Tuscan white bean soup with kale is an easy vegan recipe brimming with fresh herbs, vegetables, and zesty, lemony flavor. It's a one-pot quick soup made with healthy plant-based ingredients, no added oil, that's dairy-free and gluten-free.
For this recipe, I used the simple method of blending one can of beans and its liquid to make a creamy white bean soup without adding thickeners like coconut milk, cashew cream, or cornstarch. And it works like a dream. Plus, you get the added nutrition of more beans.
If you're looking for more quick soups, check out creamy gnocchi soup or pineapple red lentil soup, or for a heartier, longer simmer, lentil and barley soup is a fantastic soup recipe.
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Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A healthy recipe made with whole food ingredients.
- Quick to make, meal prep, and freezer-friendly.
- Take this delicious soup from prep to table in 45 minutes or less.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- White Beans. White cannellini beans are my personal favorite for this soup. Navy beans (pea beans), Great Northern beans, or white kidney beans are good substitutes. You can also use canned or cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
- Kale. If you want to be authentic, try Tuscan kale (Italian/lacinato kale). Honestly, any variety, including more common curly kale (Winterbor kale), which I used, adds texture, flavor, and nutrients. Swiss chard or fresh spinach are substitutes you might consider.
- Fresh herbs. I used a combination of fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, and chopped basil. Hearty herbs, like thyme and rosemary, can be added before simmering the soup. Add softer, delicate herbs, like basil, at the end of cooking.
- Vegetable broth. I usually make broth using vegan vegetable stock cubes. Vegan chicken broth is another great option.
- Lemon juice. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds vibrance to the kale's earthy flavor. You may want to experiment with the amount. I recommend 2 tablespoons (about ½ a fresh lemon), with more lemon wedges for serving.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Recipe Variations
- Make this recipe using frozen kale, greens, or spinach. Thaw, then press any excess moisture before adding it to the soup.
- Another vegetable option to consider is diced zucchini, which also adds creaminess.
Fresh to Dried Herbs Conversions
The depth of flavor for this soup recipe comes partly from plenty of herbs. You can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried thyme and dried rosemary, respectively. Fresh basil is trickier. The best substitute is fresh parsley. If you take this option, add a teaspoon of dried basil, added with the rest of the dried herbs.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Blend 1 can of undrained white beans with 1 cup of broth. Set aside.
Heat a large Dutch oven or medium soup pot to medium heat. Cook the onions, carrots, and celery to soften. Add the garlic, chopped thyme and rosemary, plus salt and pepper.
Stir in the vegetable broth, remaining beans, and blended beans. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Add chopped kale, fresh basil, and lemon juice.
Pro Tips
- I recommend chopping fresh thyme and rosemary leaves because this recipe has a shorter cooking time. When I make soups that require longer cooking times, like tomato lentil soup, I add the entire sprig and let the leaves simmer off.
- For a thicker soup, simmer for longer and smash a few of the whole white beans.
Forget to Save White Bean Liquid? Do This Instead
It happens. And here's the easy solution. Add 1 can of drained white beans (1 ½ cups) with 2 cups of vegetable broth to a blender or small food processor like a Nutrabullet. Blend until smooth. When making the soup, add 3 more cups of broth. The soup will still be creamy.
Serving Suggestions
Serve white bean kale soup with crusty bread for scooping or air fryer croutons for soaking up the flavor. My favorite is topping it with a little quick cashew parmesan or savory hemp seed parmesan cheese, but this hearty soup is happy with a smattering of red pepper flakes and a few lemon wedges as a garnish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store white bean soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for 3 months.
The best way to make this recipe using dried beans is to cook them beforehand in plenty of liquid with a pinch of salt. Soak them first and cook them on the stovetop or Instant Pot.
If you add a can of diced or crushed tomatoes to this recipe, cut the amount of broth by 1 cup (you may need to adjust this). You can also add chopped fresh tomatoes or a tablespoon of tomato paste. All these additions will create a flavor different from the original but still quite delicious.
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale
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Ingredients
- 4 ½ cups cannelloni beans - 3 - 15-ounce/400-gram cans. Important: drain only 2 cans, save 1 can plus the liquid for blending
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 medium onion - chopped (1 cup)
- 4 cups carrots - peeled and sliced or diced
- 2 stalks celery - chopped (½ cup)
- 3 cloves garlic - minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme - leaves chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary - leaves chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup fresh basil - chopped
- 4 cups kale - chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil - leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - more if desired
Instructions
- Empty 1 can of beans with the liquid plus 1 cup of vegetable broth in a blender, small food processor, or immersion blender container. Blend the beans and liquid until smooth. Set aside. Drain the remaining 2 cans and set them aside.
- Heat a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook the vegetables for 3-4 minutes until they soften.
- Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir to mix. (about 30 seconds).
- Pour in the remaining vegetable broth. Stir with a wooden spoon or non-abrasive utensil to clear the bottom of the pot.
- Add the pureed beans and whole white beans. Bring the ingredients to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ½ cup of vegetable broth or more as needed if the soup is too thick.
- Stir in the kale, basil, and lemon juice. Continue simmering for another 5 minutes to soften the kale.
- Taste and add more lemon juice, salt, or pepper if desired.
Notes
- If you mistakenly drain all the beans, blend 1 ½ cups with 2 cups of vegetable broth. You'll need another 3 cups of broth for the soup.
- To store, cool the soup to room temperature and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for 3 months.
- To use frozen kale or spinach, thaw it, then press out any excess water before adding it to the soup.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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Aloe Vera Universe says
I tried this Soup the other day ! Next time i'll send you pictures.
Thanks a lot for the Share !
Your TribeMate
Rebecca Van Der Grool V.D.R.
Aloe Sport Global
Denise says
Fantastic. I'd love to see pictures. That makes it 'real' 🙂