White Bean & Kale Soup

White Bean & Kale Soup

I make soup a lot, but all too often I find myself comfortably drifting back to familiar flavor profiles. I felt the need to switch it up a little and try something new. White beans are not a regular pantry item for me, but I do like them and I was craving a soup with a creamy texture, but without any dairy ingredients. Here's what I came up with:

White Bean & Kale Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 medium yellow onions

6 cups vegetable stock 

6 cups bean broth (water from simmering beans)

4 cups white kidney beans (soaked overnight, rinsed, then simmered for a few hours, about 2 cups dry)

3-4 cloves garlic (or however much you like)

1 teaspoon ground paprika

1 teaspoon ground coriander

3 teaspoons fresh thyme

sea salt to taste (I used a few teaspoons)

a bunch of kale

3/4 cup quick oats

Approximately 1 tablespoon black pepper (or to taste)

2 lemons 

Dice onions then saute in olive oil for about 10 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, bean broth, kidney beans, and garlic. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes. Add coriander, paprika, sea salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 10-20 more minutes, turn off heat, then stir in kale (chopped), quick oats and thyme.  Let sit, covered for 10 minutes, then pour half off the soup into a food processor and process until smooth (or desired consistency). Mix with the other, un-processed half of the soup, squeeze in lemon juice. 

*This recipe assumes white kidney beans have been fully cooked prior to soup preparation. If beans need more time to cook the recipe can be adjusted by extending the first simmering duration.