Soup

Kale and White Bean Soup

A rustic pot of onion, garlic, white beans, and stock with sweet kale wilted gently into the broth.

  • Serves6
  • Prep15 min
  • Cook40 min
  • LevelEasy
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Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch red russian kale, stemmed and chopped
  • 3 cups white beans, cooked or canned
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 bay leaf

Method

  1. Warm the olive oil in a pot and cook the onion and carrot until soft.
  2. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
  3. Add the stock, beans, and bay leaf and bring to a gentle simmer around 200°F (95°C).
  4. Simmer 20 minutes, then mash a few beans against the pot to thicken the broth.
  5. Stir in the chopped kale and cook just 5 minutes more until wilted and tender.
  6. Season with salt and pepper and pull the bay leaf before serving.

Notes

After the first frost Red Russian turns noticeably sweeter, and it wilts gently into a brothy soup without the toughness of curly kale. Because the leaves go soft in just a few minutes, add them near the end so they keep their sweetness and color.