This cozy white bean and kale soup can feed an army on a budget with simple vegetables and a few pantry staples. Busy people and beginner cooks adore this quick, healthy vegetable bean soup made for Instant Pot or stove!
Why you'll love this recipe
White bean kale soup is a delicious, affordable answer to the dinner dilemma most days of the year. This family-friendly Italian soup is the ultimate comfort food made with simple vegetables, a few pantry staples, and fresh kale.
This flavor-loaded vegetable bean soup is so satisfying and comforting, even carnivores won't miss the meat as they happily devour it. I can't tell you how many readers have reached out to me to share this very sentiment. Of course it never hurts to serve this mouthwatering vegetable bean soup with homemade French bread or homemade croutons because, well, soup and bread.
You'll be shocked by the quantity AND delicious flavors you'll get from this combination of affordable, everyday ingredients. When I say eating healthy on a budget is anything but boring, this soup is proof!
Ingredient notes
- olive oil - Or preferred cooking oil.
- onions, carrots, celery, and garlic - It doesn't get easier than these affordable vegetables to build flavor and volume.
- tomatoes - Use canned diced tomatoes for a brothier soup or canned crushed tomatoes for a slightly thicker soup base such as what you see in my photos. Fresh tomatoes can be substituted but will also extend cook time.
- cooked white beans - Any variety of white beans can be used. Canned beans offer the most convenience while cooking beans from scratch yields more volume for less money. Both options yield delicious results!
- vegetable broth - Use homemade or packaged vegetable broth. I'm a fan of vegetable base for its flavor, value, and minimal space requirement.
- seasonings - This soup can be made with packaged or homemade Italian seasoning. The addition of crushed red pepper gives it the perfect flavor kick.
- salt and pepper - Use as instructed or add to taste.
- fresh kale - Use any kale variety or substitute other greens such as fresh spinach or chard. I used Tuscan kale aka Dinosaur kale or Lacinato kale for this recipe.
- fresh parsley - This is an optional garnish, but always recommended for a pop of color and herbaceous flavor.
How to make this recipe
This kale white bean soup caters to busy people and beginner cooks because of the simple prep and mostly hands-off cooking using an Instant Pot or stove. Enjoy these step-by-step stove instructions with photos. You'll find both methods in the recipe card below.
Saute vegetables in olive oil over medium-high heat until tender. Add tomatoes and beans.
Stir in vegetable broth and seasonings. Increase heat to bring soup to a boil, stirring as needed. Then lower heat, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until soup ingredients are fully heated, stirring as needed.
Stir kale into soup and continue simmering until it softens to your liking. Or serve immediately, if desired.
Recipe tips and substitutions
When using canned goods such as tomatoes, beans, and vegetable broth, I recommend using low-sodium varieties. If they aren't available, consider reducing the salt amount listed in the recipe.
Cut kale into bite-sized pieces to prevent the long strands that make serving and eating difficult.
This white bean and kale soup will have a tiny kick of heat from the red chili flakes. Consider reducing or omitting these for the family-friendly version. Of course, dial it up a notch if you want it extra spicy!
Frequently asked questions
Any white beans will work for this recipe. Common varieties include navy beans (pictured here), cannellini beans, great northern beans, and white kidney beans.
No. Cooked beans are required for this 30-minute soup recipe since dried beans require significantly longer cook time which would overcook the other ingredients.
Yes! You can substitute equal amounts of any tomato variety, but you should anticipate a slightly longer cooker time. Also, peeling tomatoes is not a requirement.
You can use any variety of kale for this soup such as curly kale, Tuscan kale (aka Dino or Lacinato), Russian red kale, or baby kale. I used Tuscan kale in these recipe photos.
How to freeze vegetable bean soup
First, allow the soup to cool completely. Transfer to airtight freezer containers and place in the freezer. Once frozen, enjoy within 3 months (or longer, if vacuum sealed).
Pro tip: When using zip-top bags, lay the soup bags flat in the freezer so they'll freeze flat for more efficient storage.
More easy soup recipes
Vegetarian soups: Tomato Soup, Chickpea Kale Soup, Vegan Tortilla Soup, Minestrone Soup, Cream of Mushroom Soup
Non-vegetarian soups: Ham and Bean Soup, Cabbage Roll Soup, Zuppa Toscana, Chicken Vegetable Soup, Lasagna Soup
Italian White Bean and Kale Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil, or preferred oil
- ½ large White Onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 large Carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 ribs Celery, diced (about 1 cup)
- 5 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 (28 ounce can) Diced Tomatoes or Crushed Tomatoes, don't drain
- 2 (15 ounce cans) Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups)
- 4 cups Vegetable Broth, or any broth
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt, or more as needed
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper, optional
- 4 cups Kale, any variety
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions (* stove instructions in recipe footnotes)
- Select "Sauté" on the Instant Pot and add the OLIVE OIL.
