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a blue pot of white bean soup with kale on a white surface.
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Creamy White Bean Soup with Kale

This nourishing Creamy White Bean Soup with Kale will fuel and delight you in equal measure. Surprisingly creamy and with a few easy flavor boosters, this soup is luxurious, wholesome (20g fiber + 17g protein!), and perfect for meal prep—a win-win-win!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion (or leek), diced
  • 3 sticks of celery, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 3 ½ cups (840 mL) vegetable broth (see Note 2)
  • ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1 medium (~6 oz or 170g) Yukon gold potato, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 (15-ounce/425g) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or 3 1/2 cups cooked cannellini beans)
  • 1 (14 ounce/400g) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped finely (optional)
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • Bouquet garni: 2 bay leaves + 1 large sprig of sage + 1 large or 2 small sprigs rosemary, tied tightly together with kitchen twine (see Note 3)
  • 1 small head of lacinato kale, center rib removed and shredded (about 1 small bunch)
  • 1 to 2 tbsp Good-quality extra virgin olive oil (for finishing)

Gremolata

  • 1 loosely packed cup (12g) flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • ½ loosely packed cup (8g) fresh basil leaves
  • 1 clove garlic, left whole and peeled
  • 2 medium lemons (I prefer organic since we're using the peel)
  • Flaky sea salt

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion, celery, and carrots, along with a pinch or two of salt. Cook until the vegetables are softened and starting to just turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until very fragrant.
  • Pour in a splash of vegetable broth to deglaze the pot as needed, stirring up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the remaining broth, potatoes, cannellini beans, and artichokes (if using), several cracks of pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt (1/4 tsp sea salt or table salt). Stir well. Nestle the bouquet garni into the soup.
  • Bring the soup to a boil. Then reduce heat, cover the pot, and simmer the soup for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
  • While the soup is simmering, make the Gremolata.
    Finely chop the parsley and basil. Using a microplane, grate the garlic directly over the parsley and basil. Then zest the lemons on top of this mixture, taking care to not zest the white pith underneath the skin.
    Mix the garlic and lemon zest into the herbs and chop the herbs until they’re finely minced. Sprinkle with a bit of the coarse or flaky sea salt.
  • When the soup is done simmering, remove the bouquet garni.
    Transfer half of the soup to a stand blender and blend until thick and smooth. Then return this pureed soup back to the pot and stir to incorporate.
    OR, for a one-pot option, use an immersion blender throughout half of the soup, but be sure to not blend it all - you want to retain some texture.
  • Add the kale to the soup and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the kale is tender but still bright green. Taste for seasonings, adding salt to taste and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired.
  • Serve the soup in bowls and sprinkle a generous amount of the Gremolata over each bowl and a drizzle of the extra virgin olive oil.
    If storing leftovers, add the gremolata to a jar, drizzle some olive oil in there, and refrigerate. Spoon this over leftover soup.

Video

Notes

  1. Instant Pot instructions can be found in the first FAQ in the blog post. 
  2. Use 3 1/2 cups of broth (840 mL) if you want the soup to be very thicker; use 4 cups (960 mL) of broth for a slightly thinner but still chunky texture. If using low-sodium vegetable broth, you will need to use considerably more salt in step 3.
  3. Don't have kitchen twine? You can do the following:
    1. Just add the herb sprigs into the pot and use tongs to remove them after cooking; or
    2. MacGyver it: tie the herbs using a leftover scallion, a long sturdy stem of parsley, or the string from a tea bag; or
    3. Chop the herbs (not the bay leaves) and sauté them when you add the garlic
 

Nutrition

Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 8.3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 987mg | Potassium: 1503mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 11429IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 282mg | Iron: 8mg