This cozy Tuscan white bean and kale soup is bursting with flavor and perfect for the cold winter months. Using just one pot and ready in 30 minutes, this hearty soup is easy to make and loaded with nutritious ingredients. Soak it up with crusty bread on the side for the ultimate comfort food.
With winter approaching and the weather getting colder, I increasingly find myself craving a bowl of creamy soup to warm me up from the inside and soothe the soul. I've been making a lot of butternut squash soup, carrot and red lentil soup and cream of mushroom soup, so much so that I think it's time to officially label this time of year as soup season.
And while these ultra creamy soups always hit the spot, sometimes I want a heartier option with a little kick as well. Using cannellini beans, a medley of vegetables and plenty of herbs and spices, Tuscan white bean and kale soup checks all the boxes!
What is Tuscan White Bean Soup?
As the name would suggest, this recipe is a variation of the classic Italian soup. Also known as ribollita (which means "reboiled" in Italian), it is traditionally made with white beans, vegetables and herbs and thickened with day-old or stale bread.
The wonderful thing about this delicious soup is that it is actually meant to use up whatever ingredients you have, so the recipe is pretty flexible on substitutions and forgiving if certain ingredients are missing.
Why You'll Love this Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup
- Quick and easy: little hands-on effort and ready in 30 minutes
- One pot: all the ingredients go into one pot making for easy cleanup
- Nutritious: simple way to incorporate a variety of veggies and loaded with protein from the cannellini beans
- Comforting and flavorful: enjoy the warmth of all the flavors and spices infused together
- Simple ingredients: no need to go to the grocery store as you likely have them all in your fridge or pantry already
- Vegan and gluten-free!
Ingredients
At first glance it may seem like a lot of ingredients, but you'll see that they pull together very quickly. Note that this recipe uses water instead of vegetable broth. Vegetable broth is perfectly fine to use as well, but this soup boasts so much flavor that the broth is really not necessary.
- Cannellini beans: I prefer cannellini beans (white kidney beans) because of their creamy, meatier texture but navy beans or Great Northern beans work well too. Navy beans are small yet still creamy whereas Great Northern beans are a bit firmer. Do not use dried beans as they require a much longer cooking time and will not fit this recipe.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Olive oil adds a delicious, complex depth of flavor and richness.
- Lacinato kale: I recommend using lacinato kale (a.k.a. dinosaur kale) as it cooks faster than curly kale and is a bit more tender, giving it a better texture. Swap for baby spinach if you don't have kale on hand.
- Canned diced tomatoes: Use the entire can, including the juices.
- Fresh vegetables: Carrots, celery and onion (yellow or white) are the key veggies.
- Fresh garlic: I like to use a lot of garlic as its flavor will mellow out when cooked in the soup.
- Tomato paste: Tomato paste adds a depth of savory flavor to the soup.
- Seasonings: I use salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flakes.
- Dried herbs: Thyme, basil, parsley, oregano add so much additional flavor.
- Bay leaves: Bay leaves add to the aroma.
- Fresh basil: Basil adds a sweet and slightly spicy flavor.
- Cashew cream: My homemade version takes just 5 minutes to prepare, blending 1 cup cashews with ⅔ cup water and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Water: You can see why no vegetable broth is needed with all these flavors above!
Instructions
1. Sauté the onions with olive oil and salt. Cook them in a 5.5-quart dutch oven for 5-10 minutes over low to medium heat. If you have time to sauté them for longer you can start to caramelize the onions slightly and bring out their natural sweetness, which will enhance the flavor of the soup.
2. Add the garlic and spices. Sauté for another 2 minutes.
3. Add the cannellini beans, carrots, celery, tomatoes, tomato paste, water and bay leaves. Bring to a rolling boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
4. Add the cashew cream, kale and fresh basil. Stir well to incorporate and allow the greens to slightly wilt.
5. Serve! Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Garnish with a drizzle of cashew cream and fresh basil. Feel free to sprinkle vegan parmesan cheese to make it even more savory or squeeze fresh lemon juice overtop for brightness.
