Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale

This post was last updated on February 17, 2020 by India

A delicious and easy soup, this Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale has flavorful herbs and spices, beans, tomatoes, fresh kale, and a secret ingredient that infuses the entire pot with rich flavor!

About Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale

There is nothing more comforting than coming in from the cold winter weather and wrapping your hands around a bowl of this ultra comforting Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale. It’s one of those soups that taste just as good whether it’s been simmering away for 20 minutes or simmering away for all day on the stove. I think you’re going to love it!

Ingredients in Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale

One of the reasons why I love this Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale so much is because it uses a ton of pantry staples I usually have on hand, aside from the kale. The ingredient list looks long, but most of that is dried herbs and spices you likely already have. Here’s some of what you’ll need to make this soup:

• Onion, carrots, and celery: The three classic ingredients in a mirepoix is what makes the flavorful base of this Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup. We will add roughly chopped garlic to our mirepoix blend that will lose the bitter bite and develop a wonderful rich garlic flavor. If you’re looking for a shortcut, use a frozen mirepoix blend.
• Herbs and spices: The herbs and spices make this dish! We’re going to use lots of Italian flavors here like dried rosemary, thyme, basil, and my favorite–fennel seeds. I like to slightly crush the fennel seeds in my hands right before I drop them into the soup pot to release more flavor.
• Chicken broth: Or sub vegetable broth to make this vegetarian/vegan.
• Canned white beans: I use garbanzo or cannellini beans in this recipe, but you can use any firm white bean.
• Tomatoes: We’re going to use tomato paste and one can of diced tomatoes with all the juices to develop umami and delicious tomato flavor! I love using tomatoes when I cook with fennel because the flavors compliment each other well.
• Parmesan Rind:  My secret ingredient! As the soup cooks, the parmesan rind releases this delicious slightly cheesy flavory into the broth. Whenever I buy a wedge of parmesan from the store, I cut off the rind and pop it in the freezer in a Stasher bag or reusable container. You should be able to ask the cheese department at Whole Foods for a parmesan rind as well. When I don’t have a parmesan rind on hand, I’ve used a large chunk of parmesan cheese (like 2-inches) and it’s worked well. Vegan or dairy free? Sub with white miso (Miso Master is my favorite brand, you can find it at many health food stores). Stir in a spoonful of miso paste into a bowl of soup until it dissolves. White miso has a cheesy flavor and numerous health benefits.
• Kale: Fresh kale is added right before serving. Be sure to remove the rough stems before adding to the soup.

How to Make Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale

This Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale is layered with flavor and taste like it’s been simmering for hours but it’s so simple to make! Here’s how you do it:

1. Sauté the vegetables: Warm the olive oil in a soup pot and sauté yellow onion, celery, carrots, and garlic cloves with salt until soft and onions are translucent.
2. Cook the tomato paste and warm the spices: Add the tomato paste and cook until it develops into a rust color. Then, add the spices and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. I like to crush the fennel seeds with my hands as I sprinkle them in there to release more of the flavor. It’s okay if brown bits develop on the bottom of the pot.
3. Add broth and remaining ingredients (except kale): We’re going to deglaze the pot with a little bit of broth to pick up all those flavorful brown bits that may have developed when the tomato paste and spices were cooking. Once that reduces, add the rest of the broth and the tomatoes, beans, and our secret ingredient–the parmesan rind!
4. Simmer: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 20 minutes to let the everything cook together.
5. Add kale and serve: Once the soup has simmered for about 20 minutes, add the kale and simmer until it cooks slightly (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat and serve! Top with additional parmesan cheese if desired.If using miso paste instead of parmesan, stir a spoonful into the bowls right before serving.

What to Serve with Tuscan white Bean with Kale

This hearty Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale is a meal in itself. If you want to round it out, here are some serving suggestions:

• Red wine ♥🍷
• Crusty bread like a gluten free baguette or gluten free sourdough with lots and lots of butter and slow roasted garlic
• A simple side salad with an herby vinaigrette
• Home made roasted or store bought rotessierie chicken

More Favorite Soup Recipes

If you love this Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale recipe, I think you’ll love some of my other favorites:

• Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings (Cracker Barrel style!)
• Honey Habanero Chili

Print

Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale

A delicious and easy soup, this Tuscan Bean and Kale Soup has flavorful herbs and spices, beans, tomatoes, fresh kale, and a secret ingredient that infuses the entire soup with rich flavor.

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Sides, Soup, Soups

Cuisine Italian

Keyword bean soup, soup, tuscan soup, vegetable soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 258 kcal

Author India

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 2 carrots diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 6 garlic cloves roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 4 cups chicken broth vegetarian/vegan substitute vegetable broth
• 1 15.5 ounce can garbanzo or cannellini beans drained and rinsed
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
• 2 inch parmesan rind omit if vegan and sub with white miso
• 1 bunch kale rough stems removed and roughly chopped (about 3 cups)

Instructions

1. Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and salt and cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 - 7 minutes.

2. Add the tomato paste and cook until it developes a rust color, about 1 - 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, thyme, rosemary, basil, black pepper, and fennel seeds. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of the broth, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the soup pot that may have developed. Cook until the broth has reduced by about half. Add the remaining broth, beans, diced tomatoes with juices, and parmesan rind.

4. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for at least 20 minutes. Add kale to simmering soup and cook for 3 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Make this Vegetarian

Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make this vegetarian. 

 

Make this Vegan

To make this vegan, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, omit the parmesan rind and stir in a spoonful of white miso paste into each bowl before serving. Adding miso to boiling liquid while cooking the soup will diminish the health benefits. 

 

Store it in the fridge

This Tuscan White Bean Soup with Kale will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

 

Store it in the Freezer

This is freezer friendly for up to 3 months. 

 

DID YOU MAKE THis tuscan White BEan Soup with kale?

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HELPFUL RECIPE INFORMATION

All recipes are tested and developed in my home kitchen. Unless otherwise stated, I always use extra virgin olive oil and this Himalayan pink salt in my recipes