Mediterranean White Bean and Kale Soup

Mediterranean White Bean and Kale Soup

Mia

This Mediterranean White Bean and Kale Soup is a celebration of simple, wholesome ingredients that come together to create a deeply satisfying and nourishing meal. Inspired by the rustic soups found in Italian and Greek kitchens, this recipe showcases the Mediterranean diet's emphasis on plant-based proteins, leafy greens, and aromatic herbs. The creamy white beans provide a hearty foundation while the kale adds a pleasant earthiness and a boost of nutrients.

What makes this soup truly special is the layering of flavors through aromatic vegetables and warm spices. A base of sautéed onions, carrots, and celery creates depth, while garlic, cumin, and a hint of red pepper flakes add complexity without overwhelming the natural flavors of the beans and greens. A splash of lemon juice at the end brightens the entire dish, cutting through the richness and adding that characteristic Mediterranean tang.

This soup is perfect for busy weeknights yet elegant enough to serve to guests. It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, making it accessible to various dietary preferences. The beauty of this recipe lies in its versatility—you can adjust the consistency to your liking, swap in different greens like Swiss chard or spinach, and even add a Parmesan rind while simmering for extra umami depth. Best of all, it tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld together, making it an ideal make-ahead meal.

Serve this warming soup with crusty whole-grain bread for dipping, a drizzle of your finest extra virgin olive oil, and perhaps a sprinkle of fresh herbs. It's comfort food that loves you back, providing fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals in every spoonful while keeping you satisfied and energized.

Nutrition

50 minutes
None servings
245 calories
Fat 8.00g
Carbs 35.00g
Protein 11.00g

Ingredients

3 tbspextra virgin olive oil
1 mediumyellow onion, diced
2 mediumcarrots, diced
2 Nonecelery stalks, diced
4 Nonegarlic cloves, minced
1 tspground cumin
1 tspdried oregano
1/4 tspred pepper flakes
6 cupsvegetable broth, low-sodium
2 cans (15 oz each)cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz)diced tomatoes, with juices
4 cupskale, stems removed and chopped
1 Nonebay leaf
1 tspsalt, or to taste
1/2 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
2 tbsplemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 cupfresh parsley, chopped (optional)
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)

Equipment

Wooden spoon
Cutting board
measuring spoons
measuring cups
ladle
chef's knife
can opener
colander
large pot or Dutch oven

16:8 Diet

This nutrient-dense soup is ideal for the 16:8 eating window, providing sustained energy from complex carbohydrates in beans, high fiber from vegetables and kale, and plant-based protein to promote satiety. The balanced, whole-food ingredients help meet daily nutritional needs within the compressed eating timeframe.

80/20 Diet

This recipe perfectly fits the 80/20 approach with well over 80% of ingredients being nutrient-dense whole foods—vegetables, legumes, and olive oil—that are anti-inflammatory and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The simple, wholesome ingredients provide excellent nutrition while remaining delicious and satisfying.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet

This soup is packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients including extra virgin olive oil, leafy greens (kale), colorful vegetables, legumes, and anti-inflammatory spices like garlic, cumin, and oregano. It avoids processed foods, refined sugars, and emphasizes whole plant foods rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients.

Clean Eating

This soup exemplifies clean eating with its whole, minimally processed ingredients in their natural state—fresh vegetables, dried beans, herbs, and spices. It contains no refined sugars, artificial ingredients, preservatives, or processed foods, only recognizable whole-food ingredients.

Daniel Fast

This soup is fully Daniel Fast-compliant, using only whole, unprocessed plant-based ingredients including vegetables, legumes (cannellini beans), and plant-based oil. It contains no animal products, refined grains, added sweeteners, leavened bread, or processed ingredients—only wholesome plants in their natural form.

DASH Diet

Perfect for the DASH Diet with its low-sodium vegetable broth base, abundance of potassium-rich vegetables (kale, tomatoes, carrots, celery), fiber-rich legumes, and minimal added salt. The recipe uses herbs and spices for flavor instead of excessive sodium, while providing heart-healthy nutrients that support blood pressure management.

Diabetic Diet

This soup is excellent for diabetic diets with its low glycemic index ingredients including non-starchy vegetables, fiber-rich kale, and beans that provide complex carbohydrates with protein and fiber to support stable blood sugar levels. The recipe avoids refined sugars and processed foods while offering balanced nutrition.

Flexitarian Diet

This soup exemplifies flexitarian eating with its plant-forward approach, featuring legumes as the primary protein source alongside abundant vegetables and whole food ingredients. It's a satisfying, minimally processed meal that demonstrates how delicious plant-based eating can be.

