White bean and kale soup
White beans, vegetables and kale in a garlicky broth, thickened with some of the mashed beans. Vegan. Makes 4.
- Hands-on
- 20 min
- Total time
50 min, show breakdown
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 30 min
- Clean up 5 min
- Pans
- 1
- Ingredients
- 12
- Cost/serving
- $2.12
Per serving
- Calories
- 254
- Protein
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 11 g
- Net carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 8.2 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Vitamin K 180%, Vitamin C 60%, Vitamin A 46%, Iron 28%, Folate 28%, Magnesium 22%, Calcium 20%, Riboflavin (B2) 20%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 4
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You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
2 cans canned white beans, drained and rinsed (480 g), drained and rinsed
Same amount as: about 2¾ cups.
1 bunch kale (200 g)
Same amount as: about 9½ cups.
- 1 medium onion (110 g)
- 2 medium carrots (120 g)
- 2 stalks celery (80 g)
4 cloves garlic, smashed (12 g)
Same amount as: 4 tsp fresh minced garlic, 2 tsp jarred minced garlic, ½ tsp garlic powder.
2 tbsp olive oil (27 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
1 tsp dried thyme (1 g)
Same amount as: 5 mL.
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (0.3 g)
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (480 g)
Same amount as: 480 mL.
2 cups water (480 g)
Same amount as: 480 mL.
1 tbsp lemon juice (15 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL, ¼ lemon squeezed from fresh lemons.
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
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Healthier swaps
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Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 4 servings. Keeps 4 days in the fridge or 3 months frozen. It thickens as it sits; add water when reheating.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (502 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 254 | ||
| Total fat | 8.2 g | 10% | |
| Saturated fat | 1.2 g | 6% | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 551 mg | 24% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 36 g | 13% | |
| Dietary fiber | 11 g | 41% | |
| Total sugars | 4.4 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 24 g | ||
| Protein | 11 g | 23% | |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 259 mg | 20% | |
| Iron | 5 mg | 28% | |
| Potassium | 863 mg | 18% | |
| Vitamin A | 414 mcg | 46% | |
| Vitamin C | 54 mg | 60% | |
| Vitamin E | 2.3 mg | 16% | |
| Vitamin K | 217 mcg | 180% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.22 mg | 18% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.26 mg | 20% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.3 mg | 8% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.32 mg | 19% | |
| Folate | 112 mcg | 28% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0% | |
| Magnesium | 90 mg | 22% | |
| Zinc | 1.5 mg | 13% | |
| Selenium | 2.7 mcg | 5% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Dice the onion, carrots and celery. Mince the garlic. Strip the kale leaves off the stems and tear them into bite-size pieces.
Heat the oil in the pot on medium. Cook the onion, carrot and celery 7 minutes, stirring now and then.
Done looks like: Onion soft and see-through, carrot starting to soften. Add the garlic, thyme and pepper flakes. Stir for 30 seconds.
Add the beans, broth and water. Bring to a boil, then turn down so it bubbles gently. Simmer 15 minutes.
Done looks like: Carrots tender when poked with a knife. Press about a cup of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon and stir them in, to thicken the soup.
Add the kale and simmer 5 minutes more.
Done looks like: Kale dark green and soft. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste, then add salt and pepper.
Equipment
Large pot or Dutch oven, 5 L (5 qt) $30–80
What to look for
- Heavy base so soups and chili do not scorch
- Lid that fits
Skip: Enameled cast iron is lovely but not needed. A heavy stainless pot works.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Thin, watery soup | Beans not mashed, or too much water. | Mash more beans against the pot, or simmer uncovered 5 minutes. |
| Chewy kale | Stems left in, or added at the very end. | Strip out the stems and give the leaves the full 5 minutes. |
| Flat taste | Needs salt and acid. | Add salt a pinch at a time and more lemon. |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.