Description
This Creamy White Bean Soup with Kale is a comforting, dairy-free, and nut-free soup that boasts a rich, velvety texture achieved by pureeing half of the soup. It combines wholesome ingredients like cannellini beans, kale, and a fresh herb gremolata for a gourmet flavor experience perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion (or leek), diced
- 3 sticks of celery, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3½ cups (840 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 1 medium Yukon gold potato (~6 oz or 170g), peeled and finely diced
- 2 (15-ounce/425g) cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or 3½ cups cooked cannellini beans)
- 1 (14 ounce/400g) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped finely (optional)
- 1 small head of lacinato kale, center rib removed and shredded (about 1 small bunch)
Gremolata
- 1 loosely packed cup (12g) flat-leaf parsley leaves
- ½ loosely packed cup (8g) fresh basil leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, left whole and peeled
- 2 medium lemons (preferably organic for zesting)
- Flaky sea salt
For Finishing
- Good-quality extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced onion, celery, and carrots with a pinch or two of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown slightly, about 7 to 9 minutes.
- Add Garlic and Pepper Flakes: Stir in the finely chopped garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture is very fragrant.
- Deglaze and Add Broth: Pour in a splash of vegetable broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Then add the remaining broth, 1 heaping teaspoon of kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, the bouquet garni, diced potato, cannellini beans, and the optional chopped artichokes. Stir well to combine.
- Simmer Soup: Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Prepare Gremolata: While the soup simmers, finely chop the parsley and basil. Using a microplane, grate the whole peeled garlic cloves directly over the herbs. Zest the lemons carefully, avoiding the white pith, onto the herb and garlic mixture. Mix everything together, then chop until the herbs are finely minced. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt to taste.
- Blend Soup: Remove the bouquet garni from the soup. Transfer half of the soup to a stand blender and puree until thick and smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and stir to combine. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to puree half of the soup directly in the pot, leaving some texture.
- Add Kale and Finish Cooking: Stir in the shredded kale and simmer uncovered for 3 to 5 minutes until the kale is tender but still bright green. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or a squeeze of lemon juice as desired.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each serving generously with the herb gremolata. Drizzle with good-quality extra virgin olive oil. Store leftover gremolata in a jar with olive oil and refrigerate to add fresh flavor to leftovers.
Notes
- This soup achieves a creamy texture without using dairy or nuts, making it suitable for those avoiding those ingredients.
- It’s a nutritious meal rich in fiber (around 16g) and protein (approximately 19 to 20g) per serving.
- To retain some texture in the soup, only blend half of it; fully pureeing can result in a too-smooth consistency.
- The gremolata adds a fresh, zesty finish that enhances the flavors deeply.
- Optional artichoke hearts add an extra layer of flavor and texture but can be omitted.
- If storing leftovers, keep the gremolata separately with olive oil for best freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 419
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 677 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 17 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
