Soups & Stews
White Bean and Kale Soup with Parmesan
A cozy, budget-friendly soup of creamy cannellini beans, tender kale and a savory Parmesan rind broth.
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 35 mins
- Total
- 50 mins
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
A Parmesan rind simmered in the broth adds a deep, savory flavor for almost no cost. Mashing a cup of the beans against the side of the pot thickens the soup without any cream. Add the kale near the end so it stays bright and just tender.
Ingredients
Serves 6
Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt and cook 7 to 8 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the broth, beans and Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 15 minutes.
- Scoop out about 1 cup of the beans and broth, mash them with a fork, and stir them back into the pot to thicken the soup.
- Add the kale and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, until tender but still green.
- Remove the rind, stir in the lemon juice and grated Parmesan, then season with salt and pepper. Serve with extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
Tips and make-ahead notes
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and a Parmesan-style cheese labeled vegetarian (traditional Parmesan uses animal rennet).
- Freeze the soup for up to 3 months; save Parmesan rinds in the freezer for exactly this.
- Swap the kale for spinach and add it in the last 2 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260
- Carbohydrates
- 34g
- Protein
- 14g
- Fat
- 8g
- Fiber
- 10g
- Sodium
- 640mg
Estimated. Values change with brands, portion sizes and substitutions.
