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This hearty kale vegetable bean soup is as comforting as it is satisfying. A simple protein-packed vegan meal, complete with all the nourishing qualities of beans, colorful veggies, and kale!
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Why You’ll Love This Kale Vegetable Bean Soup Recipe
This vegetable bean soup is wholesome and satiating. Made with budget-friendly canned beans, a medley of vegetables, and powerhouse kale (or spinach), it’s an easy, delicious meal. Even better, it’s loaded with fiber, plant-based protein, nutrients, and antioxidants to nourish and warm you on cold days.
This one-pot wonder that’s light yet filling, rustic yet elegant, is versatile, too, making a great “clean out the fridge” meal. Whether you’re prepping ahead or need a quick, wholesome dinner, this naturally vegan, gluten-free soup is a must try!
Looking for more soups to cozy up with this fall/winter? Try black bean soup, vegan lasagna soup, and/or garlic ginger soup.
Ingredient Notes
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients, quantities, and substitutes.
Recipe Variations
- Leek: For ‘buttery’, mild oniony flavor – sub or add to the onion with sliced leek.
- Bay leaves: Add 1-2 while the soup simmers for savory depth.
- Smoked paprika: For subtle smokiness in the vegetable and bean soup.
- Tomato paste: Add a little for richer tomato flavor.
- Vegan parmesan cheese: (or nutritional yeast) to garnish.
- More vegetables: Fresh/frozen green beans, peas, zucchini, mushrooms, etc.
- Parsley: To garnish the bean and kale soup.
- More protein: Like vegan sausage, chick’n, or cubed tofu.
- Vegan butter: Stir in a little before serving the kale bean soup for velvety richness.
How to Make Vegetable Bean Soup with Kale
Step 1: First, dice the onion, celery, sweet potato, and carrot, mince the garlic, and break the broccoli/cauliflower into small florets. Also, chop the kale. Then, heat the oil over medium-high in a large, heavy-based pan. Once hot, sauté the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is tender and translucent.
Step 2: Then, add the remaining veg, canned tomatoes, beans, vegetable stock (or bouillon cubes + water), seasonings, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
To ribbon/chop kale, remove the leaves from the tough stems, roll a small stack of leaves, and slice across (or make a small stack and use kitchen scissors to ‘chop’). Spinach can be left whole.
Step 3: Next, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Finally, taste the vegetable kale soup once more, adjust the lemon/seasonings to taste, and enjoy.
FAQs
That’s entirely up to you. The peels are edible and nutritious, but some prefer the texture without.
Sure! Soak 1 ½ cup of beans in a bowl of cold water overnight. Drain, rinse, and cover with fresh water in a saucepan. Simmer until tender (1-4 hours, depending on the bean). At that point, they’re ready for this vegetable bean soup recipe.
Slow cooker: Sauté the veg first for more depth, then throw everything in the crockpot and cook the bean and kale soup recipe for 6-7 hours on LOW or 2-3 hours on HIGH. Stir in the kale/spinach and lemon juice in the last few minutes.
Instant Pot: Use the sauté function for step 1 then and add the remaining ingredients except the kale/spinach. Then, seal and cook on HIGH for 3 minutes. Natural pressure release. Finally, mix in the kale/spinach until it’s softened a bit. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
Toni’s Recipe Tips
- To make it oil–free: Use ¼ cup broth to sauté the vegetables instead.
- Sauté the veggies well: If they start to brown lightly, even better, as this adds a deeper flavor to the kale bean potato soup.
- Season to taste: Taste it at the end and adjust if needed.
- To adjust the consistency: You can decide how much (if any) of the soup to blend for a thicker, creamier soup.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy a portion of this kale and bean soup as a side or main with:
- Bread: try crusty easy no knead bread, easy vegan dinner rolls, vegan focaccia bread, or flatbread.
- Cornbread: like this vegan cornbread recipe cast iron skillet, sweet potato cornbread, or jalapeno cornbread.
- Biscuits: consider quick and easy vegan biscuits.
- A sandwich: like vegan grilled cheese, this tempeh sandwich, or pesto tofu sandwich.
- A salad: especially a leafy green salad like vegan Caesar salad, easy roasted pumpkin salad, or kale garbanzo bean salad.
- A side: enjoy with a crispy side like air fryer chickpeas, and/or crispy baked kale chips.
You could add cooked pasta/rice to the vegetable soup with kale for a heartier meal.
Storage Information
Store: Store bean and vegetable soup in airtight containers in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Freeze: In portioned Ziplock’s/Stashers, souper cubes, or a silicone muffin tray for 3-4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: In a microwave (30-second increments, stirring between) or on the stove over medium-low heat until piping hot. You may need extra broth/water.
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Kale Vegetable Bean Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 ribs of celery
- 2 carrots diced or sliced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 head of broccoli or cauliflower cut into florets (or one bag of frozen)
- 1 large sweet potato diced
- 1 bunch of kale finely chopped
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can of diced tomatoes in their juices
- 3 (15-ounce) cans of beans (your choice) drained and rinsed
- 6 cups of water
- 4 vegetable bouillon cubes
- 1 teaspoon of oregano or Italian seasoning optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 squeeze of lemon juice optional
- Hot sauce optional
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the oil. Once the oil is heated, add in the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Saute for about 3 or 4 minutes, or until onions become tender and translucent.
- Add in the broccoli or cauliflower, potatoes, kale, tomatoes in their juices, beans, water, bouillon cubes, seasonings, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover, and let it simmer for 20 minutes. You’ll know it’s finished if the potatoes are tender.
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Notes
- To make it oil–free: Use ¼ cup broth to sauté the vegetables instead.
- Sauté the veggies well: If they start to brown lightly, even better, as this adds a deeper flavor to the kale bean potato soup.
- Season to taste: Taste it at the end and adjust if needed.
- To adjust the consistency: You can decide how much (if any) of the soup to blend for a thicker, creamier soup.
Such a hearty soup!