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Cozy Slow Cooker White Bean and Kale Soup with Parmesan

cozy slow cooker white bean and kale soup - featured image
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A hearty, hands-off slow cooker soup made with creamy white beans, tender kale, and a secret Parmesan rind that infuses the broth with nutty, umami depth. Perfect for cold evenings and meal prep.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 ½ cups dried white beans (cannellini or great northern), rinsed
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 Parmesan rind
  • 1 bunch kale (about 4 cups, stems removed and leaves chopped)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
  • Lemon wedges (for serving)
  • Crusty bread or honey butter skillet cornbread (for serving)

Instructions

  1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until softened and onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for another minute until fragrant.
  2. Transfer to the slow cooker: Scrape the sautéed vegetables into the slow cooker. Add rinsed dried beans, drained diced tomatoes, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. Pour in the broth. Stir well.
  3. Cook low and slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until beans are tender and creamy. Start checking at the 6-hour mark on low.
  4. Add the kale: Once beans are tender, stir in chopped kale. Cover and cook for another 15-20 minutes on LOW until kale is tender but still has some color.
  5. Remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaf: Fish out the rind (it may be soft and partially broken down) and bay leaf. Discard them.
  6. Season and adjust: Taste the soup. Add salt and black pepper gradually, starting with ½ teaspoon salt. If soup is too thick, stir in extra broth or water to reach desired consistency.
  7. Optional: Blend for creaminess: Use an immersion blender to puree about 1-2 cups of soup directly in the pot for a thicker texture. Alternatively, transfer 1 cup to a blender, blend until smooth, and stir back in.
  8. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Serve with crusty bread or honey butter skillet cornbread.

Notes

Don’t skip the sauté step—it builds flavor. Salt at the end to avoid toughening beans. Save Parmesan rinds in the freezer for future soups. Add kale in the last 15-20 minutes to prevent mushiness. Dried beans are preferred for creamy texture; if using canned, reduce cooking time to 2-3 hours on LOW and add halfway through. Soup tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker soup, white bean soup, kale soup, Parmesan, comfort food, winter soup, healthy soup, vegetarian soup, gluten-free soup

Find it online: https://evabake.com/cozy-slow-cooker-white-bean-and-kale-soup-with-parmesan/