This vegan creamy white bean soup is easy to make and a perfect weeknight meal. Fresh rosemary, kale, and lemon juice are added to the soup with a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little kick. The result is a hearty, earthy, and bright soup you'll want to make all year round.
There's only a little prep required to make this soup and I have ideas to minimize even that.
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It's soup season and when I told my (meat-loving) husband I was trying out a white bean and kale soup for dinner, his response was something like "Bleh" followed by "Yuck". Then he rummaged in the refrigerator for something (anything) else to eat. He does not love kale.
I convinced him to try it and told him to pretend the kale was spinach in disguise. After eating a large bowl of it and asking if there was any left, he agreed that it was tasty and a solid winner. So don't let the kale put you off this soup if it's not your thing. Or swap it out for spinach...
โค๏ธ Why you'll love this recipe
- This is a simple soup that's easy to make.
- It's vegan and gluten-free.
- This soup is creamy from the white beans. No dairy-cream is added.
- You only need a salad and a hunk of crusty bread to make it a meal.
๐ง Main Ingredients + Notes
This list only covers ingredients that require some notes. Go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post for a complete listing of the ingredients, measurements, and directions to make this creamy soup.
- Fresh rosemary - I've only made this soup with fresh rosemary. If you substitute dried rosemary, use only a quarter of the amount called for and then adjust for your personal taste. Other fresh herbs work well too, such as fresh thyme and oregano.
- Better Than Bouillon - you can make your own vegetable broth or use Better Than Bouillon - Roasted Vegetable Paste. The Bouillon paste adds a depth of umami flavors that vegetable broth typically lacks. If you opt for vegetable broth, you will need to add more salt.
- Navy beans - Any white bean is fine. I used Navy beans, but cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, and white kidney beans are all fine.
- Baby kale - This is available pre-washed in cartons in the refrigerator cases in the produce area of most markets. If this isn't available, use lacinato kale, also called dinosaur kale because of it's bumpy appearance. Don't like kale? Substitute fresh spinach - I recommend pre-washed baby spinach soldย in cartons in the produce department.
๐ฏ Why This Recipe Works
Lemon juice balances the earthy flavors of this soup. Don't be tempted to skip it.
โฐ Tips to Simplify and Save Time
- Purchase onion already diced. Many supermarkets offer this in plastic containers in refrigertor cases in their produce department.
- Purchase celery and carrots cut into strips. This is a big time-saver since this eliminates the need to peel the carrot, strip the leaves from the celery, and cutting them into strips.
- Using pre-washed baby kale that's available in cartons in the produce department saves a lot of time over using lacinato kale leaves.
๐ฅฉ Tips for Omnivores
Add shredded roast chicken to the soup. You may also need to add more broth with this option.
๐ฝ Side Dish Ideas
I only need a green salad and a hunk of crusty bread to make this a meal, but if you have bigger appetites at your table, here are some ideas:
Air Fryer Potatoes are a great side for so many main dishes, and are a favorite in our house. If you don't have an air fryer, just roast in a 400หF oven until tender.
Simple roasted carrots or these Citrus Glazed Carrots are another idea although I would nix the ginger if pairing the carrots with this soup.
For something heartier, go with this Broccoli Casserole!
๐โโ๏ธ FAQ
Yes, the flavors only get better overnight.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 - 5 days. I haven't tried freezing it, but it should freeze fine in a freezer-safe container for 2 - 3 months. Always let the soup cool completely to room temperature before storing it.
If you only want to partially purรฉe a bean soup, I recommend using a stick blender. It's quick and required very little clean-up.
If you don't have one, I removing 2 cups of the soup from the pot and putting them in a high-speed countertop blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the blended soup back into the pot.
Any white bean is fine. I used Navy beans, but cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, and white kidney beans are all fine.
๐ More Bean Soup Recipes You Might Like
I'm a soup girl and have a lot of soups on the blog, which can find on my Soups, Chili, and Curry page. Below are pictured an award winning Harvest Bean Soup, a Simple Vegetable Soup, and a hearty Cauliflower Soup with White Beans and Pesto. Just click on the below photos to go to the recipes!
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Vegan Creamy White Bean and Kale Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, small diced about 1 ยฝ cups when diced
- 2 stalks celery, small diced about โ cup
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and small diced about โ cup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large sprig fresh rosemary, minced 1 tablespoon
- ยผ teaspoon dried chili flakes
- 3 cups or 2 (14.5-oz) cans cooked navy beans rinsed
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon Roasted Vegetable Paste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups baby kale
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a medium-large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and stir to coat the vegetables. Sautรฉ until the onions are tender, about 5 - 7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, rosemary, and chili flakes and continue to sautรฉ everything until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the beans, water, Bouillon paste and bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer for 15 minutes to meld the flavors together.
- Partially blend the soup in the pot using a stick blender (immersion blender). Purรฉed beans and onion creates the creamy texture for this soup, so blend it to your own preferences. Stir in the lemon juice and adjust for seasoning. Add the kale to the pot and stir a few times until it's wilted.
- Serve warm with Parmesan cheese or a plant-based Parmesan-style cheese.
Notes
Main Ingredient Tips
- Fresh rosemary - I've only made this soup with fresh rosemary. If you substitute dried rosemary, use only a quarter of the amount called for and then adjust for your personal taste. Other fresh herbs work well too, such as fresh thyme and oregano.
- Better Than Bouillon - you can make your own vegetable broth or use Better Than Bouillon - Roasted Vegetable Paste. The Bouillon paste adds a depth of umami flavors that vegetable broth typically lacks. If you opt for vegetable broth, you will need to add more salt.
- Navy beans - Any white bean is fine. I used Navy beans, but cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, and white kidney beans are all fine.
- Baby kale - This is available pre-washed in cartons in the refrigerator cases in the produce area of most markets. If this isn't available, use lacinato kale, also called dinosaur kale because of it's bumpy appearance. Don't like kale? Substitute fresh baby spinach - also found pre-washed in cartons in the produce department.
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