White Bean Kale Soup (Printable)

Tender white beans and hearty kale combined with fresh lemon zest for a warm, nourishing meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 4 cups chopped kale, stems removed

→ Beans and Broth

07 - 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans (cannellini or Great Northern), drained and rinsed
08 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Finishing Touches

13 - Zest of 1 lemon
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 6 to 7 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, dried thyme, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes if using; cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add drained white beans and vegetable broth. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
04 - Stir in chopped kale, cover the pot, and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes until kale is tender.
05 - Add lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour, yet tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The brightness of lemon transforms tender beans and greens into something that feels both nourishing and unexpectedly elegant.
  • One batch makes enough for leftovers that actually taste better the next day as flavors deepen.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of rinsing your canned beans—the starchy liquid will make your soup cloudy and thick in a way you won't enjoy.
  • The lemon should go in at the very end, not earlier; heat diminishes its brightness, and you want that citrus to feel like a revelation.
  • If you accidentally overcook the kale, it will turn bitter and the whole soup suffers, so set a timer and check it at the 10-minute mark.
03 -
  • Zest your lemon before you juice it—you can't zest it after squeezing it, and the zest is where the real brightness lives.
  • If your kale is particularly tough, add it a few minutes earlier so it has time to fully tenderize without turning to mush.

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