I grew up with soups like this on repeat, and I still think it’s one of the most satisfying bowls you can make with humble ingredients. It’s hearty, it reheats like a dream, and it’s the exact thing you want when the weather turns or you just want something steady and real.

I like serving mine with a few Kalamata olives dropped right into the bowl and a piece of crusty bread on the side to soak up the broth. That salty olive + tomato + bean combo is hard to beat.

If you’ve never made fasolada before, this version stays traditional, tastes big, and doesn’t get fussy.

Greek Youvetsi is a traditional comfort dish of braised lamb cooked in a rich tomato sauce and finished with orzo pasta. It was one of my favorite meals growing up, and this version uses both lamb shanks and shoulder chops for extra flavor with slightly saucier orzo that reheats beautifully as leftovers.

I’ve wanted to make this for a long time, and it finally happened because my girlfriend’s mom gave me star anise — which pushed me toward a braised dish. I kept it no-wine, one pot, and built it for leftovers.

It didn’t look like the youvetsi I remember, but it tasted like comfort food should: deep, warm, and better the next day.