Lemony Tuscan White Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (Roughly chopped)
• 2 large carrots (Peeled and sliced)
• 2 celery ribs (Diced)
• 4 garlic cloves (Minced)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
• 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes (May be omitted for less heat)
• 3 cans cannellini beans (Drained and rinsed)
• 4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves (Remove and discard before blending)
• 2 cup kale (Lightly packed and roughly chopped)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• fresh parsley (Chopped, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

2. 2

   Add the chopped onion, sliced carrots, and diced celery. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.

3. 3

   Add the minced garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for another 30 seconds.

4. 4

   Add the drained cannellini beans, vegetable broth, and bay leaves. Bring the soup to a boil.

5. 5

   Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.

6. 6

   Remove and discard the bay leaves. Use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup until creamy. Alternatively, transfer 1 to 2 cups of soup to a high-powered blender, blend until creamy, return it to the pot, and stir together.

7. 7

   Add the lemon juice and chopped kale. Stir until the kale is just starting to wilt.

8. 8

   Transfer the soup to bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Notes

Each serving is about 2 cups. For a rustic soup with a clear broth, leave all the beans whole instead of blending part of the soup. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Italian sausage or other cooked meat can be added as a variation, but the source does not include it in the base recipe.

Nutrition per serving

• soup
• main
• one-pot
• vegetarian
• vegan
• dairy-free
• gluten-free
• Italian-inspired