This hearty, Italian-inspired vegetarian Tuscan Kale Soup with White Beans is filling and packed with nutrition from white kidney beans and vegetables like kale, carrots, celery and tomatoes. I recommend serving it with a parmesan cheese and a side of crusty bread.

Tuscan kale and white bean soup in a bowl garnished with parmesan cheese and parsley.

About This Soup Recipe:

Are you a lover of hearty, chunky soups? If yes, you’ll love this cozy and healthy Tuscan Kale Soup with White Beans. It’s easy to make (it takes under 30 minutes) and is packed with good nutrition to warm you up and keep you feeling well during the colder months of the year.

The first time I tried Tuscan Kale and White Bean soup was years ago when my mom made it for my family at home. Served with a nice crusty bread and a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese…safe to say I loved it. My mom initially used the recipe from The Wanderlust Kitchen, and the recipe I’m sharing here is adapted from that.

Tuscan kale and white bean soup in a bowl garnished with parmesan cheese and parsley.

Ingredients for Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup:

To make this healthy and filling soup recipe, you’ll need:

  • Olive oil
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Salt & pepper
  • Dried rosemary
  • Dried thyme
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Bay leaves
  • Canned diced tomatoes
  • Canned white beans
  • Vegetable broth
  • Kale
  • Lemon
  • Italian parsley (optional)
  • Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Crusty bread (optional)
Ingredients including white beans, kale, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, spices, and broth laid on a wood board.

How to Make This Recipe:

To make this recipe, you’re going to need a large pot or saucepan for cooking and a handheld immersion blender. Here is a step by step description of how to make the Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup:

  1. Warm olive oil in the bottom of the pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots and cook for about 4-5 minutes until tender. Next, add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  2. Add the bay leaves then pour in the canned diced tomatoes (with juices), the drained white beans, and the vegetable broth. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the roughly chopped kale leaves, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  3. Next, using an immersion blender, blend about 1/2 to 2/3 of the soup (depending how chunky you want it) to partially puree the soup, leaving some chunks of vegetables and beans for texture.
  4. Add the lemon juice. Taste the soup and adjust salt, pepper and other spices as necessary.
  5. Serve the soup topped with chopped Italian parsley, grated parmesan cheese, and a side of crusty bread (optional). Enjoy!
Tuscan kale and white bean soup in a grey bowl sprinkled with parmesan and chopped parsley.

Nutrition Benefits of Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup:

As a dietitian, I have major respect for this soup recipe because it’s not only delicious and easy to make, it’s so nutritious and healthy! Here are some of the reasons why it’s so nutritious:

  • It is packed with vegetables. In this recipe we have carrots, celery, onions, and kale. Carrots are a great source of beta-carotene (which the body converts to vitamin A), and fibre. Celery is also a source of fibre in addition to vitamin C and phytochemicals that offer antioxidant benefits. Similarly, onions also offer some vitamin C in addition to being a good source of the mineral potassium, which many people are lacking. Finally, the kale is a nutrient-dense vegetable that is a good source of fibre, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, and calcium, in addition to being a plant-based source of iron.
  • It’s high in protein. Vegetable soups are great, but something they often lack is adequate protein. Thanks to the white beans, this soup offers us a satisfying serving of protein as well as all of the nutritious vegetables. White beans are a great source of plant-based protein in addition to providing us with fibre and important micronutrients like iron, calcium and magnesium.
  • The vitamin C helps us absorb more iron. As I’ve mentioned, this soup is full of vitamin C-rich vegetables like celery, kale and onions. We also add the juice of 1/2 lemon to this soup, which provides more vitamin C too. There are several reasons why vitamin C is good for us. In the case of this soup recipe, it also plays an important role in helping our bodies absorb the plant-based iron from the white beans and the kale. Yay for better iron absorption!
Tuscan kale and white bean soup in a grey bowl sprinkled with parmesan and chopped parsley. Served with a side of crusty bread.

How to Store Leftovers:

If you have leftovers of this soup, you can store them covered in an airtight container the fridge for up to 5 days.

Alternatively, you can freeze your soup leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to have the soup, defrost them overnight in the fridge and reheat to enjoy!

Connect with Hannah Magee, RD!

If you tried this soup recipe, let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and recipe rating below! 🙂

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If you loved this recipe, you may also love this Creamy Tomato Basil Soup also made with white beans!

Tuscan kale and white bean soup in a grey bowl sprinkled with parmesan and chopped parsley.

Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup (Vegetarian)

Servings: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
This hearty, Italian-inspired vegetarian soup recipe is filling and packed with nutrition from white beans and vegetables like kale, carrots, celery and tomatoes. I recommend serving with a sprinkle of parmesan and a side of bread.
5 from 3 ratings
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Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 14 oz canned diced tomatoes, with juices
  • 3 cups white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 4 cups vegetable broth, can sub. with chicken broth if not vegetarian
  • 4 cups kale, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • chopped Italian parsley, for topping
  • grated parmesan cheese, for topping
  • crusty bread, for serving

Instructions 

  • Warm olive oil in the bottom of a large pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, celery, and carrots and cook for about 4-5 minutes until tender.
  • Next, add the minced garlic, salt, pepper, dried rosemary, dried thyme, and red pepper flakes and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the bay leaves then pour in the canned diced tomatoes (with juices), the drained white beans, and the vegetable broth. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Once boiling, stir in the roughly chopped kale leaves, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  • Next, using an immersion blender, blend about 1/2 to 2/3 of the soup (depending how chunky you want it) to partially puree the soup, leaving some chunks of vegetables and beans for texture.
  • Add the lemon juice. Taste the soup and adjust salt, pepper and other spices as necessary.
  • Serve the soup topped with chopped Italian parsley, grated parmesan cheese, and a side of crusty bread (optional). Enjoy!

Notes

How to Store Leftovers:
If you have leftovers of this soup, you can store them covered in an airtight container the fridge for up to 5 days
Alternatively, you can freeze your soup leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to have the soup, defrost them overnight in the fridge and reheat to enjoy!
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Lunch, Main Course, Soup
Author: Hannah Magee, RD
Did you make this recipe?Be sure to take a photo and tag me at @hannahmagee_rd so I can see!