This vegetarian Italian Cannellini Bean Kale Soup recipe is healthy and made with carrots in a tomato broth topped with Parmesan cheese.
This Italian soup came about as a 'clean out the fridge' recipe a few years back and to this day remains one of my go-to soups. It's light yet filling, vegetarian, gluten free, and full of fresh vegetables.
It's not yet soup season here in Minnesota but it is the season of garden vegetables. One of the best ways to use up that seemingly endless supply of veggies is to toss them into a homemade soup.
This soup is made with white beans, kale, carrots, and Italian herbs cooked in a tomato broth. It's great any time of the year and perfect served with some warm, crusty bread.
It makes a great weeknight dinner or may be prepared as a batch and separated out for meal prep.
This soup can also be frozen and served at a later time. It's a great soup recipe to have on hand!
Jump to:
- Are White Beans The Same As Cannellini Beans?
- Ingredients For Italian Cannellini Bean Soup
- How To Make Cannellini Bean Kale Soup
- What Kind Of Pot Is Best For Homemade Soup?
- How Long Does White Bean Soup Take To Cook?
- What Is A Substitute For Cannellini Beans?
- What To Serve With Italian Carrot Kale Soup
- Can Cannellini Bean Soup Be Frozen?
- Cannellini Bean Kale Soup with Carrots
Are White Beans The Same As Cannellini Beans?
This Cannellini Bean Kale Soup is made with humble ingredients like vegetables that you can pull right out of your garden, grab from a local farmer's market, or pull out of a CSA box.
It's naturally vegetarian, gluten free, and can be made vegan by leaving off the Parmesan cheese or substituting the Parmesan for a vegan brand.
There is some confusion over the different varieties of white beans out there. This recipe uses cannellini beans, which is a large white bean that's mild in flavor and creamy in texture. Cannellini beans are easy to find in your local supermarket.
Cannellini beans fall under the category of 'white beans'. Other beans that fall under this category include Great Northern Beans and Navy Beans. Any variety of white beans may be used in this recipe if you are unable to local cannellini beans.
To clarify, all cannellini beans are white beans but not all white beans are cannellini beans.
Ingredients For Italian Cannellini Bean Soup
Here's what you'll need to make it.
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 Onion (any color)
- 1 Jalapeno Pepper (seeds removed for less heat)
- 4-5 large Carrots (equals 3 cups chopped)
- 2 15 oz. cans Cannellini Beans
- 4 cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 cups Crushed Tomatoes
- 2-3 packed cups Kale (chopped)
- 2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp. Sugar (or sweetener of choice)
- 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
- ½ tsp. Kosher Salt (split)
- ¼ tsp. Pepper (split)
- Parmesan Cheese for topping (optional)
How To Make Cannellini Bean Kale Soup
The soup is made by first mincing and chopping all the aromatics and vegetables, then simmering them in a tomato broth in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot.
It's easy to think that soup is time-consuming and laborious and I am here to prove that this is NOT always the case. Soup often cooks faster than we think and makes for great leftovers.
- The first step is to mince 6 cloves garlic, 1 onion (any color), and a jalapeno pepper (remove the seeds and membranes for less heat).
- Peel 4-5 large carrots and cut them into slices. Cut the slices into half moons or into quarters if they are large. It's important that the carrots are roughly the same size so that they cook evenly (yields 3 cups chopped carrots).
- Roughly chop 2-3 packed cups of kale. You can use any variety of kale you like (I prefer curly or lacinato kale for this soup). Remove the woody stem from each stalk of kale and discard (the stems can be tough).
What Kind Of Pot Is Best For Homemade Soup?
I love to use a cast iron Dutch oven or any variety of heavy-bottomed pot when making soups. Cast iron is great because it distributes heat evenly, ensuring that all the ingredients are cooked through evenly.
Soup pots do not need to be fancy but the bottom of the pot should not be thin or the ingredients may burn when sautéed and it should be big enough to fit everything comfortably.
- Place a soup pot on the stove top and heat to medium-high. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil.
- Once the oil is heated, add the garlic, onion, and jalapeno. Sauté the aromatics for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. They will begin to caramelize a bit and of course make your house smell fantastic.
- Add the 3 cups of chopped carrots along with ¼ tsp. of kosher salt. Sauté the carrots for 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently. The carrots should be slightly softened at this point.
How Long Does White Bean Soup Take To Cook?
Now we're actually going to turn it into a 'soup'.
- Add 4 cups of vegetable broth and 2 cups of crushed tomatoes to the pot.
- Stir together and add ¼ tsp. of kosher salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, and 1 tsp. of sugar. (the sugar helps to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes).
- Stir all of these ingredients together until completely combined.
- Bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook on a low boil for 20 minutes. The carrots should be tender, but not mushy at this point.
What Is A Substitute For Cannellini Beans?
The last step is to add the cannellini beans and chopped kale.
- Drain 2 15 oz. cans of cannellini beans (there is no need to rinse the beans).
- Add the 2 cans of drained cannellini beans and 3 packed cups of chopped kale.
- Stir all of these ingredients together and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- The carrots should be tender, but not mushy and the kale wilted at this point. Feel free to cook another couple of minutes if needed.
If you don't have cannellini beans you can substitute any variety of white beans such as Great Northern or Navy beans.
Dried beans may be soaked and used in place of canned beans if you prefer. Check out this tutorial to learn How To Cook Dried Beans.
Alternatively, you can use any variety of beans you like such as kidney, lima, or chickpeas.
Any variety of greens such as Swiss chard, escarole, arugula, or spinach may be used in place of kale.
Looking for more hearty soup recipes? Don't miss these!
- Butternut Squash Sausage Soup
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- Lentil Chicken Sausage Soup
- Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
- Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup
- Wild Rice Turkey Soup
- White Bean Turkey Soup
What To Serve With Italian Carrot Kale Soup
Once the carrots are softened and the kale wilted it's time to serve the soup!
There is nothing like a hearty bowl of Kale and Carrot Soup with a side of crusty bread on a cold winter night (or anytime of the year, really). We live for soups during the winter in Minnesota.
I love to grate some fresh Parmesan or Asiago on top of my soup. Feel free to garnish the soup with vegan Parmesan cheese if you'd like to keep it vegan.
This soup can be enjoyed as-is or alongside a grilled cheese sandwich or panini. A baguette, garlic bread, biscuits, savory scones, or these cheese breadsticks are all delicious choices (make sure the bread is gluten free if you'd like to keep this meal free of gluten).
I love soups with a sandwich like these:
- Italian Grilled Cheese
- Chipotle Chicken Panini
- Dijon Chicken Grilled Cheese
- Turkey Rachel
- Corned Beef Sandwich
- Lemon Basil BLT
Can Cannellini Bean Soup Be Frozen?
Recipes like this Cannellini Bean Kale Soup make excellent freezer meals!
It will keep 3-4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Be sure to allow the soup to cool completely before transferring the fridge for storage.
How To Freeze
- Prepare the soup as directed (leaving off the Parmesan cheese) and allow it to come to room temperature.
- Once cooled, place in heavy-duty freezer bags (squeezing any air out of the bag), label with the date, and freeze up to 3 months.
How To Reheat
- Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove top.
- You can also place the frozen soup in a Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed soup pan, add some water or broth, thaw and reheat on the stove top.
Love healthy soups? Check out these recipes!
- Harvest Vegetable Soup
- Roasted Carrot Soup
- Chunky Italian Vegetable Soup
- Root Vegetable Soup
- Hearty Lentil Soup
- Italian Veggie Soup
- Orzo Vegetable Soup
- Vegetable Dumpling Stew
Looking For More Healthy Soup Recipes? Don't Miss These!
Keto Low Carb Vegetable Soup
Shishito Sweet Red Pepper Soup
Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
Cannellini Bean Kale Soup with Carrots
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot
Ingredients
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 onion any color
- 1 jalapeno pepper remove seeds and membranes for less heat
- 3 cups carrots chopped, equals 4-5 large carrots
- 2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans drained
- 2-3 packed cups kale chopped
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. kosher salt split
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- Mince 6 cloves of garlic, 1 onion (any color), and 1 jalapeno pepper (remove seeds and membranes for less heat).
- Roughly chop 2-3 packed cups of kale (remove and discard the woody stems).
- Peel and chop 4-5 large carrots into slices (yields 3-4 cups of chopped carrots). Cut the slices into half moons or quarters if the carrot slices are large (the carrots should all be relatively equal in size so that they cook evenly).
- Drain 2 15 oz. cans of cannellini beans (or canned beans of choice) (there is no need to rinse the beans).
- Heat a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottom soup pan to medium-high on stove top. Add 2 Tbsp. olive oil.
- Once the oil is heated, add the minced garlic, onions, and jalapeno. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the 3 cups of chopped carrots to the pot along with ¼ tsp. of kosher salt. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. The carrots should be slightly softened at this point.
- Add 4 cups vegetable broth, 2 cups of crushed tomatoes, 2 tsp. Italian seasoning, 1 tsp. sugar (or sweetener of choice), ¼ tsp. kosher salt and ¼ tsp. pepper to the pot. Stir until completely combined.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook on a low boil for 20 minutes. The carrots should be soft and easily pierced with a knife by this point.
