Bean Soup With Kale

I tried this recipe because I was looking for different uses of kale. This hearty soup did not disappoint. I made the recipe exactly, and it was very tasty. For my personal preference, I simmered the soup a lot longer (about 15 minutes with the lid off to concentrate the flavor, and then about 20 minutes with the lid on) because even with the tough ribs removed, the kale took a while to become tender. Additionally, I always cook any soups and pasta sauces ahead of time so the flavors can develop overnight. It truly makes a big difference, and it's a nice to treat to have lunch or dinner made in advance! Thanks for the great recipe.

This is yummy. Kidney beans definitely work if you need a replacement. I use a can of diced tomatoes when tomatoes aren't their freshest. A little parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top makes for good presentation. I freeze excess and it tastes just as good when reheated.

LOVE IT!!! This is so healthy, low fat and delicious. I recently bought a high quality pressure cooker and don't know how I survived without it. I cooked the onions and garlic first and then added the spices and veggies. I used imagine vegetable broth which is an excellent broth. Then I cooked it in the pressure cooker for 10 min and so the kale is really soft and all the flavors infused through the soup. I have never blended beans for soup before and gave that a try and really felt it added something to the soup. I think it makes it more substantial. I also added a tbsp of fresh lemon juice at the end. My vegetarian daughter is thrilled with this and so am I.

This is really great. The first time I made it I used collard greens instead of kale because they looked so good at the farmer's market and my boyfriend gobbled it up, despite the fact he normally won't eat things with beans or tomatoes in them. The second time I added a pinch of cayenne pepper and a blend of collards, turnip greens, spinach and musard greens. YUM! It also freezes really well.

It was quite good! I served it over brown rice instead of as soup. The only change was that I used canned tomatoes because that is what I had. One word of advice, chop the kale pretty small because I didn't and I regretted it.

This soup was YUMMY!!!! My super picky husband actually fought me for the leftovers. I only changed it a small bit. I put two cans of beans and added a few cut up carrots. Also, I substituted Herbs de Provence (with an extra pinch of rosemary) for italian season... its sounds subtle but makes a world of difference. Also I didn't put quite as much garlic. Really good with cornbread.

Very tasty. I would only use 3 cups stock and 1 cup water if am to make it again. As you use the liquid from the beans the soup does not need added salt. I did add chilli flakes as another user mentioned as well as oregano. The soup is filling and delicious.

This was really a good surprise. So easy to prepare and tasting. I only had one jar of cannellini beans so I pureed that with the broth and for the other can I used garbanzo.

So good!!! Very healthy soup & suprisingly flavorful! I wanted to try kale, but was a bit hesitant to make this soup because it didn't look like it had enough "spice". I was SO wrong. This is a soup I can make again & again. Thank you!!!

Freaking GOOD. Add sausage.

What? Only 5 stars possible? I made this a while back, but I'm having the last of my frozen leftovers tonight. This is AWESOME! It's quick and easy and so tasty and filling! I made it at the height of a nationwide tomato recall, so I used a can of diced tomatoes...spectacular! Due to my mood that day, and the availability of hot smoked sausage in my freezer, I added about 1/3 lb of it thinly sliced before I sauteed the onion. I also added three thinly sliced carrots, just because I am a carrot addict and you can't have too many veggies. I hate when people completely change a recipe, but those were the only changes I made and I can tell that it would have been great without them. The only downside to my batch of soup was NOT due to the recipe, but due to my laziness when it came to chopping the kale. I left it too big to be spoon friendly. Just letting others know this so they will chop their kale well. Yummy, yummy, yummy, and thank you for this recipe! LOVE IT!

This soup is very healthy and tastes so great.My husband just loved it.The flavors mingle really well.Mixing part of the beans in a blender gives the soup the nice creamy look and taste.It is a keeper for my family.Chopping the veggies takes a bit of time.So I would recommend using a machine.Double the recipe and freeze the extra.

wonderful recipe. I used Kidney beans, due to the shortage of other kinds. Great chicken soup. I used the slow cooker to cook whole thing. The kale did not look as freshly green as it should , but it taste much better. I asked my friend to taste. At the first place, she was suspecticle at it. After taste it, she asked me to give her one quote to bring home for her family.

