White Bean Kale Soup with Parmesan Toast
Published Jan 25, 2023
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This rustic Tuscan-inspired White Bean Kale Soup is easy enough for a weeknight and delivers healthy wholesome comfort in a hurry! The Parmesan Toasts have a kick of black pepper for the perfect crispy, cheesy accompaniment. For another great greens and beans soup, try my Black-Eyed Pea Soup recipe!
Why This Recipe is a Keeper!
This rustic Tuscan-inspired White Bean Kale Soup is perfect for those times when you just want to put yourself in front of a steaming hot bowl of wholesome comfort that didn’t take long to make.
It’s slightly spicy from crushed red pepper flakes with a touch of lemony zing, too! The cheesy Parmesan Toast is like an oversized crispy, crunchy crouton perfect for soaking up every delicious drop!
This White Bean Kale Soup recipe is:
- Easy to make.
- Healthy and wholesome.
- Super flavorful!
- Make-ahead.
- Freezer-friendly.
- Budget-friendly!
How to Make White Bean Kale Soup with Parmesan Toast:
Recipe Ingredients:
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this kale and white bean soup recipe and the toast. See the recipe card below for the exact quantities.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:
- Chicken Broth / Stock: The best chicken broth or stock is the one you make yourself. However, if you can’t, Swanson Natural Goodness Chicken Broth is a good alternative. To make the soup vegetarian, use vegetable broth.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese: Parmigiano Reggiano cheese only comes from in and around Parma, Italy, but is sold at most cheese counters in the U. S. The Italian government strictly monitors the production. It has a rich, granular texture with a slightly sharp, nutty, complex flavor. A little goes a long way because of its strong umami characteristics. Grana Padano is similar, a little less expensive and can be substituted. Any other cheese of this style produced elsewhere in the world is called Parmesan which you can also use here. I used Parmigiano Reggiano here because the rind of Parmigiano Reggiano adds flavor when added to soups and stews so it’s a lovely addition to this white bean soup with kale. NOTE: Parmigiano Reggiano is NOT vegetarian. Animal rennet must be used for it to be considered true Parmigiano Reggiano. If you desire a vegetarian soup, use a domestic Parmesan cheese that does not contain animal rennet.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese Rinds: When you invest in a wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano, be sure to always save the rind. Place it in a plastic bag and pop it into the freezer so you can add it to Italian-inspired soups for flavor.
- Kale: I used Lacinato kale, also known as Tuscan, dinosaur kale or cavolo nero. It has a more tender texture than conventional green kale with a slightly sweeter flavor. It’s a great addition to soups because it cooks quickly and is not as chewy as conventional green kale.
- French Bread: I used a small French baguette but almost any crusty bread will work for the Parmesan Toast.
- White Beans: I used canned cannellini beans (white kidney beans) but canned Great Northern beans will also work. Be sure to drain and rinse them as the liquid they’re canned in can be quite salty unless they’re reduced sodium.
Step-By-Step Instructions:
- Gather and prep all the ingredients.
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, celery and carrot. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the vegetables soften.
- Add the kale in batches and cook until it wilts.
- Add the garlic and cook briefly, 10 for 15 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil.
- Add the bay leaves, crushed red pepper flakes, cannellini beans and a wedge from Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add lemon juice to taste along with salt and black pepper to taste.
- While the soup is simmering, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the baguette on the bias (diagonally) into 1/2-inch slices. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Combine the garlic and olive oil in a small bowl. Brush over the bread slices and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.
- Top with even amounts of Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese.
- Place in the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy.
- Serve the White Bean and Kale Soup in bowls sprinkled with a little cheese and Parmesan Toast!
Chef Tip for De-Stemming Kale:
- You always want to remove the stems from kale as they can be pretty tough. They’re very easy to remove! Compost them or serve them to the chickens if you keep chickens.
- Hold the stem end in one hand.
- Gather the leaves between the thumb and forefinger of your other hand.
- Pull back and away along the stem in one motion, applying even pressure to strip the leaves from both sides.
- Simply chop or slice and the kale is ready for soup!
Recipe FAQs:
Why is a white bean and kale soup healthy?
Beans are high in protein and fiber with little to no fat. Lacinato kale is a leafy green and a one-cup serving contains more than a day’s worth of vitamin A which is important for eye health and immune function. It also has numerous other vitamins and minerals.
What other greens can be used in a white bean kale soup?
If you’re not a kale fan, use spinach, cabbage or Swiss chard in place of kale.
Can a white bean kale soup be made ahead of time?
Absolutely! This soup can be made 1 day ahead of time, cooled and refrigerated. Reheat on the stovetop until simmering.
Storage:
- Store the white bean kale soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Freeze in containers as desired for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Serve with:
- Spinach Artichoke Squares
- Zucchini Ricotta Fritters
- Asparagus Tart with Prosciutto and Fontina
- Tomato Tart
- Antipasto Pasta Salad with Parmesan Herb Vinaigrette
- Caprese Salad Pasta Salad
- Easy Fresh Tomato Salad
More great healthy bean soup recipes you’ll love!
- Italian Vegetable Stew
- Chorizo White Bean and Vegetable Soup
- Vegetable Bean Soup
- Smoky Spanish Vegetable and White Bean Soup with Kale
Get all my soup recipes at Soup and Stew Recipes – From A Chef’s Kitchen
White Bean Kale Soup with Parmesan Toast
This rustic Tuscan-inspired White Bean Kale Soup is easy enough for a weeknight and delivers healthy wholesome comfort in a hurry. The Parmesan Toasts have a kick of black pepper for the perfect crispy, cheesy accompaniment.
Ingredients
Soup
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 large carrot, (or 2 medium) chopped
- 2 bunches Lacinato kale (also called Tuscan or dinosaur kale), stems removed and coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 2 large bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste and tolerance
- 2 cans (15-ounce) cannellini beans, or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1-2 rinds from a wedge of Parmigiana Reggiano
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Parmesan Toasts
- 1 small baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1/4 cup olive oil, preferably extra virgin
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiana Reggiano
Instructions
Soup
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, celery and carrot. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are beginning to soften.
- Working in batches, add the kale and cook until it wilts.
- Add the garlic and cook briefly, 10-15 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil.
- Add the bay leaves, crushed red pepper flakes, cannellini beans and a wedge from Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add lemon juice to taste along with salt and black pepper to taste.
Parmesan Toast
- While the soup is simmering, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut the baguette on the bias into 1/2-inch slices. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Combine the garlic and olive oil in a small bowl. Brush over the bread slices.
- Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper then top with even amounts of Parmesan cheese.
- Place in the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- To make the soup vegetarian, use vegetable broth and rennet-free Parmesan cheese.
- Canned Great Northern beans will work in place of cannellini beans.
- Hold the stem end in one hand.
- Gather the leaves between the thumb and forefinger of your other hand.
- Pull back and away along the stem in one motion, applying even pressure to strip the leaves from both sides.
- This soup can be made 1 day ahead of time, cooled and refrigerated.
- Reheat on the stovetop until heated through.
- Freeze in containers in desired quantity for up to 3 months.
- Thaw in the refrigerator or microwave, then reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 11gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 1218mgPotassium: 486mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 11214IUVitamin C: 90mgCalcium: 458mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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