This flavorful vegan white bean and vegetable soup with kale is quick and easy to put together. It makes a great weeknight meal filled with healthy satisfying mixed vegetables and creamy white beans.
Why you'll love this kale white bean soup
- Super simple, delicious and makes great leftovers. Also freezes well if you want to save some for meal planning.
- It's flavorful, hearty, satisfying, healthy comfort food.
- Budget friendly and can be adapted to whatever you have in your fridge or cupboard. Changing up the vegetables or beans is easy and makes this soup really versatile.
- The soup is naturally vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free and made with wholesome ingredients.
- Filled with vitamins, minerals and a nice dose of protein and fiber to fill you up.
For more cozy and warming soups try my creamy yellow split pea soup with turmeric, spicy red lentil soup or my roasted butternut squash and cauliflower soup - yum!
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Noteworthy ingredients
- Leeks, carrots and celery: build a base of flavor. Substitute onions or shallots for the leeks.
- Cauliflower, zucchini and potato: add extra nutrients and texture to the soup.
- Fresh sage: adds a sweet yet slightly bitter and citrusy flavor.
- Fresh ginger: adds a warming spicy bite.
- Vegetable broth: adds nutrients. You can substitute for water but the soup will have less flavor.
- Cannellini beans: provide texture and creaminess to the soup. They also add a good dose of protein, fiber, vitamin C and magnesium. You can substitute any white bean like great northern, navy or lima beans, and I've also used red kidney beans in this soup.
- Kale: is loaded with vitamin C, A, calcium and potassium. It's a dark leafy green superstar. I used lacinato (dinosaur) kale but curly kale works well too and it's often easier to find.
see recipe card for all ingredients and quantities
How to make this flavorful vegetable soup
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Warm oil and add leeks (or onions), carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Sauté while vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
Tip: you can sauté the mirepoix (onions, carrots and celery) longer if you have time to build a deeper base of flavor in the soup.
Add cauliflower, zucchini, potato, sage and ginger. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. If vegetables begin to dry add a splash of vegetable broth or water.
Tip: you can add or swap other vegetables here like fire-roasted tomatoes, sweet potato, butternut squash, peas, green beans. Try and keep the ratios the same if you're swapping but you can also add more broth if your soup is too thick.
Add the broth and beans, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes until vegetables soften.
Add kale and mix. Remove from heat and add a splash of lemon juice. Top with fresh parsley, cilantro or crushed red pepper flakes.
FAQs
You can use a variety of vegetables here. Feel free to swap or add sweet potato, butternut squash or other squash, diced tomatoes, bell peppers or mushrooms. Just remember that it will change the taste of the soup.
If you like a thicker soup you can always add some coconut cream to give it a creamy thick texture. Or, if you prefer, you can blend part of the soup with an immersion blender or high speed vented blender, and add it back to the pot for a thicker, creamier texture. I would do this before you add the kale, otherwise you might turn your soup green.
Storage
The soup keep really well in the fridge in a glass airtight container for up to 5 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. Just thaw and reheat before serving.
Recipe
White Bean and Vegetable Soup with Kale
Equipment
- 1 large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 leeks, white part only, chopped (or 1 large onion)
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 1-2 celery stalks, chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup (~100 grams) coarsely chopped cauliflower
- 2 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 large potato, diced (peeled or unpeeled)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 8 cups (16 ounces) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 14-ounce can cannellini beans
- 6-8 kale leaves, chopped
- 1 lemon, juiced
- Garnish with fresh parsley, cilantro or crushed red pepper flakes.
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Warm oil and add leeks (or onions), carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Sauté while vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add cauliflower, zucchini, potato, sage and ginger. Cook another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. If vegetables begin to dry add a splash of vegetable broth or water.
- Add broth and beans, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes until vegetables soften.
- Add kale and mix. Remove from heat and add a splash of lemon juice.
- Top with fresh parsley, cilantro or crushed red pepper flakes.
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