Flavor was good, but the kale needed to be chopped smaller than I chopped it (I just roughly chopped). The contrast between the pieces of somewhat chewy kale and the more delicate broth was too much. Next time I would cut the kale into tiny pieces and possibly blend more of the beans to create a thicker base.

Very very very good!! I added celery and carrots just to pump up my veggie intake! So healthy and easy! I made a batch for my parents and they are already requesting more!

Wonderful as it is. This is such a classic, but "classic" doesn't mean "boring" by any stretch!

I just made this recipe and it was great! I used canned tomatoes because the "fresh" tomatoes at the store didn't look so fresh. I also used Herbes de Provence because I was out of Italian seasoning, and I threw in carrots because I read other reviews and it seemed like a good idea. Those were my initial changes, but when I gave the soup a taste, it needed something. After some thought, I poured in what I estimate to be 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice and voila! Success! I also added a bit of garlic salt, but I think I only had to do that because I used a low sodium veggie broth (small note: Imagine organic veggie broth is a favorite of mine, but I'm not a fan of the low sodium version - it's less flavorful all around). I cooked the soup longer because the toughness of kale bugs me a little and I wanted it to be good and tender. In the end, what my fiance and I wound up eating was absolutely wonderful. We might do it in a crockpot next time - which will be soon!

Delicious & health! I sauted 3 large leeks & 1/2 diced potato with the onion & garlic. I then pureed all of it with 1/2 of the beans & it thickened the soup nicely! I have made this twice now--cooking the kale until really tender takes at least 15 minutes and is worth the wait Great with crusty bread & sliced tomatoes w/balsamic vinegar--yum!

This was FANTASTIC!!! My 3yo and my husband devoured it! I made a few changes to suit our preferences, but it would be good as written. I cooked 6 slices of bacon and used the reserved drippings to saute the onion, garlic and kale in. I used 1 can of tomatoes. I used fresh/rehydrated beans and skipped the puree step. I cooked it all in the crockpot on low for 6 hours and squeezed lemon over it to serve. So good!!! the kale was tender and the bacon gave it some smoke (and credibility for my carnivore husband :)

This is delicious! My whole family enjoyed this. I didn't add tomatoes or parsley, but even without them, this soup is a keeper for us!

This gave me some excellent ideas to create a keeper for us. I kept the garlic, onion, kale, chicken stock, and white beans and used a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes and a can of crushed tomatoes in place of the fresh tomatoes. I also added about half a cup of diced roasted red peppers and omitted the Italian herbs and used smoked Spanish paprika and let the soup simmer for about half an hour. It's thick, spicy, and delicious! And I know some of you hate when a recipe is rated when you change the ingredients so, but this one gave me such a great basis, I think it deserves 5 stars!

Easy and good. I made as directed and tasted - it was yummy (I love all the garlic in it!), but I was wanting a bit more of a tomato flavor so I added a small can of tomato paste and a pinch of cayenne. Its not pretty, but tastes yummy and makes you feel healthy eating it! I may add an extra cup of kale next time and maybe a bit of potato. I cant wait for winter as I bet it tastes even better on a cold, snowy day!

Absolutely wonderful soup! I used fresh chicken stock though and rather than lug out the food processor, I simply mashed the canned beans with a potato masher (sure saves on clean-up). Will keep this recipe for another time! YUM!

Decided to rate this 5*. For us, it came up a bit short on flavor, as written, but can be easily adjusted to satisfy personal taste preferences. Added some orange-ginger seasoned salt & shredded Parmesan cheese, and what a difference this made. This is an extremely high nutritional dish with kale being among the top ANDI scorers. I was unsure as to how much chopped kale would equal 4 cups which turned out to be about one bunch if lightly pressed when measuring.

Tis is THEE BEST Kale soup Ive ever made. My boyfriend is a farmer so naturally you could imagine how many vegetables we eat, and believe me, ive cooked kale many times and this combination is SO TASTY! there is a real balance to the bitterness in the kale that makes you want to pick up the pot and pour this soup straight down your throat!

