Creamy Tuscan White Bean Kale (Print Version)

A luscious blend of white beans, kale, sun-dried tomatoes, and creamy garlic-infused cashew base.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beans & Vegetables

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 medium carrots, diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
07 - 2 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 6 cups vegetable broth
09 - 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and sliced
10 - 4 cups lacinato kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Garlic Cashew Cream

15 - 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes and drained
16 - 3/4 cup water
17 - 2 cloves garlic
18 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
19 - 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
20 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

# How to Make:

01 - In a blender, combine soaked cashews, water, garlic, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt. Blend until completely smooth and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until vegetables are softened.
03 - Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the pot. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in cannellini beans, sun-dried tomatoes, thyme, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes to develop flavors.
06 - Add chopped kale to the pot and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until tender.
07 - Stir in the garlic cashew cream and simmer for 2 minutes to heat through. Adjust seasoning to taste.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot, garnished with freshly cracked pepper and a light drizzle of olive oil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cashew cream makes this soup indulgent without any dairy, and honestly it tastes richer than cream ever could.
  • It's ready in under an hour but feels like you've spent all afternoon tending to it.
  • One pot, minimal cleanup, and the kitchen smells like a Tuscan countryside for days afterward.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking the cashews—I learned this the hard way with a grainy cream that no amount of blending fixed.
  • Add the kale at the very end because over-cooked kale loses its tender charm and turns into something sad and mushy.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning after adding the cream because the richness masks salt and pepper that tasted right in the broth alone.
03 -
  • Make the cashew cream the morning of if you can; it keeps in the fridge for a day and one less step when you're heating up dinner.
  • If your soup tastes flat even after seasoning, a squeeze of lemon juice often wakes it right up—acid is the secret that makes food sing.
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