Name: Lemony White Bean Soup With Greens
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 small white or yellow onion (diced); 2 large carrots (diced or sliced); 3 stalks celery (diced); 3 garlic cloves (minced); 1 tablespoon lemon zest (plus more for serving); 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (minced); 2 15 oz cans creamy white beans: Cannelinni beans, navy beans, or butter beans (drained); 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth; 3 stalks lacinato/dino or curly kale (hard stems removed and finely chopped); 3 - 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (use 4 if you like it extra lemony); kosher salt (to taste); freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)

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Lemony white bean soup is a comforting, quick, one-pot meal with a bright lemon flavor. This adaptable soup recipe is dairy free and gluten free.

A delicious, creamy soup that can be enjoyed any time of year, but is especially cozy during the colder winter months when you have little time but want a nourishing, warm meal.

There’s no cream or cheese, the creaminess comes from partially blended white canned beans, vegetable or chicken broth, and fresh vegetables. You can easily change the texture of the soup depending on your personal preference. For a brothier soup, omit the blending.

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil.
Mirepoix – a combination of diced onion, carrots, and celery to build the flavor of the soup.
Lemon zest and fresh lemon juice – using both the juice and the zest adds brightness to the soup and brings forward a lemony flavor.
Fresh garlic – for added flavor.
Fresh rosemary – adds an earthy flavor.
Creamy white beans – such as cannellini beans (also called white kidney beans), navy beans, or butter beans.
Vegetable broth or chicken broth – use whatever you have on hand.
Tuscan kale (also called dino kale or lacinato kale) – these hearty greens are cut into bite-size pieces and added at the end of the cooking time so they still retain their vibrant green color.
Kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper – to taste.

How to Make White Bean Lemon Soup

Step 1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Step 2. Add in the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until the onions are translucent.

Step 3. Add the minced garlic, lemon zest, and rosemary and cook for 1 more minute.

Step 4. Add the white beans and vegetable broth. Give it a good stir and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.

Step 5: Use an immersion blender to partially blend some of the soup for added creaminess while still keeping some texture.

Step 6. Stir in the chopped kale and fresh lemon juice. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Add more lemon zest over each bowl before serving.

Make It Your Way: Substitutions & Variations

Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.

How can you make this lemony white bean soup recipe using what you already have? Here are some ideas…

No fresh rosemary? – use other fresh herbs such as fresh thyme or fresh dill.
No Tuscan kale? – you can also use curly kale or other leafy greens such as baby spinach or chard.
Add-ins – miso paste, tomato paste, or nutritional yeast for more umami flavor, red pepper flakes for a bit of spice, or protein such as ground turkey, chicken, etc.

Helpful Tip

For a thicker soup, I highly recommend using an immersion blender to partially blend some of the soup – it makes the soup more interesting and gives it a nice texture.

This way you have some creaminess along with the soup broth and whole pieces of vegetables. I love using an immersion blender because it doesn’t add more dishes, but if you don’t have one, you can also use a stand blender.

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