This vegan oil-free recipe for Kale and White Bean Soup is based on the classic Italian Beans ‘n Greens recipe. Its name comes from the dark Cavolo Nero kale (aka Tuscan, Lacinato, or Dino kale). However, you can use any dark greens like escarole, spinach, or arugula. Hearty, satisfying, and easy to make — this is a pantry go-to.
Chef Katie’s Plant-Based Cooking Tips
Get-Your-Greens Tip: This soup is a great base for using up any dark greens. Baby spinach, arugula, and all types of kale work well. This is also a great base to experiment with more unusual greens like mustard, turnip, and chard.
Chef’s Cheezy Tip: Nutritional yeast adds a “cheezy” flavor, replacing the Parmesan traditionally used in this classic soup. It also adds B-12 vitamins, a common concern for vegans.
Healthy Beans: White beans add healthy vegan protein to make this a satisfying, filling soup. For more protein, add another can of beans. 
Oil-Free Saute: Sweat your aromatics in a little bit of water, just until soft. If they start to brown too quickly, lower the heat and add more water 
Get Your Greens: You can use any dark greens in this recipe. Baby kale, spinach, arugula, chard, and collards are taste delicious!
Cavolo Nero: Kale and White Bean Soup
- Easy
- Servings: 4
- Ready in: 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 cups soup
If you like this recipe, you’ll also love: Vegan Irish Kale Colcannon, Lacinato Kale Waldorf Salad with Apples, Walnuts, and Raisins, and Lemony Kale Rigatoni Pasta
Cavolo Nero: Kale and White Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flake
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans (about 1 1/2 cup cooked beans
- 1 bunch kale about 4-6 cups
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 2 Roma tomatoes diced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To make the Cavalo Nero Kale and White Bean soup: Place the onion, carrot, and garlic in a medium pot with rosemary, bay, red chili, basil, and 1 cup water. Cover and sweat until onions are translucent. Drain and rinse the beans. Add the beans, vegetable stock, and water to the pot. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes
- Meanwhile, strip kale leaves. Discard stems. Chop leaves into bite sized pieces.
- When the carrots are tender, add the chopped kale and nutritional yeast. Stir well, cover, and cook 1-2 minutes, until the kale is tender. Stir in the diced tomato and taste to adjust seasoning
- Enjoy!
Learn More:
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/4 of a recipe (about 2 cups).
Calories 233.41
Calories From Fat (5%) 12.3
% Daily Value
- Total Fat 1.51g 2%
- Saturated Fat 0.25g 1%
- Cholesterol 0mg 0%
- Sodium 59.28mg 2%
- Potassium 1114.37mg 32%
- Total Carbohydrates 41.82g 14%
- Fiber 10.38g 42%
- Sugar 3.58g
- Protein 18.19g 36%
- Calcium 89.66mg 9%
- Iron 238.43mg 1325%
- Vitamin A IU
- Vitamin C 797.78mg 1330
Shopping and Gear List
- Simply Organic Rosemary Leaf Whole Certified Organic, 1.23-Ounce Container
- Bragg Premium Nutritional Yeast Seasoning 4.5 Ounce
- Edward & Sons Not-Chick’n Bouillon Cubes, LOW SODIUM, 2.5 Ounce (Pack of 12)
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Bay leaves are not mentioned in the ingredient list. Also, when do the tomatoes make their entrance? Thank you.
Hi Katie, Thank you for fixing the recipe. Laura