Go Back
–+ servings
Top-down view of a bowl of creamy kale and white bean soup finished with gremolata.

Kale and White Bean Soup

easyhealthyrecipes.com/kale-and-white-bean-soup/
Full of fresh produce, nourishing vegetables, and lots of flavor, this kale and white bean soup is a simple, hearty meal at its finest.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Recipe makes approximately 6 servings

Equipment Needed

  • large, heavy-bottomed pot (or dutch oven)
  • large wooden spoon
  • standard blender (or immersion blender)
  • medium bowl (if using immersion blender)
  • Small mixing bowl
  • whisk

Ingredients Needed

For the Kale and White Bean Soup

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped onions (approximately 1 medium onion)
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic (approximately 3 cloves)
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves (from 1 6-inch-long sprig)
  • 1 15-ounce can white beans (or great northern beans)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (zest lemon before juicing)
  • salt (to taste)
  • freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
  • 5 cups chopped lacinato kale

For the Gremolata

  • ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 large pinch red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 large cloves fresh garlic (grated)
  • 1 large pinch salt

Instructions

For the Kale and White Bean Soup

  • Place large, heavy-bottomed pot on stovetop over medium heat. When pot is warm, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and continue heating pot until oil is hot and shimmery.
  • When oil is ready, add 1 cup chopped onions and stir to incorporate. Sauté onions until translucent, approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  • When onions have softened, add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves to pot. Stir to incorporate, then sauté garlic until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds.
  • Add 1 15-ounce can white beans and 4 cups vegetable broth. Stir to incorporate, then increase heat under pot to medium-high. Bring liquid to rolling boil, then immediately reduce heat under pot to medium.
  • When liquid begins to boil, carefully ladle half of soup into stand mixer. Let soup cool 3 to 5 minutes, then add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and blend soup on high speed until mixture is completely liquid. See Notes below for tips on safely blending hot liquids.
  • Return blended soup to pot and stir to incorporate. Season soup with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

For the Gremolata

  • Add ½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 large pinch red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup olive oil, and 3 large cloves fresh garlic to small mixing bowl. Stir ingredients together until fully incorporated.

To Serve the Soup

  • Increase heat under pot to high. Add 5 cups chopped lacinato kale to soup and stir to incorporate, then bring soup to boil. Boil soup until kale is slightly wilted adn bright green in color.
  • Taste soup and add salt and/or pepper if needed. When satisfied with flavor of soup, ladle soup into serving bowls. Top each serving with prepared gremolata to taste. Serve warm.

Recipe Notes

  • Leftovers: Refrigerate leftover soup separately from leftover gremolata. Keep each in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within 1 week.
 
Tips for Blending Hot Liquids
  1. Fill the blender no more than halfway. Work in batches as needed.
  2. Let the soup cool a bit before blending.
  3. Always blend hot liquids with the center cap of the blender lid removed. Cover the opening with a dish towel and hold the lid down firmly so it stays on and doesn't slosh any hot soup out.

Nutrition Info (Approximate)

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 253kcal | Protein: 9g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Total Carbs: 25g | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Net Carbs: 18g | Vitamin C: 27mg | Sodium: 122mg | Potassium: 540mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 3mg