This soup was very good, no mistake about it, but one reason I make homemade soup is that canned soup is so high in sodium. If that's a concern for you too, consider draining + rinsing the canned beans (they're packed w/sodium). If using canned tomatoes, try the no salt added kind. You can always season to taste later. I didn't make these adjustments the 1st time making this soup, but wish I did. I agree w/other reviewers: 8 cloves of garlic is too much. I say 2 or 3 is enough without being overpowering. It really was good soup! Definitely worth a try.

A tasty and easy-to-make soup. I used chick peas instead of beans, didn't bother to puree and it was great! I've never used kale before, and followed the advice to chop it small. I also cut out the stems. I made it vegetarian & vegan by using my favourite boullion cubes instead of chicken broth. It was really good and I'll definitely make this soup (and use kale) again.

Fantastic. Made it twice so far, following the recipe almost exactly (I used cherry/grape tomatoes that I had from the garden, and ran them through the food processor.) I also used 2C homemade chicken broth, and 2 boullion cubes. It's perfect as a meal if served with good bread. I'd also recommend melting a slice of Swiss cheese on top, if you want to make it fancy.

I loved this recipe even though my wife did not like it that much.

Love this recipe. I followed the instructions and the only thing was I didn't have any tomatoes so, I had to use a 1/3 of cup of tomato sauce that I had on hand. I had to use frozen kale because the fresh was not available at the local store. I cooked the kale till it was pretty soft and it was already chopped into bite sized pieces so, that was a time saver. Thanks, for a healthy and delicious recipe.

So good and so healthy! I used way more kale so I increased the amount of chicken broth. Otherwise did not change a thing. Served with some percorino romano and red hot pepper flakes sprinkled on top. Delicious!

For me this soup lacked flavor. To save it I tossed in fresh green beans, roasted carrots, more fresh herbs and some leftover pasta.

Delicious. As other reviewers have mentioned, be sure to chop the kale fine as it is a fairly tough green, and I also cooked it longer, again because it was still tough after 15 minutes. It did lose it's beautiful bright green colour but at least it was softer. Flavour of this soup is fantastic. I used white kidney beans as I couldn't find the ones asked for. Worked great.

This is a terrific recipe! Delicious! The co-op keeps delivering kale, so a new recipe was more than welcomed! I followed the recipe as written, and it turned out perfectly! Thank you for sharing it!

I was pleasantly surprised by this too! I used canned tomatoes and bigger cans of beans than it called for. I expected the kale to wilt more like spinach, but it held it's shape, so be sure to chop it as small as you want it to be when you eat it (I left mine too big). Otherwise it had great flavor.

Very good, satisfying soup! I added a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little extra zip! The tomatoes add a touch of sweetness, the kale was kind of crunchy, and the beans were soft and mellow. All the garlic gives an extra kick to the nutrition. I used the vegetable broth, and this was just right for a chilly Sunday evening. Very easy to put together. Thanks!

I love this soup. It is so healthy and flavorful. Kale might discourage some from making this, but I assure you that you'll be glad if you do. Kale is a popular staple at local farmer's markets here in Seattle. It is full of fiber and nutrients. I top this soup with parmesan cheese and sometimes add an extra can of mashed canellini beans for extra creaminess. Thanks for a great recipe!

Very nice, light and healthy soup. I used garbanzos and diced potatoes because I didn't have white beans at hand.

Okay, I've made a lot of soup recipes from this site, as well as kale recipes too. I think this one can easily top them in both categories. I had fresh onions, kale, and parsley from my mom's garden so I decided to whip it up. I halved the recipe but kept the broth the same. It was the easiest, simplest and healthiest soup I've ever had! The kale tasted amazing!!!! It wasn't tough or rubbery. The only thing I did was to cook it for longer (about 1.5 hours on low). I like my soups to be cooked slow and simmering. Will keep making over and over.

Yum! I have made a lot of different soups with a white bean and kale base, and loved the idea of blending some of the beans to give it a creamy look... And it was amazing & froze well. Great soup- we will definitely make again.

