Pages

Saturday, January 25, 2014

White Bean & Kale Soup

When it's cold (and snowy) outside, homemade soup is on The Frog & PenguINN menu. This hearty soup made me think of something that's offered as the first course at a family-style Italian restaurant, it's that "homey" and warming. And, it's also healthy.

Substitute store-bought broth if you don't have homemade vegetable (or chicken) stock. I didn't have homemade and used store bought. The ingredients can be used as a guide, as just about any veggies will work in this soup; swap Swiss chard or any other leafy green, like spinach, for the kale, depending on your preference.
You can add more beans or greens for a jam-packed bowlful of soup and it is perfect for winter days.
White Bean & Kale Soup
  • 1 whole garlic head
  • 4 tsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 C finely chopped onion
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 C chopped carrot
  • 1 C chopped and peeled potato
  • 1 C chopped celery
  • 2 TBSP chopped fresh rosemary
  • 4 TBSP tomato paste
  • 8 C homemade vegetable stock OR los-sodium chicken stock, if unavailable
  • 2 (16-ounce) cans, drained cannellini beans
  • 6 C chopped fresh kale
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley (optional for garnish)
  1. Remove white papery skin from garlic, do not peel or separate cloves.  Brush garlic with 1 teaspoon olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour (toaster oven is useful).  Let stand for 10 minutes, then separate cloves and squeeze out pulp.  Discard  skins.
  2. Heat remaining 3 teaspoons olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and salt; sauté for 5 minutes.  Add carrot, potato, celery, rosemary, and tomato paste; cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add Vegetable Stock and cannellini beans; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
  4. Stir in roasted garlic pulp and kale; simmer for final 10 minutes, until kale is tender.  Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle with optional parsley if desired.
This soup was our dinner served with a side salad and Grenville's homemade bread.

7 comments:

Connie said...

Looks great! The perfect food to warm up with on these cold winter days.

Montanagirl said...

That's a great looking warm-up soup, especially with home-made bread!

MadSnapper said...

wish i had a bowl for lunch today... yum

NCmountainwoman said...

Nothing beats hearty soup on a cold evening. I'll definitely give this recipe a try.

Ginnie said...

We must be on tha same wave length. I just made a very similar crock pot soup. Of course the freezing weather may have something to do with it too !

Out on the prairie said...

The kale sounds good. I direct seed all my other cole crops, do you?

William Kendall said...

My parents always liked the taste of kale.