- When the display reads "Hot", add ONIONS, CARROTS, CELERY, and GARLIC; sauté a few minutes until slightly tender, stirring as needed.
- Stir in TOMATOES, WHITE BEANS, VEGETABLE BROTH, ITALIAN SEASONING, CRUSHED RED PEPPER, and SALT.
- Secure the lid and turn the pressure release valve to the "Sealing" position.
- Press "Cancel" on the Instant Pot. Select "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" and set the Instant Pot on "High" pressure for 1 minute.Note: In real time, the pot takes about 15 minutes to pressurize and pressure cook the soup for 1 minute.
- When the cycle completes, allow the Instant Pot to sit for 10-15 minutes, undisturbed, for a natural pressure release (NPR).
- Turn the pressure release valve to the "Venting" position to release any remaining steam. Unlock and remove the lid.
- Stir in KALE (or other greens); close lid and rest for 5 minutes to wilt the kale (keep pressure valve open to prevent pressure building again)
- Press "Cancel" or allow the cooker to stay in "Keep Warm" mode.
Serving and storage
- Serve warm. Garnish options: lemon zest, fresh parsley, croutons, or grated Parmesan cheese.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months (longer if vacuum-sealed).
RECIPE VIDEO
Traci's Recipe Notes
- In a 3 ½ quart soup pot on medium-high heat, heat OLIVE OIL until it shimmers (about 2 minutes).
- Add ONIONS, CARROTS, CELERY, and GARLIC; sauté a few minutes until slightly tender, stirring as needed.
- Stir in TOMATOES, VEGETABLE STOCK, BEANS, SALT, ITALIAN SEASONING, and (optional) CRUSHED RED PEPPER.
- Bring the bean soup just to a boil, then lower heat and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring as needed. Continue with step #8 in the instructions above.
Equipment
- 6 quart Instant Pot for pressure cooker method
- 4-quart soup pot for stove method
NUTRITION
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
Julie says
I just made this and it is DELICIOUS. I wanted a vegetarian soup that I could add to my recipe list and it made the cut. I did add some mushrooms, chickpeas, sundried tomatoes and I used red kidney beans instead because that’s all I had. I will be making this again.
Traci says
Awesome, Julie! I'm so happy you went for it AND made it your own! This soup is perfect for that. It's a favorite here too – even the neighbor dog loves it and there's no meat LOL. Thanks so much for the feedback. Enjoy!
Jenn says
Would it be weird to add crumbled Italian sausage? If not, at what stage world you recommend adding it? Sauté before the veggies and then take out if pan, perhaps?
Traci says
Hi Jenn, not weird at all. In fact, you can use my Zuppa Toscana recipe to apply the same method to this soup. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂 Enjoy!
Bridgette says
I made this soup tonight, as written, with the exception of spinach vs kale, as that is what I had on hand. It was absolutely delicious. Loads of flavor! This will be a regular at our table from now on!
Traci says
Awesome Bridgette! I'm so glad you went for it and love it as much as we do 🙂 I just ran out yesterday and am ready to make more lol. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave feedback - much appreciated!
Bonnie says
If you massage kale in a little avocado oil, I use lemon infused avocado oil, for at least two minutes, the bitterness is gone. I then mix with a dash of honey and chopped mango for a great salad. I mention because massaging the kale before adding to soup makes a difference in the bitter taste
Traci says
That's a great tip, Bonnie! I always massage it for salad but haven't done it with soup. Thanks for the pointer. Cheers! 🙂
Jane S says
Love your recipes!
Traci says
Awww thank you! Love hearing that and please let me know if you ever have any questions 🙂 I'm here for it
Rosalee says
wondering of rainbow chard would work instead of kale?
I have found a lot of kale bitter
I steamed chopped rainbow last night and then added it to
sauteed red onion. It was marvelous
Traci says
Yes! Rainbow chard would be great in white bean soup 🙂 Any greens, really! Just pick your favorite and substitute for the kale. Enjoy!
Clark says
Hi Traci, This bean and kale soup recipe was quick and easy in the instant pot. The prep was straight forward veggie chopping, a box of low sodium veggie broth and a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes. Quick and easy.
