Rustic Green Bean Soup {Mahuna}

A clay bowl full of green bean soup with other vegetables, like potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes visible in the broth. The bowl is sitting on a rustic wooden cutting board on top of a table with a spoon sticking in it.

5 from 5 votes

A green bean soup full of flavor and vegetables. This soup is called mahuna in Croatia, where it is a hearty and healthy busy day soup that can be quickly prepared with either garden fresh or frozen and canned ingredients.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Soup

Cuisine: European

Servings:

Calories: 187kcal

Author: Jana Dziak

Ingredients

2 lbs Green Beans washed and one end trimmed.
2 Large Carrots peeled and roughly chopped.
1 Large Onion small diced
2 Large Potatoes peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces.
5 Cloves Garlic minced
1 Can Whole or Diced Tomatoes or 4-5 large, very ripe fresh tomatoes
1.5 Quarts Water or bone broth

Instructions

Prep and wash all of your ingredients. Chop and dice the onions and carrots. Mince the garlic. Remove the pointy end from the one side of the green bean.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and add onions, saute until light golden brown.
Add garlic and paprika, cook 1 more minute until fragrant, stirring the entire time.
Add the tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, and carrots. Add enough water or stock to cover the ingredients by an inch or so. You may need more or less water or stock.
Bring to a boil and then immediately bring the heat down to a simmer.
Season with a salt and pepper and Vegeta if using. Partially cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes until all the vegetables are tender.
Uncover pot and taste for seasoning, adjust salt if required.
If making a roux, start it 15 minutes into the cooking time:
Add 3 tablespoons of fat and 3 tablespoons of flour to a small pot or pan on medium-low heat, and constantly stir the fat and flour until it turns a medium golden blonde color.
Do not let the flour burn, or you will have to make the roux again.
Add the roux into the soup slowly, stirring gently the entire time — be careful that it does not splatter or splash back on you. Continue simmering soup for another 5 minutes.

Notes

Hint: Feel free to add cooked bacon or sausage into this green bean soup to make it even more filling and satisfying. Ground pork or beef is also a delicious addition. I like to sometimes serve this soup with grated parmesan on top.

Use smoked tomatoes instead of fresh or canned.

Storage, Freezing & Reheating

Green bean soup will stay fresh for up to 5 days, covered, in the refrigerator. It tstes even better if allowed to sit for a few hours, or the next day.

To reheat soup: ladle your desired portion into a pot and heat it on medium-low until it reaches the desired temperature.

To freeze soup: lt the soup cool down a bit first.

Ladle mahuna into plastic freezer-safe heavy-duty bags, silicone bags, or silicone souper cube trays (my favorite, they're amazing). If using plastic, let the soup come down to room temperature first.

Soups and stews can be popped out of the Souper Cubes once frozen and stacked neatly in your freezer for better organization.

Nutrition