Quick & Easy White Bean Kale Soup

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• it only takes about 30 minutes to make this recipe
• you will use kitchen staple ingredients
• it is full of healthy vegetables and plant proteins
• the recipe is very flexible depending on your preferences and what you have available and 

The ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients for this kale soup recipe: 

• White beans: I love using a hearty white bean such as great Northern beans 
• Oil: A neutral cooking oil such as avocado oil but extra-virgin olive oil is great, too
• Onion: What’s a good soup without some onion?
• Carrot: This root vegetable adds color and flavor
• Celery: I like the gently saltiness of the celery in soups
• Potato: A potato gives this soup more substance but also a nice creaminess
• Chicken stock: While you could use water, chicken broth or my own bone broth adds more depth of flavor
• Garlic: We always love a lot of garlic for the flavor and the health benefits
• Bay leaf: I like the subtle fragrant flavor of bay leaves
• Kale: Tuscan kale my preferred type of kale in this recipe
• Rosemary: This mediterranean herb is essential in this soup
• Parmesan rind: I always have some rinds of parmesan cheese in the freezer to add them to soups for a bit of umami flavor
• Seasoning: Some high-quality sea salt and fresh ground black pepper is all you need

Useful tools and equipment

Other than a Dutch oven or large pot and regular kitchen tools,  you don’t need anything special for the basic recipe. However, check out the next paragraph with some ideas on how to modify it. 

Substitutions and variations

This is always the fun part!

• Beans: While I have my favorite, any type of white beans will work in this recipe such as cannellini beans, white kidney beans, butter beans, or navy beans. While I always like to use canned beans, you can certainly use dry beans. In that case, you would need to soak them ahead of time and cook them until soft. 
• Vegetables: You can omit the carrot and celery or add your favorite vegetables as you like. I have even used butternut squash with great success. 
• Kale: Lacinato kale is the best choice but you can use other types of kale, Swiss chard, or baby spinach.
• Meat: Feel free to add some cooked chicken, chicken sausage, or Italian sausage to make this soup more filling. 
• Broth: If you would like to make this dish absolute meat-free, you can substitute vegetable broth or white wine for the chicken stock.
• Seasoning: You can also add your favorite herbs such sage or parsley, Italian seasoning, or a splash of lemon juice or lemon zest.
• Creaminess: For an even creamier soup, you could add heavy cream, sour cream, coconut milk, or cashew cream. Alternatively, you can blend the all the beans or half of the soup with an immersion blender or high-speed blender.

Other ways to prepare: I make this soup on my stove top. However, using an instant pot or slow cooker would be perfect for this white bean soup recipe.

How to serve

This creamy soup is substantial enough to serve it on its own but we love to have it with a nice green salad and some fresh baked crusty bread. A slice of garlic bread would also be great with your bowl of soup. 

How long does it last?

If you would like to keep any leftover soup, I recommend transferring it to an airtight container. You can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

You can also store it in your freezer for up to 3 months. It is best to let it thaw in your refrigerator then. 

Other delicious soup recipes you might like

German Pea Soup

One Pot Pumpkin Stew

Easy Creamy Root Celery Soup

How to make this dish

1. Prepare the vegetables:

Clean, trim, and peel where necessary and cut all the vegetables into small pieces. Keep them separate and set them aside. 

2. Sautee the vegetables:

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions and sauté them until translucent.

Add the beans, carrot, celery, garlic, and potatoes, and sauté for a few minutes. Add the broth, chicken stock, parmesan rind, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, turn to simmer, cover, and cook until all the vegetables are just about soft. 

3. Cook the soup:

Add the chopped kale and cook just until the kale has wilted. Remove the rosemary stem, bay leaf, and the parmesan rind. Season with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. 

4. Serve

Ladle into individual soup bowls. Optional: sprinkle with some freshly grated parmesan, chopped rosemary, and red chili flakes.