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This Italian-style kale soup recipe with white beans is full of bold, Mediterranean flavor! It’s healthy, satisfying, and ready in just 30 minutes (a feat for a soup). This one is a fan favorite recipe that readers tell us they make again and again.

Kale soup
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Welcome to your new favorite healthy soup that pleases everyone: kale soup! Tuscan kale, white beans and tomatoes float in a tangy broth flavored with oregano and fennel. It’s like all your favorite soup recipes in one bowl: comforting and full of bold Mediterranean flavors.

It comes together in just 30 minutes and makes a huge pot that’s great for leftover lunches. This one ticks all of our boxes: healthy, easy, and tasty. Readers have been telling us they love to make this recipe again and again (music to our ears!).

“This soup was amazing! So much flavor and soooo easy to make. It’s definitely making our list for go-to’s!” -Sommers

“Absolutely love this soup. I make this on repeat for my family.” -Kim

Ingredients in this kale soup recipe

As cookbook authors and recipe developers, Alex and I have created dozens of soup recipes. But this kale soup stands the test of time, in our minds! Sip a spoonful, and you’ll be surprised by the pop of tangy flavor. A handful of ingredients work together to make a super flavorful broth that comes together in about 30 minutes. Don’t be tempted to omit any of the spices, since they provide the key flavoring for the dish. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

  • Kale: Use either Tuscan or curly kale (we prefer Tuscan)
  • Onion
  • Carrot
  • Olive oil
  • Canned fire roasted tomatoes
  • Vegetable broth
  • Canned or cooked white beans: cannellini, Great Northern, navy, butter, or other
  • Seasonings: fennel seed, oregano, smoked paprika
Kale Soup

Types of kale

There are a few main types of kale you can find at the grocery store. We like Tuscan kale in this kale soup, because it has the mildest flavor and is Italian in origin, which matches the Mediterranean-style flavor of this soup. Here are the different types of kale you’ll see:

  • Tuscan kale has dark green, flat leaves and a mellow flavor. It’s also sometimes called Lacinato or dinosaur kale. It’s common in Italian dishes like Tuscan kale salad or ribollita. It’s our preference in this kale soup.
  • Curly kale is brighter green and very curly. The flavor is bitter and spicy, which is why we usually prefer Tuscan kale.
  • Baby kale is kale that’s harvested before it’s mature and sold in boxes in grocery stores and farmer’s markets. Baby kale has a mild flavor and is more tender than standard kale, so you don’t have to cook it as long.
Tuscan kale

Why to use fire roasted tomatoes

Another flavor secret to this kale soup is fire roasted tomatoes. We often use this type of tomato in our soup and sauce recipes because it has sweet, developed flavor right out of the can.

  • Fire roasted tomatoes are a type of canned tomato that’s roasted over a flame before canning. They’re sold by several different brands, and you can find them in the canned tomato section in your local grocery.
  • Tasted out of the canned, they have a sweet flavor (not bitter). This means you can cook them for less time than standard tomatoes, which is always a pro in our book!
  • As a substitute, use highest quality canned tomatoes and simmer a few minutes longer. You could also add a pinch of smoked paprika and a pinch of sugar to round out the flavors.

What to serve with kale soup

Want to make it into a meal? This kale soup is an easy 30 minute meal that’s ideal as an easy dinner idea or healthy lunch. Here are a few ways to accessorize it to make a quick meal:

Kale soup

Storing leftovers

This kale soup saves very well! After you make it, you can refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. The flavor gets even better over time.

Dietary notes

This kale soup recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use frozen kale for kale soup?

Yes, frozen kale works well in soup! No need to thaw it first – just add it directly to the pot.

Can you add other ingredients to kale soup?

Try adding sausage or chorizo to make it more filling, swapping out white beans for chickpeas, or finishing with a spritz of fresh lemon juice.

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Easy Kale Soup

Kale soup
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5 from 14 reviews

This Italian kale soup recipe with white beans is full of bold, Mediterranean flavor! Healthy and satisfying, it’s ready in just 30 minutes.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Soup
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter (or olive oil)
  • 1 large white onion, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
  • 2 28-ounce cans diced fire roasted tomatoes*
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 15-ounce cans white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried fennel seed, crushed with fingers, divided
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 2 bunches Tuscan kale (or 1 large bunch curly kale), chopped
  • Shredded Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese for serving, optional

Instructions

  1. Prepare the onion and carrot as noted above.
  2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter (or all olive oil) over medium high heat. Add the onion and carrots and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until tender.
  3. Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth and beans. Bring to a steady simmer, then add 1 teaspoon of the fennel seed, along with the dried oregano, smoked paprika and kosher salt. Simmer 12 minutes. (Meanwhile, chop the kale.)
  4. Add the kale and simmer additional 2 to 3 minutes until the kale is tender. Add the additional ½ teaspoon crushed fennel seed. Taste a cooled spoonful and add up to ½ teaspoon additional kosher salt (depending on the salt level of your broth and beans), until the flavor pops.
  5. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese. Store refrigerated for 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.

Notes

*If you can’t find fire roasted tomatoes, use the best canned tomatoes you can find. Add another ½ teaspoon smoked paprika and 1 teaspoon sugar, honey or maple syrup to round out the flavors.

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About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

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31 Comments

  1. Joseph says:

    turned out great. added a garden hot chili pepper n one Poblano pepper fresh garden herbs oregano thyme rosemary. diced fresh tomatos. that’s what I had. was great thank you y’all






  2. C. Brown says:

    How much kale is in a bunch. I have kale in my garden.

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