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A warm, hearty, and healthy soup featuring tender kale, creamy cannellini beans, aromatic vegetables, small pasta shapes, and finished with lemon juice and shaved Parmesan cheese for a comforting and nutrient-packed meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 (15.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup small soup pasta (tubettini, ditalini, or orzo, about 4 ounces)
  • 1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves torn into 2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
  • 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 8 cups water
  • ½ cup shaved Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
  • 1 piece Parmesan rind (optional)
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 loaf crusty country bread, warmed (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Rinse and drain the canned cannellini beans.
  2. Remove kale stems and tear leaves into 2-inch pieces.
  3. Chop garlic and onion, slice celery, and chop rosemary; shave Parmesan if using.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
  5. Add garlic, sliced celery, and chopped onion; season with 1½ teaspoons kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 4–6 minutes.
  6. Stir in the rinsed cannellini beans, 1 cup small soup pasta, torn kale, 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary, 8 cups water, and the Parmesan rind if using.
  7. Cover and bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the pasta is tender and the kale is softened, about 4–5 minutes.
  8. Remove and discard the Parmesan rind.
  9. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  10. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
  11. Sprinkle shaved Parmesan over the soup to taste.
  12. Optional: For a creamier soup, scoop out 1–2 cups of soup (including some beans), puree until smooth with a blender or immersion blender, then stir it back into the pot.

Notes

Rinse canned beans thoroughly to reduce excess salt and freshen flavor., Remove the toughest kale stems and tear leaves into bite-sized pieces for even cooking., For richer flavor, replace up to half the water with low-sodium vegetable broth., Keep the Parmesan rind in the pot while simmering for umami depth, but remove before serving to avoid chewy bits., To prevent mushy pasta after storing, undercook pasta slightly and finish cooking when reheating, or omit pasta before freezing., Add lemon juice at the end of cooking to preserve its brightness., Add a pinch of red pepper flakes during sautéing for a subtle heat., Great substitutions: spinach or Swiss chard for kale; navy beans or lentils for cannellini beans; nutritional yeast or olive oil instead of Parmesan for a vegan option., Soup stores refrigerated up to 3–4 days and freezes up to 2–3 months (remove or undercook pasta before freezing)., Reheat gently, adding liquid if needed, and finish with lemon juice and Parmesan.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingcrumbs.com/creamy-kale-and-white-bean-soup-a-healthy-bowl-of-comfort/