White Bean Kale Soup is a warm and hearty soup that takes less than an hour to make in just one pot!
This cozy comfort food is big on flavor and perfect for lunch or dinner. The optional pancetta plus lemon zest give this soup an added layer of flavor
A popular Tuscan white bean kale soup, also called “Ribolitta” which often includes Italian sausage for added flavor and protein. However, you can easily make this delicious recipe vegetarian.
A loaf of warm crusty bread served alongside this one pot soup is a must! Sourdough, French bread, our easy no-knead Irish Soda Bread, or 4-ingredient Beer Bread are all great matches
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Ingredients for Soup with White Beans and Kale
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities
- Olive Oil – we recommend Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for sautéing the aromatics and fresh vegetables
- Pancetta – substitute thick-cut bacon or prosciutto, or leave it out for a vegetarian version
- Onions and Carrots – we like yellow or white onions
- Garlic – fresh garlic cloves work best and have more flavor than jarred garlic
- Celery Powder and Red Pepper Flakes – or use celery salt – the red pepper flakes are optional but add a great pop of flavor
- Fresh Rosemary – dried can be used but fresh adds more flavor
- Cannellini Beans – we use canned beans, but you could use soaked, cooked, dry beans instead. Other choices include great northern beans, white kidney beans, or navy beans. Any hearty white bean is a great option. (More about cannellini beans below)
- Fresh Kale – Tuscan kale, Lacinato kale, or curly kale are traditional choices, however baby spinach or Swiss chard are good substitutes
- Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth – select a good quality store brand, make your own broth, or for bigger flavor use bone broth
- Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest – the addition of a little lemon really makes this white bean soup bright
How to make White Bean and Kale Soup Recipe
Building the soup and flavors:
- Dice the pancetta, onion, and carrots – because this is soup your cuts don’t need to be perfect but they should be about the same size for even cooking
- Peel and chop the garlic cloves
- Strip the needles and finely chop the fresh rosemary
- Thoroughly rinse the kale, pat dry, remove the thick stems, and roughly chop into pieces
- Zest the whole lemon and then juice 2 Tablespoons of the lemon, set aside
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. (A large Dutch oven works great for this recipe, such as the Le Creuset pan pictured above)
- Add the diced pancetta to the hot oil and sauté until lightly crispy. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside
- Add onions and carrots into the oil and sauté for 6-7 minutes until slightly softened but not browned
- Stir in the garlic, celery powder, rosemary, and red pepper flakes, and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir continuously to prevent the garlic from scorching or burning
- Add the broth and the beans (do not drain the beans), stir well to combine, and bring to a low boil
- Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes
Finishing the Soup:
- Using an immersion blender, blend on low speed for about 30 seconds which will help thicken the soup
- If you don’t own an immersion blender use a masher to help smash some of the beans and carrots, or remove 2 cups of the soup and blend in a stand blender, then add it back into the soup
- Simmer the soup for an additional 5 minutes to further thicken it
- Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, and the chopped kale pieces
- Cook for another 5 minutes, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or until the kale has softened
- Turn off the heat and add in the cooked pancetta
- Taste the soup and then add salt and pepper to taste
- Serve with warm crusty bread
What are Cannellini beans?
Cannellini beans are a popular white bean from Southern Italy that are larger than regular white beans and oval in shape. They have an amazing creamy texture and a slightly nutty flavor. In this recipe, we lightly blend the beans at the end so the soup is very creamy, yet dairy-free.
Cannellini beans can also be labeled white kidney beans. If you cannot find them then substitute with any hearty white beans. For example, Great Northern beans also work well in this soup.
Leftovers and Storing White Bean with Kale Soup
White Bean Soup is perfect for meal prep and also makes great leftovers!
Refrigerate: Sealed in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, the soup will keep for about 4 days. Since there is no heavy cream this soup is easy to gently reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave.
Freezer: This soup freezes beautifully for about 3 months. You can freeze the soup, once it’s cooled to room temperature, in individual-size portions, which is perfect for lunches, or in bigger batches for a dinner-size serving. Allow soup to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before gently reheating for best results.
Tips for flavorful creamy bean soup
- Creamy White Bean Soup:
- To make a creamier soup use an immersion blender, also called a stick blender, for a quick 30 seconds. Blending adds some smoothness but also leaves plenty of texture.
- Be sure to blend before adding the kale. If you don’t own an immersion blender we recommend mashing with a heavy-duty potato masher or blending in a standard blender. Blended soup freezes well too.
Variations
- Make it Vegetarian – use vegetable stock and omit the pancetta
- Fresh Herbs – rosemary is the perfect match for cannellini beans, but you could also substitute fresh thyme, oregano, or sage. Sprinkling fresh parsley on top of a bowl of soup adds great color
- Kale and Kale Substitutes – any sturdy leafy green will work for this soup. Try chard, escarole, or spinach for variety. Both Lacanito (aka Tuscan or dino kale) and the curly kale variety are perfect for this soup. Remember to trim thick stem ends and slice into pieces that are about 1-inch in size
- Add more Fresh Veggies – fresh celery would be a great addition
- Add Italian Sausage – for a more traditional Ribolitta add pieces of sausage in place of the pancetta
- Top the soup with a drizzle of olive oil or with Gremolata for even more lemon and garlic flavor
- Parmesan Cheese – sprinkle fresh parmesan on top
- If making your own beans allow time to soak and cook them beforehand
More delicious soups to try
- Bright and healthy Greek Lemon Soup in the Instant Pot or stovetop
- Warm and flavorful Roasted Tomato Soup is dairy and gluten-free
- 100-calorie Butternut Squash Soup is easy and creamy
- Classic French Onion Soup is a “soup season” favorite
- Pasta e Fagioli is a classic Italian soup that also uses white beans
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White Bean and Kale Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- 2 cups onion, white or yellow, large dice
- 1 cup carrot, large dice
- 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 Tablespoons celery powder
- 1 sprig rosemary, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (option)
- 2 15-ounce cans navy or Cannellini beans (do not drain)
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice + zest of one lemon
- 3 cups kale, roughly chopped
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large heavy soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add pancetta and sauté until lightly crispy. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the onions and carrots to the remaining hot oil and sauté for about 6-7 minutes or until slightly softened but not browned.
- Add the chopped garlic, celery powder, chili flakes (optional), and minced rosemary to the pan and briefly sauté, for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent garlic from burning.
- Add the broth and beans, stir to combine, and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. With an immersion blender, blend on low for about 30 seconds to help thicken. If you don't have an immersion blender then use a masher to help smash some of the beans and carrots. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and chopped kale into the pan and cook for about 5 minutes or until kale has softened. Add crispy pancetta back to pan. Taste for flavor and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Notes
- Do not drain the beans before using
- Kale substitutions: Spinach, chard or escarole
- Freezing: This soup, like most broth based soups, freezes beautifully for about 3 months. You can freeze the soup, once it’s cooled, in individual size servings, which is perfect for lunches, or in bigger batches for a dinner size serving.
- Refrigerate: This soup will keep for about 4 days, sealed, in the refrigerator. Since there is no cream in this soup it’s easy to gently reheat it on the stove.
Michele
That looks so good. I’ll be making it this weekend. Thanks for sharing.
Mahy
Hot, yummy and delicious. Just what I have been looking for to try! 😉
Jacque Hastert
I can’t believe how easy this soup is to make at home and love that it doesn’t have to simmer all day. This is getting added to my menu for this week.
Heather Perine
Love a white bean soup! Going to make this soup this weekend…can’t wait!
Sisley White - Sew White
A great healthy and warming soup perfect for a cold January.