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This is the soup I make when the kale in my garden is getting away from me and I donโt feel like going to the store. Almost everything comes from the pantry: two of white beans, a jar of sun-dried tomatoes, and a spoonful of tomato paste cooked down until itโs dark and sweet. I blend a scoop of the beans back into the pot so the broth turns silky without any cream, and the kale goes in at the very end so it stays bright green. Tear off a big piece of toasted sourdough and dunk away.
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Ingredients you will need
Nothing fancy here, just a few pantry staples and a big bunch of kale. The one thing to pay attention to is the tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes: let them cook until they darken and smell sweet, and the whole pot tastes like it simmered for hours.
Youโll need:
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Tomato paste
- Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- Fennel seeds
- Red pepper flakes
- White beans
- Vegetable broth
- Lacinato kale
Tips for making this soup
- Take your time with the tomato paste: Let it cook until it turns a deeper brick red and starts to stick to the pot. Thatโs where the flavor comes from.
- Only blend part of the soup: Blending about 1ยฝ cups thickens the broth while leaving most of the beans whole.
- Add the kale at the end: If it cooks too long, it turns army green and tastes flat.
- Salt at the end: Taste before adding more salt, because some jarred sun-dried tomatoes are quite salty.
FAQ
Can I make this soup ahead of time?
Yes. This soup tastes even better the next day and thickens slightly as it sits.
How should I store leftovers?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently, adding a splash of water or broth if needed.
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Can I freeze it?
Yes. Freeze for up to 3 months.
What can I serve with it?
Toasted sourdough bread!
Kale & White Bean Soup with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
| Cook: 30m | Total: 30m |
A cozy, plant-based soup with a rich sun-dried tomato base, creamy white beans, and garden kale stirred in at the end. Ready in 30 minutes, mostly from the pantry.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil from the sun-dried tomato jar (top up with olive oil if needed)
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste (use half as much Morton)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- โ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- ยผ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 quart (4 cups) vegetable broth
- 1 large bunch lacinato kale (about 8 ounces), stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
- ยผ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- Flaky sea salt and toasted sourdough, for serving
Instructions
- Heat the sun-dried tomato oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and ยฝ teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft, translucent and just starting to turn golden at the edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for about 1 minute, until it smells fragrant but hasnโt browned.
- Stir in the tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pot, for 4 to 5 minutes. Itโs ready when the paste turns from bright red to a deeper brick color, sticks lightly to the pot and smells sweet and toasty.
- Add the beans and broth, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until the onion is falling apart and the broth tastes rich and tomatoey.
- Scoop out about 1ยฝ cups of the soup, mostly beans with a little liquid, and blend until creamy. Stir it back into the pot. The broth should look thicker and cloudy, with plenty of whole beans still in it.
- Add the kale and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, just until it wilts and turns a deep, glossy green. Pull it off the heat before it goes dull or olive colored.
- Taste first, since sun-dried tomatoes vary a lot in saltiness. Then add the remaining ยฝ teaspoon salt, if needed, and the pepper. Ladle into bowls, finish with a pinch of flaky salt and serve with toasted sourdough.
Notes
Take your time with the tomato paste: Letting it darken is what gives the soup its depth.
Only blend part of the soup: Blending about 1ยฝ cups thickens the broth while leaving most of the beans whole.
Add the kale at the end: If it cooks too long, it turns army green and tastes flat.
Salt at the end: Taste before adding the rest of the salt, because some jarred sun-dried tomatoes are quite salty.
Make ahead: Itโs even better the next day and thickens as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when you reheat it.
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