- Add the drained beans and the chopped kale to the soup. Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes, uncovered, or until the kale has wilted a bit.The carrots should be tender, but not mushy and the kale wilted at this point. Feel free to cook for another couple of minutes if needed.
- To Serve: Serve with freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese (optional).
Janne Gossman
Christine. This looks so delicious and healthy. I'm on my last day in Copenhagen today. Maybe I'll forward this receipe to Bill and he can have it ready for when I return
Christine
Great idea - You're coming back to some pretty cold temps!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish
I love your approach of making a clean out the fridge soup! I do that too. But these ingredients together look delicious!
Christine
Thanks, Elaine! It's kind of fun to create something out of random ingredients.
Karly
I love the complex flavors you're presenting in this simple soup; it's perfect for fall!
Rebecca Hubbell
This looks like such a comforting recipe, but the kale take it over the top! Totally yummy!
Pamela
Do you rinse the beans?
Christine
Hi Pamela - I don't rinse the beans for this recipe because the liquid tends to 'thicken' the soup up a little bit and I like that. But, you can totally rinse them if you'd like to get rid of some of the excess salt. It will work either way!
Lacey
I got a larger can of beans and mashed part of them to thicken the broth.. so tasty. I've made this a couple times for my family.. they love it. Especially my son.
Christine
Hi Lacey - So glad your family enjoys this recipe! I love the idea of thickening the soup with the beans - I'm going to try that next time! 🙂
Barbara Alfeo
I absolutely love your recipe! I am writing vegetarian recipe round ups on my blog in 2018 (to encourage people to try meatless monday- everyone has to start somewhere) and would love to feature you. You can check out my blog (for beginner environmentalists) at sunshineguerrilla.com. Is it alright if I share this link to your recipe?
Christine
Hi Barbara - Sure, I would love if you shared a link to my recipe! I love the idea of getting people excited for Meatless Monday and will be sure to check out your blog.
Renee
Because I was out of vegetable broth, I used chicken broth in its place. I used a small can of V8 juice in place of the crushed tomatoes. This is a very tasty and nutritious low fat meal. And it is as lovely to look at as it is to eat!
Christine
Awesome - I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I love to hear how people adjust the recipe and make it their own. Thanks for the feedback!
Carolina Avila
Super excited then I got to the canned beans part 🙁 I don’t do any canned food. Help with beans from scratch recipe please?
Christine
Hi Carolina - I definitely prefer dried beans to canned beans as well! My husband and I have been making a lot of dried beans in the Instant Pot. It's really fast and they end up tasting really good! Here is a great all-purpose guide from The Kitchn - They are a great resource for things like this. https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-cook-beans-in-an-electric-pressure-cooker-234851
Becky
Just made this in the instant pot with the sauté setting and manual for 3 minutes! Turned out beautifully!!!
Christine
3 minutes?! That's awesome! I love the Instant Pot. Thanks for letting me know - I'm going to try it next time I make this soup!
Crissie
Made this tonight and it was amazing! Skipped the oil and sautéed the veggies in a little water.
Christine
Hi Crissie - Thank you for the feedback and I'm so glad you enjoyed this soup!
Fotini
That looks lovely. Thank you
Christine
Thank you, Fotini! 🙂
Allyssa
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing and really tasty recipe! Will surely have this again, fam really loves it! Well done!
Nart at Cooking with Nart
White beans and kale sound like a great combination in a soup. I've never thought about combining them together this way before. I'll have to give this a go as I grow a lot of kale in my garden!
Christine
This soup is a great way to use up garden kale! Thanks, Nart! 🙂
Liz
This sounds delicious! A perfect fall recipe!
Christine
Thanks, Liz! It's a favorite at our house! 🙂
Judie
Love this soup
Christine
Hi Judie - I'm so glad to hear that! This one is a favorite in our house as well. 🙂
Jillian
Had no canned tomatoes used cherry I did onion,garlic, like 7 carrots and only had chicken broth...handful of fresh parsley...some tumeric...oregano...thyme..at the end I threw in 2 cans of cannellini and kale o and added like 3 scoops of cooked quinoa mmmmmmmm
Christine
Hi Jillian - That sounds awesome! I'm so glad you enjoyed this soup! 🙂
Del
Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. It’s become our favorite soup and we make it for the last few years. We also use different beans depending on what we have on hand and sometimes add bone broth and other hot sauces instead of the jalapeño depending what I have on hand again. Sometimes we add additional oregano and rosemary. It’s a fantastic recipe and very tasty.
Christine
Hi Del - I'm so glad to hear that you have been enjoying this soup and thank you for the kind feedback! 🙂