This white bean vegetable soup with kale, carrots, and other veggies will warm you up on a chilly day. It’s light, but satisfying and goes perfectly with some crusty bread or sandwich on the side.

This easy vegetable soup is full of good-for-you ingredients like fresh kale, carrots, celery, and white beans. It all simmers in some vegetable broth until the veggies are tender, which doesn’t take long.

Most of the work is in the prep and the soup needs less than an hour on the stove. I like to make a batch to keep on hand for easy meals and serve it with some crusty bread on the side or a simple sandwich.

Ingredients

White beans: I like cannellini beans in this soup because they have a soft and buttery texture.
Kale: I use curly kale because it’s easy to find at the grocery store. It has a bitter and peppery flavor that mellows after you cook it. It also has a great texture. Just tear the leaves from the stems and roughly chop them.
Carrots
Red onion
Celery
Chicken stock: I like stock because it has a more robust flavor – if you want to keep the soup meat-free, use vegetable stock.
Lemon juice: I like to add this at the end of the cooking time. It brightens all the flavors in the soup.
Parsley: Or try fresh basil – it would be delicious, too.
Salt and pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese: I like to sprinkle a little over each serving as a garnish.

carrots, celery, onion, and kale on a cutting board.

How to Make It

☑️ Sauté the Veggies

Heat oil in a large pot and add the veggies. I usually add the onions first and, once the start to soften, then I add the carrots, celery, and kale. Once the kale has wilted a bit, add the beans, parsley, salt, and pepper.

☑️ Simmer the Soup

Add the chicken stock and bring it to a simmer. Simmer the soup for about 30 minutes or until the carrots are fork-tender.

☑️ Garnish and Serve

Add the lemon juice, stir, and the soup is ready to serve. Ladle it into bowls and sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese over the top.

More Bean Soup Recipes

White Bean Vegetable Soup

This hearty vegetable soup with white beans and kale is simple to make and is a cozy meal on a cold day.

Print Pin Rate

Author: April Anderson

Servings: servings

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1 5

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium red onion chopped
4 small carrots peeled and cut into coins
3 celery ribs sliced
1 bunch kale stems removed and torn into bite-sized pieces
2 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
Juice of ½ lemon
Grated parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook them until they start to soften. Add the carrots and celery. Cook it all for about five minutes or so. Add the kale and let it cook down, another five minutes or so.
Add the beans, parsley, salt, and pepper and give it all a good stir. Add the chicken stock, bring the pot to a simmer.
Simmer the soup for about 30 minutes or until the carrots are fork tender. Stir in the lemon juice, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the cheese, if using.

Notes

The soup will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for four days. Or, you can cool the soup, store it in a freezer container, and keep it in the freezer for several months.

Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking.