30 Minute White Bean Soup with Kale
This creamy vegan white bean soup comes together in less than 30 minutes with pantry ingredients and fresh veggies. It’s the perfect quick and easy dinner when you’re looking for something hearty and satisfying!
You Will Love This
- It’s super quick and easy! We are talking 25 minutes from the stovetop to your dining room table! Canned beans, canned coconut milk, and chopped kale make this creamy, dreamy vegan recipe possible on even the busiest of weeknights. A classic mirepoix gets a quick sauté and then everything goes in the pot to simmer together.
- It’s filled with veggies but also very hearty and satisfying! This kale white bean soup is LOADED with vegetables and beans, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that it’s not going to fill you up and fuel you through the day! The coconut milk in this soup works in combination with the vegetables to give you an energizing meal that will leave you satisfied. Looking for more easy soup recipes – check these out!
- If you loved this kale soup recipe, be sure to check out my Creamy One Pot Vegan Chickpea Stew, my Easy One Pot Vegetable Stew, or my One Pot Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Carrot, Onion, Celery — AKA mirepoix — This is what gives this soup its delicious, aromatic flavor base. If you’re looking for a shortcut, most grocery stores now carry a pre-made mirepoix (diced onion, carrot, and celery mixture)! You’ll want about 3 cups total of this diced mixture so plan accordingly as the mirepoix seems to come in varying amounts depending on the store. This will save you at least 5 minutes of prep time!
- Garlic — Mincing garlic yourself releases all those oils for a super fresh, bright flavor, but I also totally get that sometimes you just need that jar. Sub ½ teaspoon of pre-minced garlic, or ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, for each clove.
- Dried Herbs – Dried oregano, dried thyme, and rubbed sage are my favorites for this recipe. If you’re out of any of these herbs just substitute more of one of the others, or use Italian seasoning in place of all three. Dried rosemary or bay leaves would be a delicious addition as well!
- Veggie Broth — If you’re not worried about this soup being vegan, you can use chicken broth instead of veggie broth.
- White Beans — Use whichever white beans you prefer, or a mixture of three! Cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, baby lima, and even Navy beans will work well in this soup. You could also use kidney beans, chickpeas, or even pinto beans in place of white beans. Just stick with 3 (15-ounce cans) of whatever beans you’re using. Also if you’re using low-sodium beans, be sure to salt the soup to taste.
- Coconut Milk — Full-fat canned coconut milk is the magic in this creamy vegan soup and it does not make the soup taste like coconut. If you’re not worried about this being vegan, go ahead and use heavy cream instead. I’d use about 1/2 to 3/4 cups of heavy cream in place of the 15 oz. can of coconut milk.
- Fresh Kale — Did you know there are lots of different kinds of kale? Curly kale is the most common and will work fine in this white bean soup. However, Tuscan kale or dinosaur kale will work as well! Baby spinach will work in its place.
- Vinegar — Vinegar might seem like an odd addition to this recipe, but just trust me on this! A splash of vinegar is going to cut through the creaminess of the kale soup and make all the flavors sing! You can use white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, or apple cider vinegar. If you don’t keep vinegar on hand, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice will work as well!
Instructions
Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently for 8 minutes until tender.
Add garlic, oregano, thyme, sage, and a large pinch of salt and pepper.
Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add vegetable broth to the pot.
Add white beans.
Add coconut milk.
Stir to combine.
If desired, remove about two cups of the soup mixture and blend in a high-speed blender or use an immersion blender. Return blended soup to the pot and bring everything to a simmer over medium-high heat (no need to boil).
Turn heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in kale and vinegar.
Season to taste with Kosher salt and black pepper.
Garnish with homemade croutons, fresh parsley, and vegan Parmesan cheese, and enjoy! Red pepper flakes are also a fun addition if you like it a little spicy!
Tip
- The coconut milk is optional (but highly recommended) in this recipe! If you prefer a more brothy and less creamy soup, feel free to leave out the coconut milk. Also, don’t worry – the soup won’t taste like coconut! The flavor of the coconut milk is really masked by the mirepoix and the myriad of dried herbs. It will impart just a tiny hint of sweetness, but you won’t actually taste the coconut flavor. If you don’t believe me, read the reviews! Coconut milk is one of my favorite ways to add creaminess to dairy-free soups without impacting the flavor. It’s much less labor intensive than cashew cream but it gives a similar effect!
