This White Bean and Kale Soup with Crispy Chickpeas can be prepped and cooked in about 30 minutes. It’s so perfect for busy days, super satisfying, healthy, and budget friendly. White navy beans are blended up with just a touch of cream to create a smooth creamy base, chili flakes give it a hint of spice and kale is added for extra hearty flavour and nutrition. The whole lot is then topped with parmesan cheese and crispy chickpeas. How good does that sound?
Hey guys! How are you doing? For my American friends, how was your Thanksgiving? Lots of good eats, I hope! Dressings (aka stuffing is my absolute fave and I can’t wait to have more at Christmas). Our dressing is done very simply ’round here with bread crumbs, onion, garlic, salt pepper, lots and lots of butter and savoury. There’s a local farm that grows savoury and dries it and that’s a big part of our dressing. We had our thanksgiving in Canada back in October so I’m reaaaally looking forward to turkey and dressing during the holidays. We have a dinner at my parent’s Christmas day and there is no meal on earth that beats that Christmas day meal, prepared by my momma, of course 😉 I remember one year, my father tinkered with the meal and while he can cook, don’t mess with that Christmas day dinner, ya know?
All kinds of yummy food this time of year makes this girl have to work out. I don’t know if you can recall, but a while back I mentioned hubby and I were looking at getting another piece of exercise equipment, a water rower. Well, we got it! It’s so awesome to have a new piece of equipment to use and it’s a great way to mix up the exercise routine. It’s definitely something to keep me interested in working out so hopefully that’ll keep me going all through December when I’m indulging in all those sweet treats? Balance, right? And, if the occasional time balance means a cookie in one hand and a glass of wine in the other, then so be it 🙂
Regardless of the time of year, I always love recipes that can be made fast, especially during the weekdays. This White Bean and Kale Soup with Crispy Chickpeas fits the bill perfectly. The fact that it can be made so quickly often prevents me from buying store-bought soup. I love that I can control how much sodium is in there and how spicy I make it which, for me, many times, is extra spicy?!
The ingredients in this soup are probably ones you already have on hand and it makes for the perfect light lunch or dinner with a sandwich. Let’s not forget about those crispy chickpeas….I could eat those for days. Honestly, I’m lucky they even made it to the soup ’cause I ate half of them before I started taking pictures ?
The longest part of this recipe is baking the chickpeas. The rest is easy peasy! You basically just cook the onion, garlic and add the spices. Then, add stock, cream and beans and blitz it all up. I completely puree the beans, but if you want to leave some whole, that would be ok too! Kale is added at the end and cooked for just a few minutes. Then, done! Well, put the crispy chickpeas and parmesan on there, of course. Nothing to it, is there?
I’m so glad we got our water rower in time before Christmas. Over the holidays I try to maintain my exercise regime. I think it’s great for my body, but, more importantly, mentally. If I feel like I’m staying active, I feel better about myself. Are you the same way? That way, when I do have that extra bite here or there, I’m ok with it.
One thing is for certain, though, is that I’m always trying to find new ways to incorporate more fiber and greens into my diet because of the health benefits. Now, don’t get me wrong, I actually love beans, veggies and the like, but if I can make something that tastes extra good, then I’m definitely all for that and I’m sure no one would argue there 😉
Until next time, take care and chit chat again soon!
~D
P.S. If you think that this White Bean and Kale Soup with Crispy Chickpeas will make your belly happy too, please be sure to hit that little PIN button down below. Many thanks, you guys!
White Bean and Kale Soup
Ingredients
White Bean & Kale Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , peeled and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 5 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups canned white kidney beans , rinsed and drained
- 2 to 3 cups chopped kale (bite-sized pieces, leaves only, no stems)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (garnish, to taste)
Crispy Chickpeas
- 15 ounce can of unsalted (or 'no salt added' chickpeas) , rinsed and drained
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
White Bean & Kale Soup
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook an additional 1 minute. Add salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and nutmeg, stirring to combine.
- Add stock and cream to onion mixture and bring to a simmer. Add beans and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, use an immersion blender and carefully blend beans until smooth.
- Back on medium heat, stir in kale and cook about 5 minutes.
- Upon serving, garnish with crispy chickpeas and Parmesan cheese to taste. Enjoy!
Crispy Chickpeas
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Ensure chickpeas are patted dry to remove excess moisture. Place them in a bowl and add remainder of ingredient and stir to combine.
- Place chickpeas on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, stirring around halfway through. Watch them as it gets closer to the 30 minute mark, as they can burn quickly. They are done when they are golden in colour and crispy.
Nutrition estimate (if provided) is based on 1 Serving.
Nutrition information (if provided) is provided as a courtesy and should be considered an estimate only. Ingredients can vary and Girl Heart Food makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are guidelines only.
