This vegan white bean soup with kale is so nourishing and tasty. You'll love this easy soup recipe - it's just the thing when you are craving something comforting and nutritious! And it's ready in just 30 minutes!
Table of Contents
We love the combination of wholesome beans, hearty veggies and vibrant kale in this meal. And as beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein and other nutrients (source), we are always looking for more tasty ways to incorporate them into our diet!
This vegan soup recipe also uses potato which brings creaminess without the need for any dairy, and makes it a filling dish.
Adding lemon (which naturally pairs beautifully with white beans and kale) adds brightness to the overall taste. It's a secret ingredient that can boost many soups!
This Vegan White Bean Soup recipe is:
- Flavourful
- Earthy
- Cozy
- Wholesome
- Nutritious
- Easy to make
- And naturally gluten-free (when using gluten-free vegetable broth)
Ingredient tips
Here’s everything you need to make this cozy soup:
White beans: We most often use cannellini beans in this recipe (which are also sometimes called white kidney beans) But you can use any white beans of your choice such as haricot / navy beans, great northern beans or even butter beans. You can use either canned white beans or dried beans that you have cooked in advance - whichever you prefer!
Kale: This leafy green adds vibrancy and an extra nutritional boost. Any variety of kale can be used. Tuscan kale, also known as lacinato kale, is a favourite of mine in soups like this because it is more tender, but we also enjoy this recipe with regular curly kale too!
Step by step pictures
Here's a visual guide on how to make this vegan kale and white bean soup.
For the full, adjustable and printable recipe, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Step 1 - Saute the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil.
Step 2 - Stir in minced garlic, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, lemon zest, and optional chilli flakes.
Step 3 - After another minute, add white beans, diced potato, vegetable stock and a bay leaf.
Step 4 - Simmer until the potatoes are cooked and tender, then partially blend the soup for a creamy texture.
Step 5 - Add washed and chopped kale and simmer for a few minutes to wilt it down.
Step 6 - Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Top Tip
You can vary the amount of vegetable stock / broth to suit your preferred texture. For a thicker, creamier soup, use the lower amount, and for a lighter, brothier soup use the higher amount from the range specified in the recipe.
Substitutions and variations
- Swap kale for another leafy green such as fresh spinach or Swiss chard.
- Use fresh thyme or oregano instead of dried. You can replace 1 teaspoon of dried herbs with 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs. You could also simply use an Italian seasoning blend to replace the individual herbs.
- Change up the fresh veggies to suit what's in season, or in your fridge! You can use sweet potato or squash as an alternative to carrots, or celery root / celeriac as a substitute for celery for example.
- White wine is also typically used in Tuscan white bean soup. If you want you can replace up to ⅓ cup or 80ml of the veggie broth with wine.
Serving
We often enjoy this easy vegan white bean soup as a simple meal without a side dish, but some crusty bread on the side is also delicious!
As a garnish, some fresh parsley or extra lemon zest is a nice touch. We also like a sprinkle of nutritional yeast of homemade vegan parmesan for extra umami.
For a more creamy soup, you can also add a splash of coconut milk or a swirl in a dollop of vegan sour cream or yoghurt before serving.
Storage
Store: Keep leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
Freeze: Transfer the chilled soup to freezer-friendly containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Kale Recipes:
I hope you loved this white bean kale soup! This is just one of the recipes in our collection of 21 Easy Vegan Kale Recipes. If you're looking for more ways to enjoy leafy greens, be sure to check it out, or go straight to these other fan favourites:
📖 Recipe
Vegan White Bean Kale Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 sticks celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 pinch chilli flakes / red pepper flakes optional
- 3 cups white beans 2 15oz cans, drained and rinsed, or 480g, cooked
- 4 cups (960 ml) vegetable stock / broth or reduce to 3 cups / 720 ml for a thicker soup
- 1 large potato diced in ½ inch / 1.5cm chunks
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cups (90 g) kale thick stems removed
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- In a stockpot over medium heat, heat up the olive oil and saute the onion, carrots and celery for 5 - 10 minutes, until the veggies are soft and slightly browned.1 tbsp olive oil, 1 medium onion, 2 medium carrots, 2 sticks celery
- Add garlic, thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, lemon zest and red pepper flakes / chili flakes (if using) and sauté for another minute.3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp smoked paprika, 1 pinch chilli flakes / red pepper flakes, 1 tsp lemon zest
- Add the cooked white beans, vegetable stock / broth, potatoes and bay leaf.3 cups white beans, 4 cups (960 ml) vegetable stock / broth, 1 large potato, 1 bay leaf
- Bring to a boil, then simmer covered with a lid at medium-low heat for around 10-15 minutes, until your potatoes are tender and cooked through.
- Remove the bay leaf and then partially blend some of the soup for a creamy texture. You can do this with an immersion blender, or by removing some of the soup and transferring it to a blender and then adding it back to the pot.
- Add the washed and chopped kale. Stir it in and simmer for about 3 minutes until the kale has wilted down, but is still a fresh-looking green.3 cups (90 g) kale
- Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper to taste.1 tbsp lemon juice
- Serve with a swirl of vegan yoghurt or coconut cream and a garnish of fresh herbs or red pepper flakes / chilli flakes if desired!
Nutrition
This information is calculated per serving and is an estimate only.
Geo says
Made this last night. It was delicious!
Thanks for this simple, yummy recipe.
Sophie and Paul says
Hooray! So glad you enjoyed the soup - we love to share simple and yummy recipes! Sophie 🙂
Maria says
I can't wait to make this! Might you have a conversion for instapot? BTW, I make your potato dahl weekly!
Sophie and Paul says
Hi Maria,
from our experience with a pressure cooker, I would say the process for instapot is pretty similar to the normal cooking instructions.
Sauté the veggies, then add the spices, herbs, garlic and lemon zest. After another minute, add the beans, potato, broth and bay leaf. Place the lid on the pot, and on a high pressure setting build up the pressure and cook for 2 minutes, then naturally release the pressure. Check that the potatoes are done and tender. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the kale and let it wilt for a few minutes, then add lemon juice and serve 🙂
Hope this helps! Love, Paul & Sophie