This simple White Bean Soup is both a hearty and healthy vegan soup. Flavorful and packed with kale, white beans, carrots, tomatoes and warm spices your family will be asking for seconds. Serve this soup alongside crusty bread and a side salad for a complete meal! 

WHITE BEAN SOUP 

Now that spring has sprung I am all about light, yet comforting soups. In Ohio this time of year we get a lot of different weather from rain, to cold to really hot days.

It is a strange mix and often leaves me craving cozy soups. I love soups that are light but still hearty enough that they fill me up. This White Bean Soup does just that. I adore this soup, and I know you guys will too. 

As with a lot of my recipes there are many ways to modify this soup which I will outline below. In my house we try to add at least two meals a week that are vegetarian.

I always find soups to be a great way to add a vegetarian meal to the mix.

I like that I can bulk them up with beans, which makes everyone feel full and offers us protein and energy. 

You can almost always find a couple of containers of soup in my freezer waiting for the busy days.

I especially have been loving this Spring Minestrone, Moroccan Red Lentil Soup and Homemade Minestrone Soup. 

One thing I have realized over time is that when I make a soup that is loaded with beans I feel more satisfied.

This soup pairs really nice with a simple side dish, homemade bread or an easy salad for a complete meal. You will love how easy this soup is to get on the table! 

WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN THIS WHITE BEAN KALE SOUP?

BEANS: I really like using white beans in soup. They have a creamy texture and are a mild bean. They go great in Tuscan or Mediterranean inspired soups.

You can of course use whatever beans you like from red beans, to kidney beans, to chickpeas to back beans. 

VEGETABLES: This soup is a nice way to get a good dose of vegetables. I used celery, carrots and diced tomatoes.

Other vegetables that would be good in this are green beans, peas, zucchini, cauliflower and bell peppers. 

GREENS: I used kale in this white bean soup because I like how it holds up in soups.

You can use any greens you have on hand, like spinach or swiss chard. 

SPICES: Spices take any meal to the next level. I am all about spices in my kitchen.

This soup uses oregano, basil and thyme along with crushed red pepper for a hint of spice. A lot of spices go nicely in this soup including rosemary and Italian seasoning. 

FRESH HERBS: The fresh herbs are a nice finished touch. I always add fresh parsley and basil to this soup!

HOW CAN I MODIFY THIS WHITE BEAN SOUP?

There are a lot of modifications you can make to this soup, which I love! 

PROTEIN: Other than beans you can bulk up this soup with a protein. I like sausage, turkey, chicken, pork, ground beef or even a chorizo. The options are endless!

FLAVOR BOOSTS: One thing I love adding to soups like this White Bean Soup is pesto. Pesto offers such a great earthy flavor yet keeps the soup still light.

Try adding a Tablespoon of pesto and then you can always add more if you like. 

PARMESAN RIND: If you keep parmesan rinds in your freezer, now is a good time to add that to the soup. By adding a parmesan rind you add saltiness, flavor and it helps create a more creamy soup.

Keep in mind if you add the Parmesan cheese it will no longer be vegan or vegetarian.

PASTA: I am a big fan of orzo or acini de pepe pasta in this white bean soup. You can of course use any noodle, but I tend to think that the small or medium noodles work best. 

SPIRALIZED VEGETABLES: If you want to add more vegetables, a fun way to do that is adding spiralized vegetables to the soup. Try zucchini or carrot noodles.