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl
I love a good bean and kale soup in the Winter time but I especially love that you added some crunch to this! Genius idea with the chickpeas.. I must try it!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Pamela! The chickpeas are great for snacking too 😉
Rachel @ Bakerita
This soup sounds absolutely excellent on it’s own – I love white bean soup – but the addition of crispy chickpeas and parmesan makes it even more outstanding! Wish I had a big bowl of this 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Thanks for the kind words, Rachel! Have an awesome weekend 🙂
Megan - The Emotional Baker
I love dressing/stuffing! & I love great soups like this one! Who can resist this hearty mix of beans and kale 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much Megan! Hope you get a chance to try it 🙂 Have a lovely weekend!
Miriam - londonkitchendiaries.com
This soup looks absolutely delicious – and how amazing does that parmesan and crispy chickpeas topping sound! We just love beans in my household and what a great and tasty way to eat healthily 🙂 You are so good staying healthy over the festive time – I have to admit I often just deal with the extra weight in January but I really like the idea of a little bit of exercise. The water rower reminds me of House of Cards – would love to have the space for it. Have a great weekend!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks very much, Miriam for the kind words! It’s pretty yummy 🙂 The great thing about the water rower is that it can fold up and it’s super light! Have a great weekend too!!
Luci {Luci's Morsels}
Oh my gosh, this sounds so delicious! I love chickpeas! Your photos are making me sooo hungry! Yum! xo
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much, Luci!!
karrie @ Tasty Ever After
I’m so over dang turkey girl! We just finished the last of it Monday night and I was so happy. Dressing/stuffing is my fav too and we make it very simply (always used Joy of Cooking’s recipe). I’ll admit too that I LOVE cold stuffing the next day. That’s the good stuff!! 🙂
I’d rather have this soup though. This is a keep and I’m pinning it right now. I’m going to make it this weekend. Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe darling 😉
PS: you guys have to come visit year for next year’s Thanksgiving.
Girl Heart Food
Haha! I do love turkey, but I know what you mean. Only so much you can eat, right? We didn’t have turkey at our thanksgiving in October, so now I’m totally craving it and looking forward to it at Christmas. You never know, maybe hubby and I will randomly cook one, lol 😉 Thanks so much, girl!! And visiting at thanksgiving sounds like it would be freakin’ fantastic!! XOXO
Jolina
This soup looks awesome Dawn! Just what we need as the weather continues to dip here (what am I complaining about?? Prolly colder there now right?). We’ve been getting our fair share of soup though (gasp) most of them have been ordered in so I think it’s time for something homemade. This is just the thing to do it! And yay on your new exercise machine. I have a spin bike I haven’t used since the summer but hey, I’ve been busy. Eating cookies. LOL. You’re right, gotta exercise more!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much, Jolina! Exercise bikes are pretty awesome too. Nothing wrong with eating cookies….that’s why we exercise, right?
Shashi at RunninSrilankan
Dawn, I love this idea of pureeing the beans! I’ve pureed cauliflower before to “creamify” and thicken up a soup – but never tried beans! Now I must try this soup, I’m not a huge fan of store bought soup (unless it’s used in a recipe) so easy *AND SPICY* soups like this are my jam! I just might have to use coconut milk because my stomach and cream don’t get along but am thinking that wouldn’t make a whole difference. Oooh and LOVE those crispy chickpeas added in!
Hoping your week is going well!
Girl Heart Food
Yay! Thanks so much, Shashi!! It certainly is a great way to add that rich flavour without all the calories. I’m sure coconut milk would be absolutely lovely in here too. The crispy chickpeas are pretty tasty…though, I almost ate them all before they made it to the soup, lol. Hope you’re having a great week too 🙂
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes
This sounds perfect! I’ve been sick- this would be amazing right now. If I can just get the hubs to make it… lol
Girl Heart Food
Haha! Hope you feel better soon 🙂
Annie Sageer
I’d be happy enough just eating the crispy chick peas…the soup is merely frosting on the cake! 😉 After all the turkey and taters – this is a welcomed meal! Hope your having a wonderful week my friend!! xoxo
Adina
I have a weakness for crispy chickpeas and adding them to the soup sounds great! I wish I could be so into exercising as you are, I hate it!!! Especially since I know that I really need it…
Tracy | Baking Mischief
Rowers are so fun! I used to use one in college that had a racing game built into it, so I’d row like crazy trying to be fast enough to beat the machine. 🙂 It’s definitely a good alternative to working out outside during the winter!
This soup looks so good. I’d never considered adding crispy chickpeas to soup before, but that’s such a great idea! Pinning!
