Bob Chorba (Bulgarian White Bean Soup)
Bulgaria's everyday bean soup: creamy haricot beans, carrot and peppers in a paprika oil, finished with dried mint.
- Time2 hr (plus soaking)
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.43 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 159kcal
- 16gcarbs
- 4.8gof which sugars
- 8gfat
- 2.2gsaturates
- 5.3gprotein
- 5.6gfibre
- 1.7gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Drain the soaked beans, put them in a large pot with fresh cold water to cover and bring to the boil. Boil hard for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse.
10 min - 2
Return the beans to the pot with the 1.5 litres (1500 ml) of water. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 30 minutes.
30 min - 3
Add the onion, carrots, pepper and tomatoes. Simmer for another 40 minutes until the beans are very soft and the broth has thickened a little.
40 min - 4
Heat the oil in a small pan on low. Take it off the heat, stir in the paprika and savory (it burns fast), then pour the sizzling oil into the soup.
- 5
Stir in the salt and simmer for 10 minutes. Mash a few spoonfuls of beans against the side of the pot if you want it thicker.
10 min - 6
Serve with the dried mint and chilli flakes sprinkled over, and good bread.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
