Czech Fazolová Polévka (Bean Soup with Smoked Meat)

About This Recipe

Fazolová polévka, Czech bean soup, is built around dried beans simmered slowly with smoked pork — often a ham hock or smoked sausage — until the beans turn soft and the broth takes on a deep, smoky richness from the meat. It's a cold-weather staple, thick enough to eat as a full meal rather than a starter, and it reflects a broader Central European tradition of pairing legumes with smoked meats for a filling, economical dish. Marjoram, again, is the herb that ties this soup unmistakably to Czech cooking, added generously along with bay leaf and a touch of caraway for extra depth. A light roux of flour cooked in butter or rendered fat is often stirred in near the end to thicken the broth slightly, giving the soup body without making it heavy. The smoked meat should simmer long enough to release its flavor fully into the broth, then be pulled out, shredded or diced, and returned to the pot so every spoonful gets a bit of meat along with the tender beans. Served with a hunk of dark rye bread, this soup is classic Czech comfort food, especially during the colder months.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 cupsdried white or pinto beans(soaked overnight)
• 400 gsmoked pork hock or smoked sausage
• 1onion(diced)
• 2carrots(diced)
• 2celery stalks(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2bay leaves
• 1.5 tspdried marjoram
• 0.5 tspcaraway seeds
• 2 tbspbutter
• 2 tbspall-purpose flour
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)
• 8 cupswater or stock

Instructions

1. 1

   Simmer the beans and meat

   Combine soaked beans, smoked pork, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaves, marjoram, caraway and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered 60 to 75 minutes until the beans are tender.

2. 2

   Remove and shred the meat

   Lift out the smoked pork, shred or dice the meat, discarding any bone or excess fat, and return it to the pot.

3. 3

   Make a light roux

   In a small pan, melt butter and whisk in flour, cooking 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden.

   Cook the roux just until it smells toasty, not deeply browned — a light roux thickens the soup without overpowering it.

4. 4

   Thicken the soup

   Whisk a ladle of hot soup broth into the roux to loosen it, then stir the mixture back into the pot. Simmer 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

5. 5

   Season and serve

   Season with salt to taste, remove bay leaves, and serve hot with dark rye bread.

Variations

• •

  Use smoked ham or bacon in place of a pork hock for a quicker-cooking version.

• •

  Add diced potato for extra heartiness, a common regional variation.

• •

  Puree a portion of the finished soup and stir it back in for a thicker, creamier texture without adding dairy.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days; the flavor deepens overnight. This soup also freezes well for up to 3 months — thaw and reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if it's thickened too much.

Frequently Asked Questions