Bulgarian · Soup
White beans, sweet paprika and vegetables in a savory broth.
Photo by Gillgaramond · CC BY-SA 4.0 · No local modifications; served from the Wikimedia Commons original.
Bob chorba is a Bulgarian bean soup whose comforting flavor comes from patient-cooked beans, sweet paprika and vegetables rather than meat. Dried mint is a recognizable finishing note in many home versions.
Technique notes
Recipe status
A named independent cook or chef has published a prepared version of this dish, and that verification is credited below. It verifies their version—not Gastromica’s exact quantities, timing or method. Measured search evidence, exact-recipe testing and final JB approval remain separate gates.
How the new system works →Evidence behind this edition
Reviewed August 2, 2026. Research sources inform this edition. Any external cook verification is separately named, linked and limited to the independently prepared version described in that source.
A Bulgarian dried-bean soup with onion, tomato/red pepper, carrot and herbs such as spearmint or savory, sometimes thickened or enriched with meat.
Declared allergens: wheat (if flour roux is retained)
Cook dried beans fully; refrigerate within 2 hours, use within 3–4 days, and reheat soup to a boil or 165°F/74°C.
Ingredient labels and cross-contact must be checked for the actual brands used; USDA temperatures are safety floors, not claims that the current recipe was tested.
Efimia, with Dale and Doina of Nomad Paradise is credited with preparing and publishing an independent version of this dish in Bob Chorba Recipe (A Hearty Bulgarian Soup to Feed the Whole Family) for Nomad Paradise.
What this supports: dish identity, method, texture/doneness, serving result.
Verifies an independently prepared version of the dish, not Gastromica’s exact recipe. This version uses celery, chili, flour and oregano, while noting spearmint or savory as alternatives.
Bulgarian kitchen
Make Bulgarian bob chorba with white beans, tomato, carrot, sweet paprika and mint for a hearty vegan soup.
Drain soaked beans, cover with fresh water and boil for 10 minutes; drain again.
Heat oil in a soup pot. Cook onion, carrots and pepper for 8 minutes; add garlic, paprika and tomato paste for 1 minute.
Add beans, bay and water. Simmer partially covered for 60–75 minutes, until the beans are completely tender.
Add salt, mash one ladle of beans into the broth and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in mint and parsley.
Review ingredient labels for allergens and cross-contact. Follow the recipe’s handling notes, refrigerate perishable food promptly, and use an instant-read thermometer where a safe internal temperature is specified.
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Research EditionGood to know
Bob chorba is a Bulgarian bean soup whose comforting flavor comes from patient-cooked beans, sweet paprika and vegetables rather than meat. Dried mint is a recognizable finishing note in many home versions.
Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for 2 months; loosen with water when reheating.
Serve with crusty bread, pickled peppers or a spoonful of chile paste.
