This White Bean Kale Soup is hearty, warming, delicious, and PACKED with nutritious ingredients. Be sure to read the notes below the recipe for lots of recipe variations and ideas for what to add to this soup!
3-4cupsfresh kale leavesribs remove and torn or chopped into bite-sized pieces (hint: prep the kale while the soup is cooking to save time)
1-3tablespoonslemon juiceto taste, start with 1 tablespoon
optional: saltto taste, or stir in additional Better than Bouillon paste
optional: pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook stirring regularly until beginning to turn golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. Do not let it burn.
Add the carrot and celery and cook for 3 minutes, stirring regularly, until celery is beginning to soften.
Add the minced garlic, rosemary, coriander, and tomato paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring consistently.
Add the white beans and broth. Stir to scrape everything off the bottom of the pot. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, until the carrots are soft enough for your liking.
While the soup is cooking, wash and prep the kale: Tear the leafy parts off the ribs and rip or chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Once the carrots have softened, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the kale leaves. Stir to submerge kale and cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until the kale is tender and cooked to your liking. Taste and adjust lemon juice and salt as needed. Serve hot, or allow to cool to room temperature and keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Notes
Recipe variations to try:
Stir in a few tablespoons of heavy cream or cashew cream for a creamy soup.
Another option to make a creamier soup, use an immersion blender to puree the soup just for a few quick burstsbefore adding the kale. This will leave some of the beans and veggies intact for texture, but will puree the soup just a little bit for thickness.
Stir in fresh herbs, such as finely diced parsley or cilantro as soon as the soup is done cooking. Or add a sprig of fresh rosemary to the broth as the soup cooks.
Stir in a couple of bay leaves.
If you have a piece of Parmesan rind, add it to the broth as the soup is cooking. It will add some rich savory flavor (but obviously the soup won't be vegan anymore). Or serve with freshly grated Parmesan.
Add more veggies or potatoes: dice Yukon gold potatoes or parsnips and add them along with the broth.
If using fresh baby spinach or swiss chard leaves, reduce cook time after adding the greens.