Tuscan White Bean Kale Soup (Printable version)

A creamy blend of cannellini beans, tender kale, and fresh lemon zest in a savory Tuscan-style soup.

# What you need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 bunch kale, tough stems removed, leaves chopped (approximately 4 cups packed)
07 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Beans & Broth

08 - 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
09 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
10 - 1 cup water

→ Herbs & Seasonings

11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 tablespoon fresh, minced
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Finishing

16 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
17 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, omit for dairy-free or vegan
18 - Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery, sautéing until softened, approximately 6-8 minutes.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in chopped kale and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly wilted.
04 - Add cannellini beans, vegetable broth, water, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes if using. Season with salt and pepper.
05 - Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Remove approximately 1 cup of soup and beans, mash with a fork or blend, then return to the pot to create a creamier consistency.
07 - Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice. Simmer for 2 additional minutes.
08 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
09 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect for something this deeply satisfying and restaurant-quality.
  • The texture is naturally creamy without any cream, thanks to a simple mashing trick that changes everything.
  • Lemon zest transforms a simple bean soup into something that feels both comforting and refreshingly alive.
02 -
  • Fresh lemon juice makes the difference between a good soup and one that tastes alive—bottled versions are flat by comparison and it's worth the squeeze.
  • Mashing some of the beans into the broth is the clever hack that gives you restaurant-quality creaminess without any cream, and it's easier than you'd think.
03 -
  • Zest your lemon before cutting it in half for juice—it's easier and you get more surface area, and a microplane grater makes lemon zest so fine it practically melts into the soup.
  • Taste the soup at every stage instead of waiting until the end, so you understand how flavors develop and can adjust with confidence rather than guesswork.
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