Hearty and nutritious, this plant-based white bean soup is packed with the flavors of basil and oregano. If you don’t have kale, any type of greens will do.
On Tuesdays, our local natural foods co-op offers members 10% off on produce; the new supply arrives on Wednesday, and it’s the produce department’s way of clearing the shelves.
I just happened to be shopping there last Tuesday, scouring the depleted produce area for anything that still looked fresh, when I came upon something I couldn’t identify. It had flat, oak-shaped leaves and a bright purple center stem and looked like a combination of Swiss chard and dandelion greens. Of course, I immediately put it into my cart—there’s nothing so tempting to me as a New Vegetable.
I was stumped and had to track down someone from the produce department, who identified this mystery green as red kale. I would have never guessed it was a member of the kale family because it was neither bumpy like lacinato kale nor curly like regular kale. Instead, its purple and green leaves seemed to have other tiny leaves sprouting out of them!
When I got it home and tasted a little bit of it raw, I found that it is less bitter than regular kale and could possibly be eaten in a salad. But because the center veins and stems are very fibrous and tough, I knew I wanted to cook it, so I made it the centerpiece of this light and delicious, Italian-style vegetable soup. I can’t say that it made the soup taste any different than regular kale, but I, at least, knew it was there.
Rustic Red Kale and White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 bunch red kale or use any other green available
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or about 5 “ice cubes” of frozen basil or 1-2 tablespoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini or other white beans
- 4 cups water
- pinch red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- Optional serving suggestions: Balsamic vinegar and soy parmesan
Instructions
- Prepare the kale by removing the thick parts of the center rib and discarding them. Slice the leaves thinly. Measure out 4 cups of kale for the soup; save the rest for another use.
- Heat a large, non-stick pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until the onion begins to brown, adding water by the tablespoon if needed to prevent sticking. Add the garlic, and sauté for another minute. Add all the remaining ingredients, and allow the soup to simmer, adding extra water as needed, until the kale is tender, about 30-60 minutes, depending on the kale. Taste the soup and add more basil, if necessary.
- Serve the soup, stirring a few drops of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkling of vegan parmesan into each bowl, if desired. Makes about 6 servings.
Nutritional info is approximate.
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Just wanted to let you know that the photo that you readers chose, Kiwano, Banana, and Pineapple Sorbet, received two awards in the Does My Blog Look Good in This? competition! Thank you all for helping me to pick the right photo to enter.
Elaine in CT
November 12, 2009 at 4:04 pmThanks for posting this recipe. I just made a batch of this soup today and it was delicious! I had been growing some greens in my garden and wasn't sure exactly what they were as the seed packet decribed them as "gourmet greens". After searching the web, I found your site and realized I had been growing the Red Kale that's featured in this recipe. I'm going to try some of your other recipes too. I really enjoy your website.
Bill
November 29, 2009 at 5:03 pmI am no total vegan, but I found your recipe to be the kind I wanted with no chicken broth and/or sausage. I will add a few carrots for more flavor and nutrition however. This will be dinner tonight. I have some regular ol' green kale from the farmer's market! YUM!
Kellie
April 25, 2010 at 8:59 amJust stumbled upon your blog and, after an hour of perusing, I’m headed to the co-op with several new recipes in hand! Love it.
Dana
February 7, 2011 at 6:53 pmAnother perfect night (cold, wet and just raw out there) for soup and another perfect recipe from our favorite Vegan Chef! Thank you Susan. We used regular green Kale and it was just fantastic and so easy. I think we’ll double the recipe next time so we’ll have more leftovers. Thank YOU!!
Connie Fletcher
May 15, 2011 at 10:31 amThis is a wonderful recipe!!! I, also added a carrot cut into a fine dice and a russet potato diced fine as well, for some added texture. It came out absolutely delicious………thanks for a great recipe….
Angie
July 15, 2012 at 5:04 pmMade today with some modifications to use what I had on hand. Did not use celery but added a chopped sweet potato and handful of chopped baby carrots. Used about five cups of green kale and teaspoon of dried parsley. Used extra red pepper spice. Really great. Will make again.
alisa
March 25, 2013 at 5:39 pmLoved this soup!! Added diced potatoes and carrots and frozen cubes of leftover seasoned collard juice. You have just the right seasonings. So happy to have another way to use kale. You’re the best, thanks for all you do to make me look like a great cook 🙂
Esther J
March 22, 2014 at 7:15 pmThis is such a great, simple soup–especially if you love tomato-y, brothy ones like I do. I added 4 or 5 chopped new potatoes and a sliced up carrot to add a little “backbone”, but I can imagine enjoying it without either of these additions. And the water (instead of stock or bouillon cubes) really worked for me here; it let the flavors of the tomatoes, basil, and other herbs shine through.
Thanks, Susan!
JoAnne Lowe
December 16, 2020 at 5:16 pmQuick and easy to make and the flavor is very nice. I made this on an evening when we’re expecting a foot of snow and wanted a warming dish. Only addition was some mushrooms that wouldn’t make it another few days. so nice! Thanks Susan for another winner.
Jo
April 2, 2023 at 2:33 pmJust started this soup and it smells wonderful, unfortunately I only had one can of tomatoes so I chopped some fresh ones. Im a pescatarian, mostly vegetarian and kale is the one veggie that I am “trying” to like. This is my first time with red kale …it is beautiful, love the color and the leaves.