Lemony Kale and White Bean Soup
A simple, flavorful recipe for kale and white bean soup, with lots of lemon, garlic, and herbs – perfect healthy, comfort food! Gluten free and vegetarian options.
A cozy kale and white bean soup with lemon
In the late afternoon, before the ever-earlier evenings steal the last bits of our luminous, Northern, blue light, I’ve been in the habit of taking the pup to the off-leash dog park near our house.
Yesterday, the Honey was home a bit early from work and we bundled up to go; me in thermal tights, a long sweater, down jacket, thick cashmere/wool socks, fleece boots, and double-wrapped scarf, him in jeans and a t-shirt.
We walked the perimeter of the park – a mile or so through tall grass, past fading, wild, blackberry bushes and overhanging lichen-flecked pines. The pup ran spastic, looping circles ahead of us, stopping every few yards to look back and make sure we were following. We’d hit the park a little later than usual, and with the sun quickly setting, had it mostly to ourselves. The air was still and chilly. Peaceful. The scent of pine linger-
“Noooooooo… not in the – ughhhhh.” The Honey sighed, defeatedly.
The pup had stopped. The mud puddle his paws stood planted in extended across both edges of the path, and looked at least a few inches deep. As if to signal with full certainty that this was not in fact an accident, he plopped down into it, legs outstretched, and happily wiggled, properly covering his entire belly in the dark, murky goo. He wallowed there, looking particularly pleased with himself, until we caught up to him, and ruined all of the glorious fun.
As we made our way back to the parking lot, the pup dripping with sludge water, and planned our tag-team, backyard, freezing water hose-off, I took some consolation in the fact that we had several clean dog towels, and, more importantly, dinner was already cooked and waiting for us. And it was this flavorful, nourishing, kale and white bean soup.
Why you’ll love this kale and white bean soup
The base of this white bean soup starts with quick caramelized onions, which are layered upon with garlic, lemon and dried herbs – rosemary, thyme and Greek oregano – before simmering away in a rich chicken stock. You’ll want to use the most flavorful stock you can find – or better yet make your own – as it forms a bulk of the soup’s flavor.
For time and convenience’s sake, I used canned (precooked) beans, but you could certainly substitute dried beans. Simply increase the volume of stock and cooking time. I generally prefer Lacinato kale – the more delicate, darker-hued, flatter-leafed, Italian variety – also sometimes called Tuscan kale or Tuscan cabbage. It can also be referred to as dinosaur kale, due to the bumpy, reptilian quality of the leaves, which, is probably my favorite moniker.
If kale isn’t your thing, try using milder greens. Spinach and Swiss Chard come to mind, but really any dark leafy green will be well suited to this lemony, garlicky soup.
Ingredients in this white bean and kale soup
This cozy Tuscan-inspired soup is easy and healthy, and you likely have all of the ingredients in your pantry right now. Here’s what you’ll need:
- olive oil, onion, and garlic: forms the base of our soup, and a lovely trifecta to build lots of flavor upon.
- butter: adds an extra layer of flavor. For a plant based version you can simply swap in olive oil or a vegan butter.
- herbs: aromatic rosemary, thyme, and oregano. You can also use fresh.
- lemon: fresh lemon juice adds such brightness. I always reach for Meyer lemons for added sweetness and flavor when available.
- chicken or vegetable stock: use a really good, rich stock for the best overall flavor. Homemade is even better if you have it.
- salt and pepper: just a pinch of each intensifies all the other flavors. My favorite salt is Diamond Crystal.
- cannellini beans: white beans are naturally creamy, and add heartiness to this otherwise veggie-filled soup. Use your favorite white bean here (cannellini, navy, great northern, etc.). Don’t worry about rinsing the beans. The extra starch helps naturally thicken the soup – but if you have trouble digesting beans you can always add that step.
- kale: adds freshness and nutritional value. I prefer the Lacinato variety, but you can use curly kale, spinach, or Swiss chard as well.
Find all the exact measurements and recipe instructions below.
For a creamier soup (without adding cream)
If you’d like a thicker, creamier soup, after adding the beans to the broth (but before the greens), blend together up to half of the soup in a high speed blender. Stir the blended soup back in and voila! The beans will make it extra creamy. No cream or milk or cheese required. (You can also use an immersion blender. Just be sure to leave some of the beans and veggies intact for texture).
