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Creamy white bean and kale soup in a bowl with tender beans, wilted kale, and a spoon in a rich golden broth

Creamy White Bean and Kale Soup

This creamy white bean and kale soup comes together in one pot with tender beans, aromatics, and fresh kale. It gets its rich texture from blended beans, no cream needed, making it an easy, satisfying option for weeknights or meal prep. 
Recipe Developer-Estefania
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 2 carrot diced
  • 2 celery stalks diced
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 2 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary optional
  • 2 cans white beans such as cannellini or great northern (15-ounce/425g) can, drained and rinsed
  • 950 ml low-sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth 4 cups
  • 1 small bunch of kale about 8 ounces/225 g, center ribs removed and leaves coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  • Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  • Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery, season with salt and black pepper, and cook for 6–8 minutes until softened.
  • Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, and rosemary, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  • Add the white beans and broth, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
  • Scoop out about 2 cups of the soup, including beans and broth, and blend until smooth using a hand blender or blender, then return it to the pot and stir to combine.
  • Add the chopped kale and cook for 5 minutes until tender.
  • Stir in the lemon juice, simmer for 1 minute, adjust seasoning if needed, then remove from the heat and serve hot.

Notes

Vegetable Base: I let the onion, carrot, and celery soften fully so the soup develops a naturally sweet, balanced flavor.
Creamy Texture Without Cream: Blending only part of the soup keeps it creamy while still leaving whole beans for texture. 
Kale Timing: I add the kale at the end so it stays tender and keeps its color. 

Nutrition

Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 618mg | Potassium: 906mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5913IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 149mg | Iron: 5mg