This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy

This Romanian Bean Soup with Smoked Meat and Tarragon (Ciorbă de Fasole cu Afumătură și Tarhon) is hearty, comforting and delicious. As with most recipes in Romania, every household puts their own little spin on it. This version is courtesy of my in-laws who live in Brașov, a city nestled in the Carpathian mountains in the Transylvanian region of Romania.

Romanian Bean Soup with Smoked Meat Recipe Easy

What is Ciorbă de fasole cu afumătură?

Ciorbă de fasole is a traditional Romanian dish, translating to “bean soup”. It’s hearty, flavourful, made primarily with dried white beans (often navy beans or cannellini beans), a variety root vegetables, and herbs.

Afumătură refers to smoked meat in Romanian cuisine. It’s a general term used to describe various types of meats that have been smoked, often to preserve them and enhance their flavor. Afumătură is a key ingredient in many traditional Romanian dishes like this bean soup, adding a rich, smoky depth of flavour.

The type of afumătură you use depends on availability and personal preference. In Romania, pork reigns supreme and is undoubtedly the most common type of smoked meat. You can find smoked pork knuckle, smoked pork ribs, smoked pork loin, smoked pork sausage, etc.

Personally, I prefer the taste of this Romanian bean soup when made with smoked turkey. You can use smoked turkey leg, thigh, wings or a combination of the three. It gives the soup the same smokey flavour but is much leaner, making the soup much less greasy and fatty.

 Romanian Bean Soup with Smoked Meat Recipe, Ciorba de Fasole cu Afumatura

Ingredients You Need for Romanian Bean Soup with Smoked Meat

  • Smoked Meat: The main flavour of this soup comes from smoked meat (AKA afumătură in Romanian). Smoked pork knuckle (ciolan) is most often used, but you can substitute just about any kind of smoked meat you like, such as smoked pork ribs or smoked sausage. My mother-in-law likes to use smoked turkey legs and wings, which gives you a delicious smoky flavour and aroma but a much less greasy and fatty finished product. Personally, I prefer it with smoked turkey but feel free to use any kind of smoked meat you like.
  • Beans: It wouldn’t be a bean soup without the beans! For sake of time and convenience, my in-laws like to use canned white beans in the soup. They make for a softer and creamier finished product, which I tend to prefer. You can use any kind of white bean you like, such as navy, white kidney or cannellini.

    Small and dried white beans, specifically fasole de boabe, are more commonly used in Romania. Keep in mind that if you use dried beans, you will need to soak them in water overnight and then boil them in fresh water for a couple of hours, or until sotened, before adding them to the soup.
  • Vegetables: This soup is loaded with a combination of onion, carrot, parsley root, celery root, and bell pepper. This same combination of root vegetables is also used a variety of other Romanian soups, like this Meatball Soup.
  • Fresh Herbs: Thyme, parsley and tarragon really bring this Romanian bean soup to life. Fresh will give you the best aroma and flavour, but you can substitute dried if that’s what is available to you. If you use dried herbs, use approximately half the amount listed for fresh.

    The tarragon (tarhon) in particular adds a very pronounced flavour and aroma to the dish. It has the ability to overpower some of the other flavours in the soup, specifically the smokiness from the meat, so add a little at a time until you reach your preferred amount.
  • Garlic: Adding lots of finely chopped garlic a few minutes before the soup is finished cooking will kick the flavours up a couple notches and compliment the smoky flavours.
  • Sliced Raw Red Onion: This soup is customarily served at the table with some thinly sliced red onion. Like the garlic, it helps cut through the richness of the smoked meat – especially if using smoked pork knuckle.
 Romanian Bean Soup with Smoked Meat Recipe, Ciorba de Fasole cu Afumatura

Can You Freeze Leftovers?

Yes! You can absolutely prepare this Romanian Bean Soup in advance and freeze any leftovers. In fact, I almost always make a double batch to purposely freeze for an easy meal on a rainy day! Just be sure to let the soup come to room temperature before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. Also be sure to leave some headroom to account for expansion as the liquid freezes.

When you’re ready to eat the soup, simply transfer it to a pot and heat it over medium-high heat until it starts to simmer and the meatballs are warmed through.

Why You’ll Love This Romanian Bean Soup

  • Super easy! The soup comes together in a single pot so you get maximum flavour and minimum cleanup!
  • Delicious! The combination of savoury, smoky and herby flavours work together to create delicious mouthfuls of soup.
  • Hearty! It’s high-protein and high-fibre with plenty of smoked turkey and root vegetables.
  • Feeds a crowd! The best part of this soup is you can make a big pot for a large crowd or freeze leftovers for a rainy day.
  • Tastes Better the Next Day! The flavours continue to develop as the soup cools down and gets reheated the next day.
Romanian Bean Soup with Smoked Meat Ciorba de Fasole cu Afumatura
Save this recipe straight to your email inbox!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
5 from 1 vote

Romanian Bean Soup with Smoked Meat and Tarragon

This Romanian Bean Soup with Smoked Meat and Tarragon (Ciorba de Fasole cu Afumatura si Tarhon) is hearty, comforting and delicious.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound bone-in smoked turkey legs or wings, substitute smoked pork hock or smoked pork ribs
  • 1 large white onion, diced
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 medium celery root, peeled and diced
  • 1 medium parsley root, peeled and diced, substitute parsnip
  • 2 small sprigs fresh thyme, substitute 1 teaspoon dried
  • 28 oz canned white kidney beans, substitute cannellini beans
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
  • Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions 

  • Rinse the smoked turkey and add it to a large stock pot with 5 quarts of cold water. Set over high heat, bring to a boil, cover partially with a lid and cook until the meat is tender and starts to fall away from the bone, around 1.5 hours. Reserving the cooking liquid, transfer the turkey to a bowl, let cool to the touch, separate the meat from the bone and roughly chop the meat. Set aside.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low or a gentle simmer and add the white onion, carrot, bell pepper, celery root, parsley root and thyme. If necessary, add more water to the pot for a total of 5 quarts. Cover partially with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have slightly softened, around 15 minutes. Add the beans, tomato paste, reserved shredded turkey meat and bones, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and fork-tender, around 10 minutes. Add the garlic, tarragon, and half the parsley. Cook for 2 minutes, taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as desired.
  • For best flavour, let the soup sit for at least 30 minutes before serving in individual bowls garnished with parsley and red onion on the side.

Video

Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below!

About the Author

Hi, i’m Ronny! In 2013, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight and body issues, I rehabilitated my relationship with food, lost over 40 pounds and completely changed my life.

You May Also Like

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





1 Comment

  1. 5 stars
    I had never made a soup with smoked meat before, this is NEXT LEVEL! Wow, just gives the broth this fantastic flavour! This soup is so comforting, Ronnie’s recipes are always on point, so I’m not surprised this was sooo good. Even a hit with my daughter that “doesn’t like soup”!! Followed the recipe exactly!