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    You are here: Home » Meal Type » Soups and Stews » White Bean and Kale Soup with Bacon

    White Bean and Kale Soup with Bacon

    5 from 4 votes
    March 5, 2020 (updated January 7, 2022) by Danielle Esposti

    May contain affiliate links. See our Privacy Policy and disclosure.

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    Pinterest image for white bean soup with bacon and kale.
    Pinterest image for white bean kale soup with bacon.
    Pinterest collage for a white bean and kale soup recipe.

    White Bean and Kale Soup is a hearty and seriously flavorful recipe loaded with healthy veggies and just enough bacon to keep it real. It’s ready in 30 minutes and relies heavily on pantry staples, so it’s the perfect back-pocket recipe for busy weeknights or clean-out-the-fridge Fridays. Naturally gluten free, grain free, and dairy free. 

    Three bowls of white bean and kale soup
    Jump to:
    • Why You’ll Love This Soup
    • My BEST Tip for the BEST White Bean Soup
    • Watch: White Bean Kale Soup Video
    • How to Make White Bean and Kale Soup
    • Tips for Making This Recipe Perfectly
    • What Kind of Beans Should I Use?
    • Can I Make It Creamier?
    • Can I Use Dried Beans?
    • Is This Soup Healthy?
    • More Hearty Soup Recipes
    • Recipe

    Why You’ll Love This Soup

    There are many, many things I want you to know about this soup, but let’s roll with the highlights, m’kay?

    Bacon. I’m all over the smokey, salty flavor base that everyone’s favorite cured pork brings to this party.

    Kale. Lots of it. Not so much that you’re like “woah, kale, this relationship is getting a little too intimate”. But definitely enough that your body will thank you very much.

    30 Minutes. One Pot. That’s the time it takes to make get this meal on the table, start to finish, and all from scratch, and in one pot. So. Many. Ands. And now I’m done.

    Healthy. Yep, I went there. I’m throwing around that buzzword. But with tons of fiber, Vitamins A and C, and big punches of iron and calcium, the micronutrient list doesn’t lie. For a healthy lunch, quick dinner, or freezer stash, this is the recipe for you!

    My BEST Tip for the BEST White Bean Soup

    Add the canning liquid to the soup! The canning liquid is naturally starchy and salty, so it will add both body and flavor to the broth.

    Watch: White Bean Kale Soup Video

    Need a different visual? This recipe is also available as a story!

    How to Make White Bean and Kale Soup

    White bean and kale soup is the quick and easy answer to everyone’s favorite most dreaded question “What’s for dinner?” It’s so, so flavorful, ready in thirty minutes, and loaded with protein and fiber for a filling and hearty meal. Use any variety of white beans that you love – cannellini, navy, great northern, etc.

    1. Cook chopped bacon until golden brown and the fat has rendered.
    2. Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook with bacon in rendered fat until soft. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
    3. Add the white beans with their canning liquid to the pot as well as the broth.
    4. Simmer 10 minutes.
    5. Add chopped kale and simmer 5 minutes more.
    6. Add fresh lemon juice and salt to taste. Serve immediately.
    • Chopped bacon cooking in a blue soup pot.
    • Onion, celery, and carrots sautéing with chopping bacon in a blue soup pot.
    • White bean soup in a pot before simmering.
    • White bean soup in a pot after simmering.
    • Adding chopped kale to white bean soup in a blue pot.
    • White bean and kale soup in a blue pot.

    Tips for Making This Recipe Perfectly

    • Bacon. You may be tempted to skip the bacon, but don’t give in – it adds just the right depth of flavor and smoky hint.
    • Bean Canning Liquid. Add the white beans with their canning liquid to give the broth body and a creamier texture.
    • Season Mindfully. Hold off seasoning with salt until the end – both the canned beans and the bacon are salty. Taste before serving and adjust with salt or pepper if needed.

    What Kind of Beans Should I Use?

    Honestly, use what you love (or what you have in your pantry). I ended up using navy beans in the final version because they get super creamy and break down a bit, giving the finished soup a thick, sort-of-stew-like consistency.

    I also tested with cannellini beans (aka, white kidney beans) – they hold their shape well and are meatier than other varieties, so they’re a great choice if you prefer beans that will stay completely intact.

    Can I Make It Creamier?

    Yes! Before adding the kale, puree one-third of the soup. Use an immersion blender to puree in the pot, or transfer a few ladlefuls to a blender, blend until smooth, then return to the pot. This will significantly thicken the broth and lend a creamy texture without any cream!

    Three bowls with the soup ready to eat

    Can I Use Dried Beans?

    Yes! You’ll need 1.5 c dried beans (or 3 cups cooked beans from scratch). To use dried beans beans, cook them first then keep 1 cup of the cooking liquid to add to the soup.