I am tasting it for the first time now as I write this. It is bright, fresh, and delicious tasting. After getting in from a 3.75 hour xc ski outing it is the perfect blend of flavors and hearty nutrition to cap the day. I know this will be even better for lunch tomorrow as the flavors meld! Thanks for sharing this recipe, I know it will be a regular for my family!
The Kitchen Girl says
I'm so glad to hear this, Clark 🙂 You're making me want to xc ski and eat soup! Thank you for taking the time to leave this thoughtful review. Cheers!
Keri says
I found the ratio of tomatoes to broth to be a little too much. If I made it again, I would probably go with a 15 oz can of diced toms and up the broth to 5 or 6 cups. I didn't have Italian seasoning so I added dried basil, rosemary, marjoram, and thyme. I also added a bay leaf. The flavor was fine but there was just too much tomato for me, which may be just my personal preference.
The Kitchen Girl says
No worries, Keri. I've never had anyone say they didn't like the tomato to broth ratio, but that's the beauty of soup. It's so easy to customize and sounds like you have a great plan. Thanks...enjoy!
Gretchen says
This soup is super easy yet delicious! I have made it numerous times.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayy! So glad you're enjoying it 🙂 It's one of our favs too! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. I appreciate it!
Sandy says
I found this recipe very bland. Added pepper, more salt, and Italian seasoning. Nothing helped. Very disappointed because it looked very good and had so many healthy ingredients in it.
The Kitchen Girl says
Oh darn. I haven't had feedback about this soup lacking flavor, but we all have our taste preferences. I'm curious to know what you would change to make it perfect for you. Also, love to know what kind of vegan soups satisfy you as I'm always looking to expand my recipe collection and I love reader input. Cheers! 🙂
Judith Williamson says
Did you add the Crushed Red Pepper? I added a bit and the soup was very tasty. I am making another batch this afternoon and will at least double it. I plan on adding rutabaga, cabbage and potato as well.
Judith Williamson says
This recipe is amazing. I doubled the recipe the first time I made this and loved it so much that I tripled it and changed things up a bit. I am neither vegan nor vegetarian.
I love pepper so I added it to the recipe.
It calls for three cups each of onion, carrot and celery. I changed it to:
White Onion 3 cups diced
Carrots 1.5 cups diced
Celery 1.5 cups diced
Rutabaga 1.5 cups diced
Potatoes 1.5 cups diced
Cabbage 1.5-2.5 cups chopped
When I heated a bowl I added a splash of balsamic vinegar, but any vinegar would work or lemon or lime juice. It gives it a bit of a zing.
Another bowl I sprinkled a generous amount of grated parmesan cheese on it. I was amazing as well.
The great thing about cooking is that you can take great recipes and adapt them.
Thanks to Traci for this great recipe.
The Kitchen Girl says
Judith, you're so welcome and I love it that you customized it with these great add-ins! Thanks for sharing the details and I'm glad you're enjoying it 🙂
Theresa says
Delicious, easy, and oh so satisfying! I didn't have celery, so I substituted green beans. Added dried shallots to the diced onions for extra flavor (I LOVE shallots). Served this hearty soup for dinner with artisan crackers topped with fig/balsamic boursin spread.
The Kitchen Girl says
Nice! I'm so glad you enjoyed it and I love shallots too! The cheese sounds fabulous too! Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback 🙂 Much appreciated!
Candee says
this was really delicious Traci. We are looking for simple vegetarian dishes that lasts a couple of days. You are doing an excellent job in your choices of recipes.
Hugs!
Ed and Candee Ramos
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay! I'm so glad to hear you stumbled on this and feel the same way we feel about it lol. It's loved by many, actually! Thanks for taking the time to review and I'm glad to inspire your dinner 🙂
Una says
Excellent soup. I don’t love Italian seasoning so I used a dash of dried thyme and some poultry seasons.
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome! We're pretty crazy about this one too! Yes, it's very customizable ... I'm glad you enjoyed and thanks for the feedback 🙂
Crys says
I made this last night with homemade veggie stock and a small can of tomatoes with green chilies and fresh tomatoes and it was soo good ! Thank you for the recipe!
The Kitchen Girl says
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed and thanks so much for the feedback 🙂
Melanie says
My family loves this soup—I’ve made it twice and they were excited to see it again. Great flavor and a slice of sourdough finishes it off nicely. Thank you!
The Kitchen Girl says
So glad to hear it, Melanie! Thanks so much for letting me know and I'm happy the family loved it 🙂