This potato and white bean soup with kale is thick and creamy - all the while being healthy! This dairy-free soup recipe is packed full of nutritious ingredients for a satisfying and warming lunch or dinner.
Soup season is HERE. Rather, it's here most of the time. The temperature here in middle Tennessee has a tendency to swing from days of below-freezing to close to 70°F all within the course of a week. Currently we're on an upswing, but that doesn't mean I won't be bundled to the hilt by week's end.
Regardless of the temperature outside though, soup is a welcome dinner any time, any place. I subscribe to the notion that ice cream can certainly be enjoyed in the winter and soup is a year-round meal, but I held off on sharing this potato and white bean soup with kale for a liiiittle while until it was a little more socially-acceptable.
We love this soup for many reasons. It's thick and creamy but fairly lightened up all the same. It's dairy-free and can easily be made vegan, and is the perfect canvas for a variety of different seasonings and flavors for you to make it your own. Plus it features my *favorite* tip for adding extra nutrition to a soup or dip - sneaky beans!
Soup ingredients
At its base, this potato and white bean soup features broth, potatoes, onions, garlic, and cannellini beans.
A trick to thicken soups in a healthy way is to puree everything including the vegetables part-way through the recipe, and then add additional broth, water, or milk to thin the soup to your liking. Pureed into this soup are a pound of potatoes, lots of garlic, two onions, and a whole can of cannellini beans. Who would know all that goodness is hidden away in this soup?
I've cooked and pureed potatoes into soups before, but adding white beans was a new thing this go around. They add a very small amount to the flavor here, but go virtually unnoticeable once blended.
One can of cannellini beans adds approximately 18 grams of fiber and 21 grams of protein to this soup's liquid, along with various vitamins and nutrients, making this a sneaky, healthy addition to this potato and white bean soup.
As for the broth I like to use reduced-sodium chicken broth (it's what I have on hand the most), but vegetable stock can easily be substituted in to make this soup vegetarian/vegan. And for milk, I recommend either almond milk or coconut milk. I've used both in this soup and they're equally good. If going the almond milk route, just be sure the kind you use is both unflavored and unsweetened. Added sweetness wouldn't be a good thing for this ultra savory soup.
What's left to discuss is the kale (adds a nice boost and variation!) and the seasonings. You can really take this soup in whichever direction you like with the herbs and seasonings, but the kind I usually use are written in the recipe card below. Salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, oregano, paprika, and dill. A little of this and a little of that from my pantry.
Step-by-step instructions
My first step to this potato and white bean soup is always to prep all of the ingredients. Rinse and drain the cannellini beans, chop up the onions, peel and chop the potatoes, and press the garlic. This way things go more smoothly once everything gets underway.
Once prepped, start sauteing the onions, potatoes, garlic, salt, and pepper in olive oil until the potatoes become partly tender. Then pour in about half of the broth and let the potatoes cook for another 7-8 minutes.
In go the beans for a few minutes, and then it's time to blend. Using an immersion blender is for sure the easier way to go here, but if you don't have one you can use a regular blender. Just please be careful transferring the hot soup to the blender, and blend in batches with sufficient excess room so hot soup doesn't splatter out.
At this stage, transfer the soup back to the pot, add in the rest of the broth, and stir in whichever kind of milk you're using. Now you have the flexibility to season to your taste. The good thing with soups is that you can taste as you go and make adjustments.
All that's left is to add the kale and let it wilt for a few minutes, and you're all set. It brings a heartiness and some chew to this pureed potato and white bean soup that's definitely welcome.
For an extra special serving tip, I highly recommend drizzling extra-virgin olive oil over top of the soup once it's ladled out into bowls. Stirring it into the finished soup results in little flavor bursts in each spoonful that made a simple, healthy bowl of soup feel a lot more gourmet.
Related recipes
For another healthy pureed soup recipe, it's hard to beat creamy celery soup. One whole bunch of celery (!) gets blended into this creamy soup (that's made without cream). This soup tastes fancier than the ingredients might suggest!
Roasted butternut squash soup is another pureed soup that features cozy ingredients that get nice and roasted before blending into soup. Fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or sage are perfect flavor complements.
One more for your blender! This recipe for healthy potato leek soup adds in orzo at the end of the cook time for some heft and chew. There's lots of garlic in here, too. 😉
Recipe notes
- Your favorite potato variety/whatever you have on hand works. Russet is great, but yellow potatoes just might be my favorite. Love their creamy texture.
- Either almond milk or coconut milk work great. If using almond milk, be sure the variety is both unflavored and unsweetened.
Potato and White Bean Soup with Kale
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- ¾ teaspoon salt more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper more to taste
- 1 lb Russet or yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into ½" cubes
- 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided (or vegetable broth)
- 1 15.5-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup unsweetened unflavored almond milk or coconut milk
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon paprika, to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon dried dill, to taste
- 4 cups kale leaves, packed
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Add olive oil to a large pot set over medium heat. Once heated, add onions and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add garlic, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and stir. Add the potatoes and saute for five minutes, then pour in 2 cups of broth. Scrape up any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pan and stir them into the soup. Cook for 7-8 minutes, then add the beans. Cook for 3-4 more minutes.