I love this soup. It's healthy and simple to make. I used 1 can of diced tomatoes and added a little basil and oregano. I also grated pecorino romano cheese to the soup in my bowl and it was perfect.

I needed to cook this soup much longer than suggested for it to develop a really good flavor, but eventually it turned out nice and flavorful. I added some little round noodles and also more veggies like carrots, broccoli, and celery. This made for a really hearty soup.

SO good. I can't cook at all but now everyone thinks I can, after this soup! I didn't have a blender so I added hummus instead of the bean/broth mixture, and it was great. I also tried using 2 types of kale and it was even better.

Followed recipe as listed except used dried oregano in place of italian herbs and added a touch of fresh dill. Also added some pasta at the request of my hubby. This basically tasted like a typical minestrone soup with the addition of kale, so we both liked it.

This was easy and tasted so great! I chopped the kale in a food processor which made it easier for the kids to eat. I also doubled up on the liquid, which was a big help. This one is entering the rotation!

Rave reviews all around! So tasty and nourishing! I made this soup twice - once with 2 cans of canellli beans, and once with 1 can chick peas + 1 can kidney beans. Both are delicious. Instead of plum tomatoes, I used a can of diced tomatoes with oregano and basil - gave the broth some extra savoriness. I'm about to forward this recipe to my mother and my best friend!

GREAT WITH HAM ADDED, TOO This soup is hearty, and delicious! I will return to it again and again. It's easy and quick to make but tastes like a more complex recipe. I used 1 can of cannellini beans and 1 can of white beans. I didn't have fresh tomatoes on hand, so used canned diced tomatoes ("italian"--with garlic, oregano and basil.) I used 1 cup more kale, too--and added diced ham. I simmered without lid for 15 minutes, and with lid for 20 to better blend the flavors, and also added a dash of cayenne pepper.

My husband suffers from macular degeneration and was told to eat as much kale as he possibly can. I've tried many different recipes but he enjoyed this more than any of the rest.

I was not into this at all. The kale was too chunky and the soup too boring. The garlic flavored up the broth a good amount, but the soup just didn't excite either of us.

I have tried this recipe as is and it was pretty good. Definitely not something you will feel bad about after you eat it. However, I am a full blooded Portuguese female so I made this recipe a little more authentic the second time around. I used a cup of crushed canned tomatoes in place of the plum tomatoes, kidney beans in place of the white beans, and also threw in a couple of cubed potatoes, a hand full of orzo and added a little acidity with a splash of vinegar. I would definitely recommend this version if you are a person who like flavor and wants something a little more filling. Otherwise, the original version above is a very simple/healthy yet yummy soup :)

Great basic kale and bean soup. I added extra liquid because I added elbow pasta in the last 7 minutes to make it more substantial. I also sauteed my onions for a few minutes before adding the garlic.

I washed the kale several times & removed the leaves from the center stalk. As I omitted the dried Italian herb seasoning (due to family preference), I added some crushed red pepper flakes for flavor. If the soup's too thick, just add more broth. I sprinkled parmesan on top at the table too. You probably could substitute escarole for the kale as well if you wanted to vary the recipe.

This is delicious! I made some alterations & made it in my 4 qt slowcooker/crock pot: sauteed garlic and onions, then added all the ingredients to the slowcooker for 8 hrs on low. Other changes: added 5-6 plum tomatoes, used 2 c. dried beans that were soaked overnight, and added 1 c. chopped carrots. Used fresh oregano & dried basil instead of the Italian seasoning, and added extra kale. It was healthy and yummy- perfect with crusty bread, croutons, or a sprinkling of parmigiano reggiano.

Fast and yummy. I was running low on garlic so I added some garlic powder too and it tasted great. Looking forward to trying it again with 8 LARGE cloves of garlic.

I loved this, but it did take me a while to get the seasonings up to snuff at the end. Probably because I use sodium-free broth. So, after about a teaspoon of bacon salt and a teaspoon of garlic/wine seasoning and a bunch of plain salt plus two teaspoons of vinegar. It tasted delicious!!

