White Bean and Kale Soup

Recipe Ingredients

This white bean kale soup recipe has a little bit of spice and zing, and requires a handful of simple ingredients. We will need the following:

• extra virgin olive oil – start with fruity olive oil or neutral avocado oil to get those aromatic vegetables soft and tender.
• onions, carrots, celery – you can’t have soup without a mirepoix base. Cut all the vegetables roughly the same size for even cooking.
• fresh garlic – garlic cloves add an extra savory, punchy bite.
• dried herbs + spices – I love dried thyme, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes for some spice. You could also use Italian seasoning, rosemary, and / or bay leaves. And don’t forget the Kosher salt and black pepper.
• vegetable broth – use vegetable broth for a vegan-friendly soup, chicken broth, or your own broth. You can use low sodium or regular, just taste test before adding additional salt. A parmesan rind (from a block of parmesan cheese) is a nutty little secret, if dairy is not an issue.
• canned beans – use any variety of white bean, such as creamy cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, navy beans, or even butter beans. You will need 2 cans of beans, but you can also cook dry beans from scratch.
• canned coconut milk – to keep this creamy white bean soup dairy free, use the cream from canned coconut milk. The coconut flavor comes through ever-so-slightly, but makes this soup creamier. If you want to lighten the soup up you can either omit or sub with something like cashew cream or half-and-half if not concerned about dairy.
• lemon juice – a bit of lemon juice adds a pop of bright acidity. White wine vinegar or sherry vinegar are another great option.
• fresh kale – I personally think curly kale is the best here, as it wilts down nicely, but Tuscan kale (also known as lacinato kale or dinosaur kale in grocery stores) is the next best thing. Other easy-to-wilt leafy greens include Swiss chard and baby spinach.
• fresh herbs – I like to finish the soup with fresh parsley for extra color and flavor. You could also try fresh tarragon, chives, or fresh basil.

Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.

How to Store, Freeze, Thaw, & Reheat

Soup is one of those recipes that tastes better the longer it sits, making this soup with white beans and kale a delicious meal prep recipe. Here are my best storage and reheating tips:

• Store: Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Freeze: Cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe storage container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
• Thaw: Thaw frozen soup overnight in the fridge.
• Reheat: Place the soup in a large pot on the stovetop. Reheat over medium-low heat until warmed through.

Tips for Creamy White Bean Kale Soup

There are a few easy ways to make this soup creamy without adding dairy. Here are my best tips:

1. Mash half of the creamy white beans to thicken the soup. The starch in the beans creates a naturally creamy consistency.
2. Use coconut milk for a dairy-free creamy flavor. If you only use the coconut cream (not the water), you barely taste the coconut flavor.
3. Blend one cup of the soup (including the veggies) in a high speed blender. Then, add the blended mixture back into the pot of soup to simmer before adding the milk and kale. You can also blend half of the soup with an immersion blender.