CookTheGreekWay

There are dishes that were never meant to impress — they were meant to sustain people. Beans with cabbage is one of them. Authentic, Thessalian, old-fashioned.

A dish of winter, of the plains, of cold days and simple homes. Slowly cooked in a pot, with few ingredients, no sauces, no excess. Only what the house had.

It is not festive food. It is everyday food. But it is filling, honest, and deeply Greek.

Beans with Cabbage – Traditional Thessalian Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried beans (medium-sized)
• ½ white cabbage, roughly chopped1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3–4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 carrot
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Hot water

Method

• Soak the beans overnight.
• Boil them in fresh water for about 30 minutes, then drain.
• In a pot, heat the olive oil and gently soften the onion over low heat (do not let it brown).
• Add the beans, carrot, and bay leaf.
• Pour in hot water just enough to cover them and let them simmer.
• Add the cabbage, salt, and pepper.
• Continue cooking until everything is tender and the liquid lightly thickens — this is not meant to be soupy.
• If needed, add only hot water during cooking.

Served

• With homemade rustic bread
• With raw onion on the side
• Often with pickled cabbage or peppers
• And a little feta cheese, when available

Authentic Thessalian Variations

• With hot chili peppers in mountain villages
• With garlic instead of onion (rougher, stronger flavor)
• With a little cured pork on non-fasting days
• Cooked thicker — even better the next day

Extra Tips

• This dish needs low heat and time — never rush it
• Do not add tomato or herbs; they alter its traditional character
• If the sauce thickens and settles, that’s exactly how it should be
• Best eaten hot, but even better reheated the next day

Why This Dish Is “True” Thessalian

• Legumes + cabbage = winter survival staples
• No tomato, no heavy seasoning
• Pot-cooked, not baked
• Food of simplicity, endurance, and necessity

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use canned beans?

Not if you want the authentic result. Dried beans give body and depth.

2. Is this recipe vegan?

Yes, naturally vegan and suitable for fasting.

3. Why is there no tomato?

Because this is an old winter countryside recipe — tomatoes were not always available.

4. Is it good the next day?

Absolutely. Many say it tastes even better.