I made this soup last night, and it was awesome! I was surprised at how flavorful it was. One adjustment -- I didn't have enough plum tomatoes in the house, so I added a can of Rotel diced tomatoes with jalapenos instead. It tasted great and has a bit of heat to it. We will definitely be making this again.

Since we took part a CSA this year, we've had far more kale than we've seen in our lives. This recipe is great for annihilating it. I usually add 1-2 cans of diced tomatoes rather than fresh, and throw in some chopped zucchini. I seem to add red pepper flakes to everything because I like the heat, and this get a teaspoon as well. The flavor is great, and my husband inhales it.

Excellent soup! It has a great thick stew-like consistency thanks to the pureeing step (genius). This could definitely be "meat-ified" with ham, chicken, or sausage for those of you with men in your lives, but I liked it just how it was in all its veggie glory. Make sure you have some crusty bread on hand to dip in it and I loved the addition of some crumbles of goat cheese on top, but parmesan is also great. I added a few sliced carrots and loved them in the soup, but I didn't care for the tomatoes too much. I was more liberal with the spices than called for and since I like food with bold flavors, I also added a dash of red pepper flakes and a couple of bay leaves (I think they improve any soup). Make this on a cold day for instant healthy comfort on a spoon.

Not to bad. Everyone ate it, but the leftovers went to waste.

I used chicken broth, a leek instead of the yellow onion and "pulsed" my kale in the food processor instead of chopping it larger. The soup was incredibly good. I would absolutely make it again, especially since Kale is one of the top foods you can eat nutritionally. Wish I hadn't waited to try it so long!

I added 1 more can of beans, Did a mix of both cannellini and navy beans, and added Sweet Italian sausage and served it with Shredded parmigian cheese. Everyone Loved it!!! HUGE hit!!

This soup is a revelation. I wanted to try kale, and this is an easy way to get started. Blending some of the beans gave the soup a wonderful texture; this is a trick I'll use in other soups in the future too. I read some of the reviews that said it was bland -- not so! I like things very flavorful and I thought this was fine. I did add a little lemon juice at the end, and cut the italian seasoning in half per other reviewers' recommendation. I will make this again--soon!

This soup is fantastic (I'm eating a bowlful right now). The only thing I did differently was to drain and rinse the canned beans but, other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. It couldn't have been tastier.

We really enjoyed this soup. I added soy sausage to add a "meaty" taste!

This was easy to prepare and so declicious. I used white navy beans, but would like to use kidney beans next time because of their texture.

Good, a very hearty soup. I'd probably add more broth in the future. Thanks for the recipe!

Wow, I don't know where the flavor came from, but for such a simple recipe with low-impact ingredients, it all came together perfectly. I will make again and again for a delicious and healthy lunch!

Made this tonight, like as most people I made a few changes... Added sliced brats, carrots, rotel tomatoes with green peppers, and a combination of white beans and garbanzos.

I did not care for this.

This is a quick soup and can easily be turned vegetarian (for Lent's Fridays) by subbing vegetable broth. I liked how the soup became 'creamy' with the addition of the blended cannellini beans and broth.

Easy, delicious and healthy. I ended up using left over kale from the "kale stir fry" recipe (which I didn't like) and it turned out fine. This soup is hearty and surpisingly good. Would be even better (but not as healthy) if you add some kielbasa.

One of the best soups I've ever tasted! Even better when you use pre-cooked dried navy beans instead of canned. Also, kale is supposed to be one of the top- ten foods for women, so I've read.

TASTY N HEALTHY!!

I would double this for our family and serve it with bread. Also, do not add the garlic to the pan until after the onion has turned brown and then just for a couple of minutes. You may also substitute a 14oz. can of diced tomatoes for the plum tomatoes. Everything else was very good and flavorful.

This soup is really great! Make sure you get the reduced sodium chicken broth (kale is very salty). I added some tofu for an extra protein punch.

I gave this 5 stars but would have given it 10 if I could. This soup is amazing! I added some of my homemade mini turkey meatballs for some added protein. Other that I followed it to a T and it was AWESOME! Super healthy too...gotta love that! Thank you for sharing.