Recipe Tips
Use an immersion blender for a creamier soup. I love the small chunks coupled with the creamy white beans in this soup, so I don't feel the need to blend the soup at all once it is cooked. That being said, you can thicken the soup and make it more creamy with the use of an immersion blender right in the pot, or by transferring it to a blender.
Vary up the herbs and spices. Don't stress if you're missing some ingredients - this Tuscan soup was designed to be flexible! Use Italian seasoning, add fresh herbs instead of dried, swap the cannellini beans for any variety of white beans... it'll still turn out amazing!
Storage and Reheating
This soup is the perfect meal prep dish! The flavors will continue to develop overnight and I feel like it actually tastes better when reheated.
Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed all the way through. It will thicken up a bit in the refrigerator overnight so I add a little water to thin it out before reheating a bowl for myself.
This soup can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure to allow it to fully cool before freezing. Be sure to leave an inch or more of space at the top of your container to allow room for expansion as the soup freezes. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator prior to reheating.
Serving Suggestions
My husband, who is not gluten-free, loves to soak up all the flavors of this white bean kale soup with a baguette or other crusty bread. Given I can't do that, I enjoy adding some crunch by topping with crispy chickpea croutons.
This soup can easily be served as an entrée by itself, but it also pairs wonderfully with a fresh side salad.
More Delicious Vegan Soup Recipes
I hope you enjoy this Tuscan white bean and kale soup! I always value your feedback so please leave a comment and feel free to tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!
Print
Easy Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup (Vegan)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This cozy Tuscan white bean and kale soup is bursting with flavor and perfect for the cold winter months. Using just one pot and ready in 30 minutes, this hearty soup is easy to make and loaded with nutritious ingredients. Soak it up with crusty bread on the side for the ultimate comfort food.
Ingredients
1 (15-oz.) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 handfuls chopped kale (or baby spinach)
4 large carrots, peeled and diced (~1.75 cups diced)
4 large stalks celery, diced (~1.5 cups diced)
1 large yellow or white onion, diced (~2.5 cups diced)
1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes (with juices)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
6 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp tomato paste
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
½ cup fresh basil (plus more for garnish), diced
1 batch cashew cream (1 cup cashews blended with ⅔ cup water + ¼ teaspoon salt)
Instructions
- Sauté the onions with olive oil and salt. Cook them in a 5.5-quart dutch oven for 5-10 minutes over low to medium heat. If you have time to sauté them for longer you can start to caramelize the onions slightly and bring out their natural sweetness, which will enhance the flavor of the soup.
- Add the garlic and spices. Sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Add the cannellini beans, carrots, celery, tomatoes, tomato paste, water and bay leaves. Bring to a rolling boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the cashew cream, kale and fresh basil. Stir well to incorporate and allow the greens to slightly wilt.
- Serve! Ladle into bowls and serve hot. Garnish with a drizzle of cashew cream and fresh basil. Feel free to sprinkle vegan parmesan cheese to make it even more savory or squeeze from fresh lemon juice overtop for brightness.
Notes
Use an immersion blender for a thicker and creamier soup if desired. Alternatively, you can transfer the soup to a blender and blend until it reaches your desired creaminess.
Don't stress if you're missing some ingredients - this Tuscan soup was designed to be flexible! Use Italian seasoning, add fresh herbs instead of dried, swap the cannellini beans for any variety of white beans, etc. It'll still turn out delicious!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: soup
- Method: Stovetop
Keywords: Tuscan white bean and kale soup
Sasha says
Most sensational soup. Thanks Elaine
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Sasha! I'm so happy to hear you love it so much! Thank you for the five star review! Best, Elaine
Cynthia Lawson says
Elaine- I had some kale left from last Saturday farmers market that I wanted to use, so this was the perfect recipe. I made it for lunch and it was absolutely delicious!! I can only imagine how good it will be tomorrow when the flavors get to blend a little more.
Elaine Gordon says
That is perfect! So happy to hear that you enjoyed it, Cynthia!