Other healthy and delicious soup recipes you’ll love:
- Tomato, white bean, and kale soup
- Tuscan white bean and butternut squash soup
- Simple weeknight chicken ramen
- Ginger noodle soup with Swiss chard
If you make this kale and white bean soup, be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #forkknifeswoon and leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura
PrintLemony Kale and White Bean Soup
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Soup, Savory
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A simple, flavorful recipe for kale and white bean soup, with lots of lemon, garlic, and herbs – perfect healthy, comfort food! Gluten free and vegetarian options.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow or sweet onion, minced
- 1/2 Tbsp fresh garlic, crushed
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/8 tsp dried oregano
- 1 small lemon, juiced
- 4 cups (32 oz) rich chicken or vegetable stock
- kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 (15 oz) cans cooked cannellini beans, drained (not rinsed)
- 1–1/2 cups (loosely-packed) kale (or sub. spinach or Swiss chard), removed from rough stems and torn into small pieces
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent and just beginning to brown.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute or two.
- Add the butter, and as it melts, stir in the herbs. Let cook for another minute or two until the onions are lightly golden.
- Add the lemon juice followed by the stock and stir to combine. Cover, and bring the stock to a boil, then turn the heat down to low, and let simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add the white beans and torn kale leaves, and continue to simmer until warmed through, about 3-5 minutes. If using a more delicate green, such as spinach, add right before serving. Serve warm with crusty bread. Enjoy!!
Keywords: kale and white bean soup, lemon, garlic, herbs, easy, healthy soup, greens, cannelini beans
Updated on March 12, 2021.
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This soup is amazing !! I just eat this the moment i type it ! the lemon juice change everything !! Thanks for the recipe !!
Thanks so much, Sophie!!
I was craving a twist on this hearty soup, and I love the citric *twist* the lemon adds!!
Reading your story was just as nourishing. I’m a Seattle Native, living in LA and feeling nostalgic for my drizzly Northwest on this cool, cloudy weekend… that will, of course, be followed by an unseasonably nasty heatwave.
★★★★★
Thanks, Cat! So happy to hear that!
Made this for lunch. Amazing! It is perfect and quick as written but next time I will make my beans from scratch as I think they are much more flavorful than canned. Thanks for a keeper!
★★★★★
That’s so nice to hear! Thank, Carrie! 🙂
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Whoa! I just stopped by your post again to leave a comment and let you know this recipe helped me come up with my own and that I mentioned your post on my blog 🙂
Thanks for the inspiration!
★★★★★
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This was SO delicious! I added cubed sweet potato as the broth was simmering, along with cumin (I love cumin with lemon) and it was incredible. Served it alongside bread and it was a huge hit! Thank you for sharing (:
Danah
★★★★★
I’ve never thought to add sweet potatoes, but that combination sounds so cozy and delicious! Thanks, Danah!
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Muy buena ls presentación
Thank you, Jesús!
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This soup recipe is perfect! I have made this soup five times in the past 12 weeks–I can hardly get enough of it. It’s rich in flavor, nourishing, but not heavy on the tummy.
Thank you so much, Meryl!! So glad to hear you are enjoying this one – it’s one of my very favorites this time of year, too.
Yum! I didn’t have an onion or chicken broth, so I used dried onion and veggie broth with a chicken bouillon. I also added chunks of cooked dark chicken meat with the kale. My kids gobbled 2 servings each! Perfect winter soup while watching the NFC Championship game!! Thank you!
Thanks, Londsey! So glad to hear you and the little ones loved the soup!
I made this yesterday. It was a perfect soup for a fall day. I think the ratio of ingredients was very thoughtful. I usually approach soup and salads as an artistic “no recipe required” endeavor. That ends up great sometimes and sometimes the result is heavy handed on the herbs and just a muddy concoction. This soup is bright and lemony and earthy at the same time. No overpowering flavors. Thanks for sharing. I’m so happy I found your blog!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Barbara! I’m so happy to have you as a reader!
My mom made a vegan version of this for some bands we were hosting. It was so popular at lunch, they asked us if they could have it again with dinner. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks, Lisa!
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