Kale White Bean & Pasta Soup
This veggie-packed kale, white bean and pasta soup is hearty and flavorful. Mashing beans into the soup gives it body and creaminess without actual cream. Serve this delicious vegetarian soup with a piece of crusty whole-grain bread on the side.
Ingredients
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2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
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1 medium leek, thinly sliced
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1 medium yellow onion, chopped
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2 medium carrots, scrubbed and chopped
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2 medium stalks celery, chopped
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2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
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1 teaspoon salt
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½ teaspoon ground pepper, plus more for garnish
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1 large bunch curly kale, stemmed and roughly chopped
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8 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth or no-chicken broth
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12 ounces whole-wheat farfalle pasta or elbow macaroni
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2 (14-ounce) cans no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed, divided
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1 cup water
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Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
Description
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Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leek; cook, stirring often, until very tender, about 10 minutes. Add onion, carrots, celery and parsnips; cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, salt and pepper; cook, undisturbed, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add kale; cook, stirring often, until it's just starting to wilt, about 2 minutes. Pour in broth; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, about 20 minutes.
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Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
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Mash half of the beans in a medium bowl with a fork or potato masher until a chunky paste forms. Stir the mashed beans, the remaining whole beans and 1 cup water into the soup. Cook over medium-high heat, undisturbed, until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Divide the pasta among 6 bowls; ladle the soup over the pasta. Garnish with parsley and additional pepper, if desired.