White Bean and Kale Soup
Tuscan-style cannellini soup with garlic, rosemary, and parmesan rind
Cannellini beans simmer with kale, garlic, rosemary, and parmesan rind into a thick, rustic soup. Blend partial batch for creamy body.
Why crews like it: Vegetarian main that still fills up firefighters. Cheap, hearty, and holds well on the back burner.
325Cal
19gProtein
40gCarbs
11gFat
Ingredients
- 4 cans cannellini beans
- 1 bunch lacinato kale
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 whole carrots
- 3 whole celery stalks
- 8 cloves garlic cloves
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 piece Parmesan rind
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Sweat mirepoix: Heat olive oil in an 8-quart pot over medium. Cook onion, carrot, and celery 8 minutes until softened and onion turns translucent at edges.
- Add garlic and tomatoes: Stir in garlic, cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes and cook 3 minutes until color deepens slightly and raw tomato smell fades.
- Simmer beans and broth: Add 3 cans beans, broth, rosemary, and parmesan rind. Simmer 20 minutes so flavors meld and broth reduces slightly.
- Blend partial batch: Blend 1 can beans with 1 cup soup until smooth. Return to pot for creamy body without heavy cream.
- Wilt kale and serve: Stir in kale, simmer 5 minutes until tender-bright green. Soup should coat a spoon; adjust salt before ladle service.
Tonight's spread
- Crusty Italian bread.
- Shaved parmesan and olive oil drizzle.
Hall tips
- Parmesan rind is free flavor—never throw them away.
- Crusty bread for dipping turns this into a full hall meal.
- Red pepper flakes at the line add heat without changing the pot.
Meal prep
Save parmesan rinds in the freezer for soup weeks. Chop kale day-of so it stays green. Station: Blend one can of beans for body without adding cream. Station: Add kale last 5 minutes—longer cooking turns it bitter and drab. Station: Serve with parmesan and olive oil drizzle at the line.
Leftovers
- Thickens overnight—thin with broth when reheating.
- Freeze quart portions for backup vegetarian nights.
- 8-quart stock pot
- Immersion blender