Variations
This soup recipe is super forgiving, so feel free to switch up the ingredients based on what you’ve got on hand or what you need to use up in the fridge. I like to add:
- canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- diced baby yellow potatoes
- spicy Italian sausage (can use vegan if you want to keep the recipe vegan)
- cooked orzo pasta
- Parmesan rind (if you’re not worried about it being vegan)
Is white bean soup good for you?
I prefer not to refer to foods as good or bad, but this white bean soup is loaded with real, wholesome ingredients so you can feel good about eating it! It’s filled with veggies for fiber and has plenty of protein from the beans as well.
What is the thickener in white bean soup?
The secret to this creamy kale soup is full-fat canned coconut milk (which is naturally gluten-free)! It gives the soup a creamy, dreamy texture while still keeping it totally dairy free. Blending a portion of the soup also adds to the smooth, rich, creamy texture too! Instead of blending you could add a couple tablespoons of the cornstarch slurry to thicken it up as well!
What are the white Italian beans called?
Cannellini beans are a popular white bean in Italy. The term “white beans” is an umbrella term that refers to four varieties of beans including Cannellini, Great Northern, Navy, and baby lima beans. You can use any white bean you have on hand for this easy soup recipe!
Make Ahead, Storage, Freezing and Reheating
- Make Ahead: This white bean soup recipe is one of my favorite make-ahead meals! I love to throw a big batch together over the weekend and then I’ve got quick and easy lunches ready to go whenever I need them!
- Storage: Store leftover kale soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Freezing: Freeze leftover soup in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat soup in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently until warmed through. You can also microwave the soup in 30-60 increments until warmed through. Be sure to season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.
Try these easy soup recipes next!
Did you love this recipe?
Please leave a 5-star rating and review below!
White Bean Kale Soup
This creamy vegan white bean and kale soup comes together in less than 30 minutes with pantry ingredients and fresh veggies. It’s the perfect quick and easy dinner when you’re looking for something hearty and satisfying!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 1 cup sliced carrot
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 3 (15 oz.) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz.) can full fat coconut milk
- 3 cups chopped kale
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (apple cider, white wine, red wine, balsamic)
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Garnish:
- homemade croutons
- fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
- Add onion, celery and carrots. Cook, stirring frequently for 8 minutes.
- Add garlic, oregano, thyme, sage and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Add veggie broth, white beans, and coconut milk to the pot. Stir to combine.
- If desired, remove about two cups of the soup mixture and blend in a high speed blender.
- Return blended soup to the pot and bring everything to a simmer over medium high heat.
- Turn heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in kale and vinegar.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with croutons and fresh parsley and enjoy!
Notes
- Make Ahead: This white bean soup recipe is one of my favorite make ahead meals! I love to throw a big batch together over the weekend and then I’ve got quick and easy lunches ready to go whenever I need them!
- Storage: Store leftover kale soup in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Freezing: Freeze leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat soup in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently until warmed through. Be sure to season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.
Another delicious and nutritious recipe that I’ve tried from this website. Easily adjustable too, I added some string green beans, just because I had them on hand.
Green beans would be delicious in this, Liam! I am so glad that you were able to customize the recipe to suit what you already had. Thanks so much for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
Great soup. Great recipe. I will make it again! Unfortunately I could taste the coconut flavor. It was a bit sweet. Those who don’t like coconut should swap for cashew or oat milk. Saving this recipe and sharing with friends and family! Thanks!
Cashew milk or oat milk would be great in this recipe too! You may want to use just slightly less as those are a bit thinner than a full fat coconut milk. Thanks for leaving a review, Michelle! I really appreciate it 🙂
I used lite unsweetened coconut milk and I couldn’t taste any! And I hate the taste of coconut so I was weary of adding it anyways but it turned out great! Loved this recipe thank you!