Very simple and very good. I realized too late that I didn't have any tomatoes, so used a couple tablespoons of tomato paste. Worked out fine. Will make this again!

Excellent. I added ham but next I will do this dish meatless...

Excellent! Delicious use of kale (a superfood!)

You just don't want the bowl to end! We are vegetarians, so I used a homemade bouillon powder I got from bluedogblog and it turned out just right. (Plus, the nutritional yeast in the bouillon mix added some good protein, vitamins and minerals!) The one thing I must say is that this recipe does NOT feed 8 adults--more like 4 with no seconds. If you eat soup as your main course like my family, plan on doubling it and triple for guests. Thanks, Jean, for the great recipe I will make again and again.

Very good, even better the next day after the flavors had more time to marinate. I initially did not add salt after reading comments about the saltiness of kale, but ended up sprinkling a dash on every bowl. Thanks for a great, easy recipe!

Very yummy soup...love pretty much any soup with beans and I had some kale to use up, so wanted to give this one a try! I used a can each of chick peas and white kidney beans as they were all I had. Subbed the Italian herbs for Herbes de Provence and added in some crushed chili flakes for a kick :) Great soup for lunch or dinner - wonderful for leftovers too!

Very hearty soup. Would definitely make this recipe again and again.

Super Easy, filling, healthy and great for families on a budget. I added Bow Tie pasta and topped with fresh grated Parmesan. This way we ate it for 2 meals. My toddler ate a whole bowl!!!

This is very good. I did not plan on liking it because I love Zuppa Toscana which this is close to but without the potatoes and cream. And I'm not a fan of cooked tomatoes. I really liked this soup! I added a 1/2 pound of homemade Italian sausage and a pinch of red pepper flakes. I also used fresh spinach instead of kale. I will be making this again. Yum!

Made this last night for dinner as written. Simple soup to make. Wife and I both thought it was excellent!. Next time I'll try some variations such as adding collard or mustard greens, garbanzo beans, etc.

This soup is fabulous and I make a new batch at least 2 or 3 times a month. Even the meat-and-potatoes boyfriend finds this supremely satisfying when served with some savory muffins. Even though we're garlic lovers, I cut the amount of garlic in half and added 3 or 4 sliced carrots. I use a can of diced tomatoes instead of the romas, and as another reviewer suggested, Herbes de Provence instead of Italian seasoning -- gives it a very sophisticated flavor. Sublime!

We LOVED this soup!! It is extremely easy to make and tasted "soup-er". Thank you for the recipe. It is great for a Weight Watchers friendly meal!!!!

Snot too bad -Big Jesse

I loved this. Much more than I thought I would. My kids liked the broth, but not to fond of the kale. I may try with spinach added at the end. Really good-this is one I will make again. Really easy too.

Best bean soup. Ever.

This was a good hearty soup. I did not blend the extra beans and broth, instead I added a couple table spoons of flour to thicken the broth. I used veggie broth and all dried herbs. Great soup, I'll make it again. Thanks.

I'm giving this a 5 star recipe, even though my hisband thought it was a 3, and my daughter refused to even taste it, because I absolutely loved it. It is filling, healthy and esy to make, and perfect for me when made with vegetable broth. The only change I made was to omit the parsley at the end. A soup with so much green already doesn't really need it, in my opinion. I served it with freshly grated parmesan at the table for sprinkling, which added a wonderful flavour, and with easy beer bread mix, from this site. Thanks so much!

Really good, for being so darn healthy!

Wonderful recipe! The only change I made was to add a 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes for the fresh ones. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's leftovers.

This is a great, tasty soup---and very healthy, too!

Great soup! My husband liked it better with some red chili flakes, and I have to admit a little spice made it just a little bit better. Thanks for the recipe!

My daughter asked if I could eat only one thing for the rest of my life what would it be. This soup is so awesome I chose this. It's healthy and delicious.

Very, very good soup! Everybody enjoyed it. I forgot the parsley the second time I made it and thought it was just as good, if not better. (You can taste the kale more without the parsley, in my opinion). Definitely a new favourite! Mium.