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White Bean Soup

White bean soup with a clear golden garlic-herb broth and creamy cannellini beans, finished with wilted kale. Simmered with a parmesan rind for savory depth and balanced with lemon juice and olive oil.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cannellini beans
  • 3 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained
Kale or spinach
  • 4 cup kale or spinach, chopped
Onion
  • 1 onion, diced
Garlic
  • 6 clove garlic, minced
Broth
  • 6 cup vegetable or chicken broth
Olive oil
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
Dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
Parmesan rind
  • 1 parmesan rind
Finishing lemon and parmesan
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for serving
  • 0.25 cup parmesan shavings, for serving
Salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Sauté the aromatics
  1. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, then sauté the diced onion for 5 minutes until softened and lightly translucent. Keep the onions moving so they don’t brown too much.
  2. Add the minced garlic, dried rosemary, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, then cook for 2 minutes until fragrant and bubbling. Turn heat down slightly if the garlic starts to darken.
Simmer and build creaminess
  1. Add the drained cannellini beans, 6 cups broth, and the parmesan rind, then bring everything to a boil. Look for steady bubbles across the surface before reducing the heat.
  2. Simmer for 15 minutes until the flavors meld. Skim any foam if it forms and keep the broth at a gentle bubble.
  3. Remove the parmesan rind, then mash or blend about half the beans for a creamy texture. Stir until you see the soup thicken slightly and the color turns creamy-golden.
Wilt kale and finish
  1. Add the chopped kale (or spinach) and cook for 5 minutes until wilted. Stir until the greens turn bright and tender.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then finish with lemon juice, olive oil, and parmesan. Serve right away and drizzle an extra olive oil swirl if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: for the creamiest texture without heavy cream, mash/blend only about half the beans and stir well so you still get some whole-bean bite. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop. Freezing is yes—freeze up to 2 months, then reheat and adjust with a splash of broth and lemon juice. For a vegetarian swap, use vegetable broth and omit nothing else.