Chock-full of yummy ingredients (like cannellini beans, kale, garlic and cream), this white bean and kale soup recipe is easy to prepare, hearty and totally delicious! Topped with homemade crispy chickpeas, there are so many scrumptious flavours and textures in this easy bean veggie soup.
Regardless of the time of year, whether it’s winter, spring, summer or fall, I always love (and appreciate) recipes that can be made fast, taste delicious and are relatively easy on the grocery budget.
That’s why this white bean and kale soup with crispy chickpeas fits the bill perfectly. The soup itself can be made quickly, which often prevents me from buying store-bought soup. Plus, let’s be honest here, anything homemade is so much better than store-bought. Am I right?
The ingredients in this soup are quite simple, nothing fancy, just the way I like it. Heck, you likely have the ingredients on hand right now, so what are ya waiting for?
By the way, did you know that cannellini beans are white kidney beans? So, if you’re in the grocery store (or raiding your pantry) looking for beans to make this soup, cannellini or white kidney beans are what you are looking for!
Making the Crispy Chickpeas
Crispy chickpeas. I could eat those for days. You too? Honestly, I’m lucky they even made it to the soup because I ate half of them before I started taking pictures.
So, to make them, after the chickpeas are rinsed, drained and patted dry, simply toss them with some olive and salt, spread out onto a sheet pan and roast until crispy, stirring them halfway through cooking. (Refer to the recipe card below for the full details on how to make them.)
I love topping this bean and veggie soup with crispy chickpeas. However, if you want to save time or not bother with them, feel free to leave them out.
Alternatively, instead of topping your soup with crispy chickpeas, try topping with crackers or homemade croutons.
Aside from topping the bean and kale soup with chickpeas, the chickpeas on their own are fabulous snack or can be used on salads for extra crunch.
Tip: It’s inevitable that when you top your soup with the chickpeas they will start to lose their crispness (just like crackers or croutons would). No biggie, but I would keep that in mind and not top the soup with the chickpeas until you are ready to devour.
Making the Soup
Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- Heat some olive oil in a pot, then cook the onion until softened.
- Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add beans, Herbes de Provence, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Pour in broth, bring to a boil, the reduce the heat to a simmer and cook to warm through.
- Remove about 1 cup of soup and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Pour back into the pot of soup.
- Add kale and cream to the soup. Bring to a simmer and cook until the kale is just wilted.
- Divide the soup into bowls, garnish with crispy chickpeas and devour!
No Kale? No Problem!
If you don’t have kale on hand (or prefer not to use), you can substitute with Swiss chard or baby spinach. Baby spinach is a lot more delicate than kale and Swiss chard, so it will cook/wilt a lot quicker.
What To Serve With It
This soup is quite satisfying all on its own. However, if you want to make yourself a more substantial meal, try serving the soup with a veggie sandwich, green salad or some crusty bread (garlic bread is delicious).
More Yummy Soup Recipes
If you make this white bean and kale soup, be sure to leave a comment below!
This white bean and kale soup recipe was originally published November 28, 2016 but has been updated.
White Bean and Kale Soup With Crispy Chickpeas
Ingredients
Crispy Chickpeas
- 1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1.5 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
White Bean and Kale Soup
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (19-ounce) can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained
- 1.5 teaspoons Herbes de Provence, or a combination of dried thyme, rosemary and tarragon
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, depending on how spicy you like things
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 3 ounces kale, leaves remove from stems and cut into bite-sized pieces (about 100 grams or 5 to 6 handfuls)
- ½ cup heavy cream (whipping cream)
Instructions
Crispy Chickpeas
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure your chickpeas are patted dry of excess moisture (this helps them to crisp up nicely). I like to place them in a clean tea towel to pat dry. You can discard any chickpea skins that come off. Place the chickpeas in a bowl and toss with olive oil and salt. Spread the chickpeas out onto a large sheet pan in a single layer and roast for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring them halfway through cooking. While the chickpeas are roasting, you can start to prepare the soup.Note: Ovens vary, so if the chickpeas haven't reached the level of crispness you want, you can continue to roast them until they do. Just keep in mind that they crisp up a little more as they cool.
White Bean and Kale Soup
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until softened, then stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add cannellini beans, Herbes de Provence, salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Pour in vegetable broth, bring to a boil, the reduce the heat to a simmer (about medium-low heat) and cook for 3 to 5 minute to warm through.
- Remove about 1 cup of soup, place into a heat-safe container (something that holds 2 to 4 cups) and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Pour back into the pot of soup. (This adds extra creaminess and body to the soup.)Note: If you don't have an immersion blender or prefer not to use, you can place the 1 cup of soup/beans in a heat-safe bowl and mash with a potato masher. Alternatively, you can blend the 1 cup of soup with a regular blender.
- Add kale and heavy cream to the soup. Bring to a simmer (don't boil) and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until kale is wilted. Adjust seasoning, if necessary, by adding more salt to taste.
- To serve, divide the soup into bowls and garnish with crispy chickpeas. Enjoy!
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
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 🙂