Can I use dried beans instead of canned?

Yes! Cook 1 ½ cups dried white beans using your preferred method (stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot) to yield about 4 ½ cups cooked beans. Use those in place of the three cans.

What if I don't have tarragon?

While tarragon really makes this soup special, you can substitute dried sage, thyme, or dill in a pinch. Start with 1 teaspoon and adjust to taste. The flavor won't be quite the same, but it'll still be delicious.

Can I make this soup in advance?

Yes! This soup actually improves after a day in the fridge. Make it up to 3 days ahead and reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if needed to thin it out.

What can I substitute for kale?

Spinach, Swiss chard, or collard greens all work well. Add spinach at the very end since it wilts quickly, or add heartier greens like collards a few minutes earlier so they have time to soften.

Is this soup freezer-friendly?

It freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Cozy White Bean Soup

Name: Cozy White Bean Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Soup
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large sweet yellow onion, finely diced; 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced; 3 celery ribs, thinly sliced; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 1 pound yellow or Yukon Gold potatoes, small diced; 3 15-ounce cans (4 1/2 cups cooked) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or Great Northern, navy, butter or other white bean); 2 quarts vegetable broth; 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest; 1 1/2 teaspoons dried tarragon*; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste; Fresh ground black pepper; 5 to 6 leaves Tuscan kale, chopped into small pieces

Cozy White Bean Soup

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4.9 from 15 reviews

This white bean soup with kale stars cannellini beans, potatoes, and tarragon in a lightly creamy broth. Ready in just 35 minutes, this healthy soup recipe makes perfect comfort food dinner for any night of the week.

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6 1x
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Soup
Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet yellow onion, finely diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound yellow or Yukon Gold potatoes, small diced
3 15-ounce cans (4 1/2 cups cooked) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or Great Northern, navy, butter or other white bean)
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons dried tarragon*
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
Fresh ground black pepper
5 to 6 leaves Tuscan kale, chopped into small pieces

Instructions

Prep the fresh ingredients (see above).
In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook until just browned, about 1 minute. Add the potato, drained and rinsed white beans, vegetable broth, lemon zest, dried tarragon, kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Remove 3 cups of the hot soup (including broth and vegetables) and carefully blend it in a blender or immersion blender. Then pour it back into the pot to create a lightly creamy broth (you can skip this step if you prefer and it still tastes great!).
Stir in the chopped kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes more. Taste and add any additional salt, to taste (depending on your brand of vegetable broth). Eat immediately or save leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Notes

*I highly recommend grabbing dried tarragon at the store if you don’t regularly stock it in your pantry: it makes the soup! In a pinch, substitute dried sage or thyme.

4 serving version: Simply multiply everything by 0.75 below and it comes out to round numbers. For the vegetable broth, you can use 1 quart broth and 1 cup water.

Find it online: https://www.acouplecooks.com/white-bean-soup/