I am SO glad to hear that! I have had the same experience with not being able to taste the coconut milk in this recipe either. It gives it just the right amount of creaminess and a hearty dose of fat which boosts the flavor. I’m so glad that you enjoyed this soup, Sariah! Thank you for leaving a review 🙂
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
It should stay good in the fridge about 5 days or so!
This looks so good! What a great lunch meal prep for the week or easy weeknight dinner!
Currently trying to switch to a vegan diet after being influenced by my vegan coworkers and their to die for vegan dinners. My boyfriend and his mother eat meat and lots of dairy and I’ve been wanting to make the switch over for a while just hard to do so in a household like mine. This seems easy and so delicious! Any tips or tricks before I start? Buying ingredients tomorrow! Can’t wait
That’s awesome, Dessa! This is a super quick and easy vegan recipe for beginners so this is a great place to start. Definitely pick a high quality full fat coconut milk. I like Choakoh brand the best. Other than that, don’t be afraid of seasonings – salt and pepper are your best friends when it comes to simple vegan recipes. Can’t wait to hear how this recipe turns out for you. I’ve got a lot of great vegan soup recipes for fall that are perfect for first time vegans 🙂
I was thinking of substituting spinach for kale!?! Do you think that would work? I’m not a big kale fan.?
Yes! That would totally work! Just make sure you add it right at the end as it will wilt right away. Great question, Gena!!
This was really yummy! I didn’t use oil or vinegar; increased broth to 4 cups; increased both celery and carrots to 2 cups; and added a can of lentils. I didn’t blend it because it was already pretty thick after sautéing. Delicious!
Sounds delish! I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Brooke. Thank you for leaving a review!
I think this Is the first time I have commented on a recipe post. We have recently decided to switch to a vegan diet in our home. I have made so many different new recipes. This has by far been my most favorite soup!!! Incredible flavor! Only change I would make is to add more beans next time. Thanks for this recipe.
Well, I’m glad I could be your first 🙂 Soups are SUCH a great way to enjoy vegan meals that are super easy to make! More beans would be a great addition to this recipe. Thanks so much for leaving a review, Annette. I really appreciate it!
I have been craving a bean soup and this was absolutely delicious. Added green lentils and topped with saltine crackers. The vinegar was the perfect touch
Green lentils would be delish in this soup – great idea, Jessica! And saltines too! I could not agree more about the vinegar. It adds just the right amount of acid to balance out the richness of the coconut milk. Thanks so much for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
Amazing!! Super super easy recipe!! I’ll be eating this all fall and winter!
Woohoo! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Elise. This one is perfect for when temps start to drop. Thanks for leaving a review – I really appreciate it 🙂
SO GOOD!!! I did leave out the coconut milk. Cooking potatoes in the broth gives a creamy dreamy texture to the soup. I wanted to point out that the final ingredient (before garnishes) is listed as “fresh cracked parsley”. Just FYI. Thank you for the lovely recipe!!!
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Catie! And I’m glad it worked well without the coconut milk!! Thank you SO much for pointing out the “parsley” typo!!! 🙂 I just fixed it. Thanks for leaving a review!
Delicious! Even the non-vegans loved it and eat it!
WOOHOO! I am so glad that you enjoyed this soup – it’s one of our family’s favorites too! Thanks so much for leaving a review, Lisa! I really appreciate it 🙂
How do you think nutritional yeast would taste with it? And if good, at what stage would I add that in there? TIA!
I think nutritional yeast would taste great in this! I would add it along with the kale and vinegar, but I think you could really add it anytime. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it. Great question, Savanna!
I there something that can be used instead of coconut milk? Maybe half and half?
Yes! Half and half or heavy cream would work great in place of the coconut milk. Great question, Amanda!
This soup was just lovely (and almost all gone). I picked up some fresh focaccia earlier yesterday – it paired so nicely with the soup. My husband had two big bowls for dinner. I had a bit of cooked, shredded chicken and added that as well. The recipe is perfect as is though 🙂
Ohhh I LOOOOVE focaccia. That sounds perfect with this soup! So glad that you enjoyed it – and I love the addition of shredded chicken. Thanks Whitney!
Looks perfect for a mid-week dinner with enough leftovers for lunch the next day!.
So true! The leftovers are delicious!!