Girl Heart Food
Oh, that’s so neat!! Game + working out? Woo hoo! Can’t beat that 🙂 Thanks Tracy for the sweet comment and Pin. Hope your week is going good 🙂
[email protected]
If I could reach through the screen and pluck one of those crispy little chick peas off the board I would! Love that you topped this bowl of comfort with them! I hear you about the new equipment…we also got a rower! Great minds!! 😉 And we love it! Our holiday was wonderful! Finished yesterday when we dropped Chels off to the airport . 🙁 But she’ll be back for Christmas!! Have a great week, my dear! xoxo
Girl Heart Food
Hehehe…I hear ya, Annie! I was munching away on those as I was taking pics. They’re addictive! Awesome! You have a rower too? I really enjoy it so far too and it’s so nice to mix things up from the treadmill. Christmas will be here before you know it and all you guys will be sitting down for games and good food again 😉 Have a great week too! XOXO
Gaila
Hey Dawn! I’ll you to have one big bowl of this soup today! I love soups, this sounds amazing! I love how you added the chickpeas on top! great addition! I hope you father don’t mess with the Christmas day meal again! hahahaha
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Gaila! Haha! I hear ya 😉 Have a wonderful week, my friend!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
I so wish I had a bowl of this delicious and comforting soup today Dawn! It sounds so nice and healthy, something I desperately need after a weekend full of indulging! I LOVE the crispy chickpeas on top!! Hope you have a wonderful week!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Mary Ann! Hope you have a great week 🙂
Kate @ Framed Cooks
THANK YOU for giving me this great healthy supper in between all the feasting – looks delish, Dawn! 🙂
Girl Heart Food
You’re very welcome, Kate! Hope you enjoy 🙂
Sues
A rower sounds like the best idea everrr. I seriously need to invest in some home workout equipment, so that I’ll be able to work off all of my holiday indulging, instead of sitting lazily on my couch. This soup looks sooooo good… the spicier the better if you ask me!!
Girl Heart Food
I hear ya, girl! I love to eat good food, so I know I have to work out to balance out those calories, lol. Happy you like the soup! Happy Monday!
David @ Spiced
This sounds like my kind of soup, Dawn! Those crispy chickpeas in there are just pure genius. But I’m more hooked on the fact that this is super creamy and not loaded with heavy cream. (Don’t get me wrong…I have no problem with a nice heavy cream soup…but we’re trying to watch what we eat around here.) It’s getting super cold here, and I’m about ready to start churning out some soups…and I think this one needs to be on the list. Yum!! 🙂
Girl Heart Food
Yay! That’s what I was going for…that creaminess, but not loaded with calories and fat. It’s especially good to watch the calorie intake now because in a few weeks there will be so much sweet treats and food going around. So happy you like the recipe and hopefully you will get a chance to try it out. Thanks David!
Kevin | Keviniscooking
Hi Dawn! This one sounds quite relish. I love the addition of the crispy chickpeas… it’s the little things ya know? 🙂 Funny when you mentioned that new piece of equipment I instantly thought of Frank Underwood rowing and swishing out his frustrations from the Netflix show House of Cards! LOVE that show and while I was up in Portland got hooked on Downton Abby, never saw that one either. Anyways, the top view photos of the soup are so good, makes me want a bowl now, forget my coffee.
Girl Heart Food
It definitely is the little things, Kevin! That’s so true! I love the rower, though I do get a little nauseous after using is for a bit….not quite used to the motion of it. Funny, isn’t it? I watched a little of Douwnton Abby and really enjoyed it. There’s too many shows and so little time. i love to save them for the weekend and catch up. Thanks for the kind words, my friend!
Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks
I view exercising as a necessary evil that I do not participate in nearly enough. Good for you to get a rower which reminds me of House of Cards. This soup is GORGEOUS, girlfriend! I absolutely love those colors. It just looks like Christmas to me!
Girl Heart Food
Good one, Rachelle!! Thank you very much!! Have a great week! XO
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
Omg, I am obsessed with working out in general, but around the holidays? Look out, this girl needs two-a-days! Too many damn cookies to work off! Lol. So cool you got a rowing machine!! Those are awesome. Speaking of awesome – this soup!!! Love the creamy white beans with kale!! And those crispy chickpeas? I’ll take ’em ALL!! Cheers, girlfriend! <3
Girl Heart Food
Hahaha! I totally hear ya! If I wanna eat so much, I better work out 🙂 Thanks so much, my friend.XO
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
Dressing is a favorite of mine too, and just like you, I like it on the simple side with LOTS of flavor! Sounds like your mom is such a good cook! And that’s great that your dad tried to help, but I agree, don’t mess with Christmas dinner! 🙂 And yay for a water rower! Sounds like that a great way to switch up your exercise routine a bit. Now onto this soup…YUM! I’ve never made a white bean soup before, but I’m loving the looks of it and how easy it is to prepare. I’m all about soup, especially in the winter, so I’ve got to add this to my menu. Pinned, of course! Hope your week is off to a great start!
Girl Heart Food
Yes! Don’t mess with Christmas dinner 😉 High five!! Thanks so much for the kind words and Pin, Gayle! Happy Monday to you!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
What a beautiful healthy soup! I love that you’ve added crunchy chick peas on top! Those are one of my favorites to eat! Good for you for getting a new piece of exercise equipment…this time of year it is so hard to stay active!
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much, Kathy!! Happy Monday 🙂