White Bean and Kale Soup

This White Bean and Kale Soup is full of vegetables & herbs and gets plenty of zing from white wine & sherry vinegar. A hearty, healthy winter meal!

White Bean and Kale Soup

I just love making soups. There’s something so cozy and comforting about the whole process. It hasn’t exactly been soup weather around here, so last week when it dipped down into the 60’s, a stay-home, curl-up-on-the-sofa, soup night (and this white bean and kale soup) happened.

Why you’ll love this white bean soup

  • It’s hearty, but still kind of light. The beans and kale give this soup plenty of staying power, and it’s satisfying to eat. But at the end of the day, you’re still enjoying a bowl full of veggies.
  • It gets better on the second day. This white bean soup is great left over! Save a serving to take for lunch the next day.
  • It’s easy to make.  Just chop, sauté, and simmer, and dinner will be on the table.
  • It’s flexible. If you don’t have the exact veggies or herbs listed in the recipe, swap in what you do have. For example, I went out of my herb comfort zone here and used tarragon, but basil would also be delicious.

Herbs for White Bean & Kale Soup

What makes this White Bean and Kale Soup so good?

Its ingredients, of course:

  • Carrots, shallots, and garlic add veggie power and aromatic flavor to this soup.
  • Sliced mushrooms bring satisfying texture and umami flavor.
  • White wine and sherry vinegar make it zingy and bright.
  • White beans thicken this soup and bulk it up.
  • Kale brings myriad nutritional benefits & bright green color, and, with the white beans, it makes this soup a meal on its own.
  • And last but not least, plenty of herbs give it a wonderful fresh taste.

Enjoy with lots of crusty bread and some nice red wine…

adapted from Bon Appetit

5.0 from 7 reviews

White Bean and Kale Soup

 
This White Bean and Kale Soup is a healthy vegetarian weeknight dinner! We love it served with a shaving of cheese and slices of crusty bread.
Author:
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 2 as a main
Ingredients
  • A few tablespoons olive oil
  • 2-3 chopped shallots (or about half an onion)
  • ½ cup chopped carrots
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 3 cups veggie broth (or more)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can white beans
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
  • 1 small bunch kale, chopped, coarse parts of the stems removed
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1 tablespoon chopped chives
  • Sea salt and fresh black pepper
  • A few pinches of red pepper flakes
  • Parmesan or pecorino cheese, shaved or grated, for garnish (optional)
  • Crusty bread, for serving
Instructions
  1. In a medium pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and a few pinches of salt and pepper, and cook until they’re beginning to turn translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the carrots, garlic, mushrooms, and a pinch of salt and stir. Continue cooking until the mushrooms wilt down, another 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally (turn down the heat on your stove slightly if your vegetables start to burn).
  2. Add the white wine and stir to get the bits off the bottom of the pan, and cook until the liquid reduces, 5-7 minutes. Add the broth, white beans, and rosemary and bring to a boil. Add the kale. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or so.
  3. Mix in the sherry vinegar, tarragon, and chives. Toss in a few pinches of red pepper flakes. Taste and add more salt & pepper to your liking.
  4. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.

 

 

36 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. Susan Smith
    02.01.2024

    I made this to use up kale and mushrooms and I love white beans. I went to add the wine, grabbed the little box of wine from my fridge(I don’t drink wine so I buy little boxes or bottles for cooking), poured it in and… it was red wine! Ahhh! I finished the soup making anyway, and guess what! it tastes very good! I’m sure it would be better with white wine but still tastes good this way!

    • Phoebe Moore (L&L Recipe Developer)
      02.02.2024

      Hi Susan, I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup! I’m sure the red wine was great 🙂

  2. Rachel Cantin
    12.16.2023

    Very much enjoyed this meal!!

  3. Rachel Samuelian
    01.26.2022

    Made this tonight and wish I had doubled the batch. It was so good, and I’m sad we have none left!

  4. Perri
    01.23.2021

    I am going to make this for Meatless Monday! I can’t wait!

  5. Judith
    11.23.2020

    Just made this soup for lunch on a cold, rainy Autumn day. Easy to make, this soup is both light and filling. I used dried tarragon; it gave the soup a surprising brightness. I might add leftover wild rice and have it for dinner! Thank you L&L for another winning recipe.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.