Gluten-Free Diet

This soup is naturally gluten-free, containing no wheat, barley, rye, or gluten-containing ingredients. All components—beans, vegetables, broth, and seasonings—are naturally gluten-free whole foods, making it safe for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Heart-Healthy Diet

This heart-healthy soup features cardiovascular-protective ingredients including fiber-rich beans and vegetables, potassium-rich kale and tomatoes, and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from olive oil. It's naturally low in saturated fat, contains no cholesterol, uses low-sodium broth, and avoids processed ingredients.

High-Fiber Diet

This soup is exceptionally high in dietary fiber, providing substantial amounts from cannellini beans (approximately 6-8g per cup), kale, and various vegetables. The combination of legumes and leafy greens creates a fiber-rich meal that supports digestive health and promotes satiety.

Intermittent Fasting

This nutrient-dense soup is ideal for intermittent fasting eating windows, providing sustained energy from complex carbohydrates in beans, high fiber from kale and vegetables, and plant-based protein to promote satiety throughout fasting periods. The whole, unprocessed ingredients support stable blood sugar levels without refined grains or added sugars.

Intuitive Eating

This satisfying soup honors both nutrition and pleasure, featuring wholesome ingredients that provide genuine nourishment while being deeply flavorful and comforting. It demonstrates balanced eating without restriction, offering fiber, protein, and vegetables in a meal that respects hunger and satisfaction cues.

Low-Sodium Diet

This recipe uses low-sodium vegetable broth and relies on fresh herbs, spices, garlic, lemon juice, and aromatic vegetables for flavor instead of excessive salt. With only 1 teaspoon of added salt for the entire pot (which can be reduced or omitted), it can easily be adapted to meet low-sodium requirements of under 300mg per serving.

Mayo Clinic Diet

This recipe aligns with Mayo Clinic Diet principles by emphasizing abundant vegetables, plant-based protein from legumes, whole food ingredients, and healthy fats from olive oil. It avoids processed foods, refined grains, and added sugars while providing a nutrient-dense, satisfying meal with appropriate portions.

Mediterranean Diet

This soup is a quintessential Mediterranean Diet recipe, featuring extra virgin olive oil as the primary fat, abundant vegetables (onions, carrots, celery, kale), legumes (cannellini beans) as the protein source, and aromatic herbs and spices. It avoids red meat, processed ingredients, and relies on wholesome plant-based foods with a bright finish of lemon juice, perfectly embodying Mediterranean eating principles.

MIND Diet

This soup supports brain health with MIND Diet staples including leafy greens (kale), beans, vegetables, and olive oil as the primary fat. It avoids butter, cheese, and processed ingredients while providing antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that support cognitive function.

Mindful Eating

This soup supports mindful eating with its variety of textures (creamy beans, tender kale, diced vegetables), vibrant colors, aromatic herbs and spices, and layered flavors that encourage slow, conscious consumption. The whole, minimally processed ingredients engage multiple senses and promote awareness and appreciation of each bite.

Plant-Based Diet

This recipe is completely plant-based, featuring protein-rich cannellini beans, nutrient-dense kale, and a variety of vegetables, all prepared with olive oil and vegetable broth. It contains no animal products whatsoever and emphasizes whole, minimally processed plant foods that provide fiber, protein, and essential nutrients.

Vegan Diet

This soup is entirely vegan, containing no meat, dairy, eggs, honey, or any animal-derived ingredients. It provides plant-based protein from cannellini beans, iron and calcium from kale, and healthy fats from olive oil, making it a nutritionally complete vegan meal rich in fiber and micronutrients.

Vegetarian Diet

This vegetarian soup features plant-based protein from cannellini beans and nutrient-rich kale, with no meat, poultry, fish, or seafood. The recipe provides a satisfying, protein-rich meal using only vegetables, legumes, and plant-based ingredients.

Weight Watchers

This soup aligns with Weight Watchers principles by emphasizing plant-based protein from beans, abundant non-starchy vegetables, and minimal added fats. The nutrient-dense, whole food ingredients create a satisfying, low-point meal that supports weight management while providing excellent fiber and nutrition.

Instructions

1
2 min

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.

2
8 min

Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent, about 6-8 minutes.

3
1 min

Add the minced garlic, oregano, thyme, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Stir constantly for about 1 minute until fragrant.

4

Pour in the vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

1 min
5

Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, and the bay leaf. Stir to combine.

1 min
6
3 min

Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer.

7
15 min

Cover the pot partially and simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.

8
5 min

Add the chopped kale to the pot, stirring to submerge it into the liquid. Continue simmering uncovered until the kale is tender, about 5 minutes.

9

Remove the bay leaf and discard it. Season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

10

Stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice, which will brighten all the flavors.

11

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Serve hot.

Frequently Asked Questions