White Bean and Kale Soup

This soup is so easy and my favorite to make when I’m in a time crunch. It simmers for 15 minutes and it’s done! This is also a vegan and dairy free soup, it’s filled with lots of healthy veggies and white beans. Spice it up as much or as little as you’d like with red pepper flakes, I like to make it a little bit spicier if it’s cold out.

Sautéing the veggies helps you bring out their delicious flavor before simmering. Plus it smells amazing! I love using kale for this soup because it’s tougher than spinach and doesn’t get too limp. Also kale holds up great and stays firm even when this soup is stored as a leftover. I love making a big pot of soup because it always means soup for lunch the next day!

This soup has minimal ingredients which makes it one of my favorites, the easier the better! I love using white beans but chickpeas would also be great in this soup if you have those on hand or prefer to use them. White beans are packed with fiber and protein, they really help make this a nutrient filled soup. If you aren’t vegan and enjoy cheese this soup is great with a bit of parmesan cheese on top, but its honestly not even necessary because it’s so yummy on it’s own. Another great thing to top this soup off with is a squeeze of lemon juice if you have any.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tbsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• Red pepper flakes to taste
• 2 handfuls chopped kale
• 2 cans white beans
• 6 cups vegetable stock

Instructions

1. Add olive oil to a pot on medium high heat and sauté the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic until veggies are soft and fragrant. The onion will get translucent.
2. Stir in the can of diced tomatoes, add salt and pepper, dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, 2 handfuls of kale, and 2 cans of white beans. I like to strain and rinse the beans before adding them to the pot.
3. Add in the veggie stock, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook on low for 15 minutes and enjoy!