Description

This Creamy White Bean Soup with Kale is a comforting, dairy-free, and nut-free soup featuring a velvety texture from pureed cannellini beans and potatoes. Enhanced with aromatic vegetables, fresh herbs, and a bright gremolata topping, this hearty soup delivers a gourmet flavor profile ideal for a healthy weeknight dinner or meal prep. Loaded with fiber and protein, it’s a nutritious, satisfying dish that’s naturally gluten-free and vegetarian.

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
3 ½ cups (840 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 ½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Bouquet Garni and Main Ingredients

1 medium Yukon gold potato (~6 oz or 170g), peeled and finely diced
2 (15-ounce/425g) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or 3 ½ cups cooked cannellini beans)
1 (14-ounce/400g) can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped (optional)
1 small head of lacinato kale, center rib removed and shredded (about 1 small bunch)

Gremolata Topping

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 zest)
Flaky sea salt
Good-quality extra virgin olive oil (for finishing)

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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 soften and begin to turn golden brown, about 7 to 9 minutes.
Add Aromatics: Stir in the finely chopped garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic is very fragrant but not browned.
Deglaze and Add Broth: Pour in a splash of vegetable broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the remaining broth, 1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper to taste, the bouquet garni, diced potato, cannellini beans, and chopped artichoke hearts if using. Stir well to combine.
Simmer Soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and cooked through.
Prepare Gremolata: While the soup simmers, finely chop the parsley and basil. Using a microplane, grate the peeled whole garlic cloves directly over the herbs. Zest the lemons carefully, avoiding the bitter white pith, and mix into the herb and garlic blend. Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and finely mince everything together to form the gremolata topping.
Blend Soup: Remove the bouquet garni from the pot. Transfer half of the soup to a stand blender and blend until thick and smooth, then return it to the pot. Alternatively, use an immersion blender in the pot to partially puree half the soup, preserving some texture.
Add Kale and Finish: Stir in the shredded kale and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until the kale is tender but still bright green. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt or a squeeze of lemon juice as desired.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Top each serving generously with the gremolata and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. For leftovers, store gremolata separately with olive oil in the refrigerator and spoon over reheated soup.

Notes

This soup achieves a creamy texture without dairy or nuts by blending beans and potatoes, making it allergy-friendly and rich in fiber and protein.
Low-sodium vegetable broth helps control salt content while maintaining depth of flavor.
The optional artichoke hearts add an extra layer of flavor and texture, but can be omitted if preferred.
Using fresh lemon zest and herbs in the gremolata adds brightness and freshness, balancing the richness of the soup.
This recipe is great for meal prep and reheats well, with the gremolata best added just before serving.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 2 cups)
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