéing the vegetables and sausage.
2. What do I do if the beans are cooking slowly?
If you have older beans, patience is needed, and maybe another water change at the beginning. In some cases, using a pressure cooker helps.
3. What kind of sausage is suitable?
The ideal is smoked sausage, but you can also use other types of smoked meat, as long as it’s not too salty or dry. Cut into small cubes, it distributes well in the soup.
4. How sour should the soup be?
Vinegar is added to taste. Some prefer a sourer soup, while others add just a little. It’s better to add gradually and taste along the way.
5. Can I add all the garlic at the beginning?
It’s better to add it at the end or towards the end, so it doesn’t lose its aroma. If you add it from the beginning, it will be very mild in flavor.
Nutritional values
Approximately, a serving of bean soup with sausage has about 300-350 kcal. Proteins mainly come from beans and sausage (12-15 g/serving), carbohydrates are provided by beans and vegetables (30-35 g/serving), and fats come from sausage and oil (10-12 g/serving). These are indicative values, depending greatly on how much meat and oil you use and how dense you make the soup.
Storage and reheating
The soup stores well in the refrigerator, in covered containers, for 3-4 days. Reheat it over low heat, so it doesn’t stick. You can add a little water if it thickens too much. I do not recommend storing it in the freezer – the beans change texture when thawed, and the soup will not taste the same.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours (plus 12 hours for soaking the beans)
Preparation time: 20 minutes actual
Cooking time: 1.5 - 2 hours, depending on the beans
Servings: 8
Difficulty: medium (especially due to the organization of the phases)
Recipe type: traditional Romanian soup, suitable for lunch
Ingredients
500 g dried beans
250 g smoked sausage
150 g onion
200 g carrots
150 g parsley root
50 g tomato paste
100 ml oil
Salt, pepper
1 parsnip
Paprika (to taste)
5 cloves of garlic
Fresh lovage
Fresh parsley
50 ml vinegar
Thyme
Bay leaf
Vegetable seasoning (optional)
Preparation method
1. Clean the dried beans of any impurities or damaged beans, then wash them well in several waters. Soak them in cold water for at least 12 hours. I usually put them in the evening and use them the next day.
2. After soaking, drain the beans and put them to boil in cold water. Boil them for 15 minutes, then discard the water. Add fresh hot water, enough to cover the beans, and continue boiling over medium heat.
3. While the beans are boiling, prepare the vegetables: peel the onion, carrots, parsley root, and parsnip. Wash them well and chop them finely. For a pleasant texture in the soup, do not leave large pieces.
4. Cut the smoked sausage into small cubes. You can leave a few pieces slightly larger if you want them to be more noticeable in the end.
5. When the beans are halfway cooked (about an hour, but it depends on the variety and how old the beans are), add the chopped vegetables, a bay leaf, a little thyme, salt, pepper, and vegetable seasoning if using.
6. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and sauté the sausage cubes until they release their fat and are slightly browned.
7. Mix the tomato paste with about 75 ml of water to thin it out.
8. When the vegetables have softened in the soup (about 20-25 minutes after adding them), add the sautéed sausage along with the resulting oil and the diluted tomato paste. Add paprika if you want color and a little extra flavor.
9. Check again for salt and add more water if it reduces too much.
10. After all the vegetables and beans are well cooked, add the crushed garlic, then turn off the heat. Adjust the taste with vinegar to your preference.
11. Finally, sprinkle chopped fresh lovage and parsley on top. The soup is served hot, with additional greens if you wish.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s a recipe I can rely on when I need something hearty and easy to adapt to what I have at home. I like that I can make a large pot and have food for several days. It doesn’t require special ingredients, and the smoked sausage gives the specific flavor to the bean soup. It’s also useful for fasting if you omit the sausage.
Tips and variations
Tips
If you want the beans to boil faster, you can change the water two or three times at the beginning of the boiling.
Add salt only after the beans are almost cooked, otherwise, they will harden while boiling.
For an extra flavor, you can add a pinch of smoked paprika.
Substitutions
You can replace the sausage with another smoked meat (pork belly, hock, smoked pork).
Lovage can be replaced with dill, but the final taste will be slightly different.
If you don’t have tomato paste, use a few ripe tomatoes, chopped and added to boil with the vegetables.
Variations
For a thicker soup, leave the vegetables in larger pieces or mash some of the beans at the end.
Those who prefer spicy can add a little hot pepper when serving.
If you make the soup for fasting, skip the sausage and use more vegetables (e.g., celery or bell pepper).
Serving ideas
Serve hot, with greens on top and possibly a little raw red onion on the side.
It pairs well with fresh bread or polenta.
You can put the soup in bowls, large mugs, or soup pots for a rustic look.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use canned beans?
You can use them, but it significantly shortens the cooking time. However, the soup won’t be as flavorful as when boiling dried beans. If you choose the quick option, add the canned beans directly after sautéing the vegetables and sausage.
2. What do I do if the beans are cooking slowly?
If you have older beans, patience is needed, and maybe another water change at the beginning. In some cases, using a pressure cooker helps.
3. What kind of sausage is suitable?
The ideal is smoked sausage, but you can also use other types of smoked meat, as long as it’s not too salty or dry. Cut into small cubes, it distributes well in the soup.
4. How sour should the soup be?
Vinegar is added to taste. Some prefer a sourer soup, while others add just a little. It’s better to add gradually and taste along the way.
5. Can I add all the garlic at the beginning?
It’s better to add it at the end or towards the end, so it doesn’t lose its aroma. If you add it from the beginning, it will be very mild in flavor.
Nutritional values
Approximately, a serving of bean soup with sausage has about 300-350 kcal. Proteins mainly come from beans and sausage (12-15 g/serving), carbohydrates are provided by beans and vegetables (30-35 g/serving), and fats come from sausage and oil (10-12 g/serving). These are indicative values, depending greatly on how much meat and oil you use and how dense you make the soup.
Storage and reheating
The soup stores well in the refrigerator, in covered containers, for 3-4 days. Reheat it over low heat, so it doesn’t stick. You can add a little water if it thickens too much. I do not recommend storing it in the freezer – the beans change texture when thawed, and the soup will not taste the same.