    Follow this recipe from Love and Lemons to cook dried beans on the stovetop, or this tutorial from Simply Recipes to cook them in the Instant Pot.

    Is This Soup Healthy?

    This soup is perfect when you want to enjoy a flexitarian-style recipe with just a little meat. Kale is packed with antioxidants and minerals, and white beans are a great source of fiber and protein. This recipe is made from real, whole foods with no added sugars, and it’s naturally gluten free, grain free, and dairy free.

    More Hearty Soup Recipes

    • Italian White Bean Sausage Soup
    • Swedish Meatball Soup
    • Creamy Broccoli Potato Soup
    • Chicken Zoodle Soup
    Close up of the white bean and kale soup in a bowl

    Did you make this White Bean and Kale Soup? I’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.

    While you’re at it, let’s be friends – follow me on Pinterest and Instagram for the latest and greatest.

    Recipe

    White bean and kale soup served in a white bowl

    White Bean Soup with Bacon and Kale

    5 from 4 votes
    Author: Danielle Esposti
    Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Pin Recipe
    White bean and kale soup is the quick and easy answer to everyone's favorite question "What's for dinner?" It's so, so flavorful, ready in thirty minutes, and loaded with protein and fiber for a filling and hearty meal that's naturally gluten free, grain free, and dairy free. Use any variety of white beans that you love – cannellini, navy, great northern, etc.
    Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 25 minutes mins
    Total Time: 30 minutes mins
    Servings : 4 servings
    Calories: 346

    Recommended Equipment

    • Dutch Oven

    Ingredients

    • 4 strips bacon, diced to ½”
    • 1 medium vidalia onion, diced to ½”
    • 2 medium carrots, halved and sliced to ½”
    • 2 stalks celery, sliced to ½”
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 14-oz cans white beans, navy, cannellini, great northern, etc.
    • 4 c chicken broth
    • 1 bunch kale, steams removed, coarsely chopped
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • sea or kosher salt, to taste

    Instructions

    • Heat a dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat has rendered and the bacon is golden brown.
    • Add the onion, carrots, and celery and toss to coat in the bacon fat; saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent, about 10 minutes.
    • Add the garlic and saute 1 minute more.
    • Add the white beans with their canning liquid to the pot. Pour in the broth and stir to combine. Increase the heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
    • Add the kale, stir into the soup, and simmer until the kale is tender, 5 minutes.
    • Stir in the lemon juice, then taste for seasoning. Add additional salt if needed.
    • Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.

    Notes

    • Add the white beans with their canning liquid to give the broth body and a creamier texture.
    • Hold off seasoning with salt until the end – both the canned beans and the bacon are salty. Taste before serving and adjust with salt or pepper if needed.

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 346kcal (17%), Carbohydrates: 50g (17%), Protein: 28g (56%), Fat: 9g (14%), Saturated Fat: 3g (15%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 18mg (6%), Sodium: 1358mg (57%), Potassium: 619mg (18%), Fiber: 19g (76%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 463% (463%), Vitamin C: 137% (137%), Calcium: 41% (41%), Iron: 23% (23%)
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @oursaltykitchen or tag #oursaltykitchen!
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    Disclaimer: This post and the recipe card may contain affiliate links, which means we receive a small commission (at no cost to you!) if you make a purchase using these links. Rest assured, we only endorse products we own and truly love!

    8 Comments
    Filed Under: 30 Minute Meals, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Main Dishes, Soups and Stews

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Colleen

      October 18, 2020 at 5:33 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious and super easy to make. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon with football playing on the tv in the background.

      Reply
    2. Jennifer

      January 18, 2022 at 11:54 pm

      Can you make with veggie broth?

      Reply
    3. Barbara

      November 19, 2022 at 7:19 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe checks all the boxes for delicious, easy and healthy. That being said, I have one negative comment for you and all the other recipe bloggers that post recipes with imprecise main ingredients, which leaves amounts open to the readers’ interpretations i.e., recipe calls for 1 bunch of kale. So how much kale is 1 bunch? Is it 100 grams? is it
      2 pounds? is it 3 cups? and so on. Same could be asked for the carrots, onion, and celery. I used what I considered to be 2 medium carrots. Turned out to be way too much carrots. But the recipe is so good otherwise it was still good, even with the over-abundance of carrots.
      I got lucky with the kale. I used the leaves from 4 stems and it was fine.

      Reply
    4. Diane E Hamilton

      May 23, 2020 at 12:18 pm

      I cooked this soup after my daughter didn’t want her bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. I had lots of frozen kale from my garden and a can of canelli beans and some carrots from our garden. it was so good I ate the whole pot by myself!!!! I am making it again today but I can’t get my family to even taste it! you will be surprised that you can’t tast the kale! It just flavors it!

      Reply

    Trackbacks

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