- At this point the potatoes should be tender. Carefully transfer hot soup mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Alternatively you can use an immersion blender for this step if you have one. Once pureed, return the soup to the pot and set it over medium-low heat.
- Add remaining 2 cups of broth and the almond or coconut milk and stir until combined.
- At this point take a taste and see how the flavor is. I like to add additional salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, and dill as listed in the recipe ingredients above. Add your favorite herbs and spices in the quantities that you prefer.
- Once seasoned to your liking, add kale and give the soup a stir. Let cook for a few minutes as the kale leaves wilt. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Kinya says
Can’t wait to try this. But I can’t find 16oz can of beans. They only come in 14.5oz cans in my supermarkets. Is that okay or is that a typo?
Alyssa says
Hi Kinya, I just checked both a store brand and a name brand of cannellini beans in my pantry and they're both 15.5 ounces. Thank you for commenting because I will update to be more precise with the size! If all you can find are 14.5 oz cans that's totally fine to use here, too.
Elaine Dame says
Can you make this soup without potatoes? Or use sweet potatoes? Or substitute another veggie?
Alyssa says
Hi Elaine, sweet potatoes would work. I haven't tried these ways myself, but I'd say cauliflower or rutabaga would also be fine, too.
KarenB says
I've made this 3x now and it's a firm favorite, it's filling and nutritious.
Thank you for the fabulous recipe!
Alyssa says
You're so welcome, Karen. Glad you like it!
Betty Wright Moccio says
I tried this soup and loved its creaminess and flavor....making it again tomorrow. It’s so easy and nutritious and I also use my immersion blender, it’s sooo handy and easy to clean. Thanks
Alyssa says
So glad you liked it, Betty! I've since gotten an immersion blender and you're right - it's a total breeze.
Rebecca says
I love kale soups, can't wait to try this recipe!
Alyssa says
Hope you enjoy, Rebecca! 🙂
Sandra says
Love all these nutritious ingredients and the way you thickened up the soup! Great idea and perfect timing...I’m freezing and will make this belly warming meal this week!
Alyssa says
Thanks Sandra!
Kim says
This was so stinking good!! Temp is currently 24 degrees and this hit the spot. I omitted dill and oregano just because they’re not my favorite. I added celery salt. Shut. My. Face!! Thank you.
Alyssa says
Hi Kim, I'm so happy you liked it!! It's definitely a favorite on those cold days. 🙂 Glad you tweaked the flavors as you like them!
Flora says
Hi Alyssa-- I've made your potato leek soup twice already, & we love it! I will definitely be trying this one.
(Michele's mom )
Alyssa says
Hi there!!! I'm so glad you like the potato leek soup! It's one of our favorites. Not hard to throw together and pretty healthy to boot. I hope you enjoy this one when you give it a try! 🙂
Bill says
Great recipe. I hate when people change a recipe on their first attempt, but I did alter it slightly. I used an immersion blender on the onion, potato, garlic and white bean mix and then added an additional can of rinsed white beans and the kale. It was hearty and delicious.
Alyssa says
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Bill. I actually just got an immersion blender so that's what I'll be using for this soup from now on. And the extra white beans sounds like a great addition!
Sunshine says
I made this soup for lunch today and it came out fabulous! You have the seasonings just right and the texture is so good. I did use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth so it was vegan all the way. Thank you for the wonderful, healthy and very flavorful soup recipe- I will be adding to my list of favorites!
Sherri says
We had a single day of warm weather last week, but we are back to soup weather for sure. I love using white beans to thicken soups, especially since the kids can't try to pick them out 🙂 Your soup looks so creamy and delicious!
Alyssa says
Haha yes! They'd be hard pressed to pick out the beans here. 🙂 Thanks Sherri!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
It's always soup season in my house, as I eat it every week! But especially when the weather gets cold, it's much needed. The weather has been crazy here, too! It was in the single digits last week, then in the 40s a few days ago, and it will be in the 50s next week...crazy Chicago weather! I could really go for a big bowl of this deliciousness. I love the kale and potatoes in here, Alyssa!
Alyssa says
Such a range! Craziness. Thanks Gayle!
marcie says
You've got a great soup here, and I'm getting all warm and cozy just looking at it! I love that you added kale to it -- greens just make a soup extra special for me. I need to add this to my meal plan!
Alyssa says
Yup, love kale and spinach in soup. Thanks Marcie!
Helen @ Scrummy Lane says
Hello Alyssa!
This soup looks so deliciously creamy, and you've got so many gorgeous flavors packed in there to add to the all-round goodness!
I can't imagine having 70F temperatures right now! The temperature swings up and down quite a bit here too, but usually between about 30 and 50F.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Alyssa says
Thanks so much, Helen! It's a little weird to have temperatures so warm. And then especially so when you're digging out the winter coat the next day. Happy New Year, and best wishes to you and your family over the next few weeks!!