Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup With Lentils

At Supermom Eats, I focus on simple, nourishing meals that support busy moms in feeling their best, and this white bean and kale soup does exactly that.

I’ve been making this soup for years and am always pleasantly surprised by how much I love it every time. You see, I’m more of a creamy soup kind of person. Soups like Broccoli Cheddar Soup or Potato Soup!

However, whenever I make this recipe, I get so many compliments and honestly, I can’t get enough of it myself! I love making this white bean soup for moms after they’ve had a baby because it’s so nourishing and comforting.

I also love this soup as a meal prep recipe for my lunches throughout the week! It only takes 30 minutes to make – really only 10 minutes is hands-on time. It’s a great one to make on a Sunday afternoon, so you can have your lunches ready for the week.

How to Make White Bean and Kale Soup: Step-by-Step

For the full recipe with the exact ingredients, scroll down to the printable recipe card below!

Step 1: In a pot, over medium heat, saute celery and carrots in olive oil for 5 minutes. Next, add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Step 2: Add the white beans, lentils, tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt, and black pepper and stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil. Then, turn down the heat and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Uncover and turn off the heat. Add the kale and stir. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Tips & Tricks (Especially for Mamas of Really Little Ones!)

These tips are particularly for mamas of little kids! If it’s hard to chop things when you are prepping dinner because, let’s say, you have a little one who wants/needs to be held during this time, here are some tips to help (these tips can be applied to anyone though!):

• Buy pre-cut carrots, celery, kale, and garlic so you actually can manage the feat of cooking dinner while holding a baby.
• Buy precooked lentils! I get mine from Trader Joe’s (they are not gluten-free though), but many stores carry cooked canned lentils. If this isn’t possible, cook your lentils in advance. They freeze well, too!
• If opening a can of beans is also too difficult while holding a baby, some stores sell bagged packets of cooked beans. You could also open and rinse your beans in advance for easy access (the same goes for the can of tomatoes!).

It is more expensive to buy pre-cut and bagged items like this, but it may be worth it and/or necessary during this phase of life. You got this!

• This soup is great to make in advance as a postpartum meal or simply as a part of meal prep so you can have an easy lunch or dinner throughout your week! I love using Soupercubes 2-cup trays to freeze my soup into perfect portions. You just pop it out when you’re ready to reheat the soup!

Serving Ideas for Kids & Babies

For Toddlers & Kids:

• Offer for them to dip some bread, a quesadilla, or a grilled cheese sandwich in the soup.
• Ask them to find the “treasure beans” in the soup.
• Offer to top the soup with Parmesan cheese.
• For me, it was and still is all about exposure. If my kids don’t want to eat the soup, that’s okay! It’s there for them to try if they’d like, and you can know that you offered them a healthy choice.

Baby-Led Weaning:

• Blend/puree your baby’s small portion of soup so that it’s all one consistency. Make sure it’s cooled down before serving!
• When your baby is ready, you could try serving the soup as is, but be sure the vegetables are appropriately sized for their age and are soft enough. I liked referring to the Solid Starts app to help me with this when my kids were babies.

What to Serve With This White Bean Lentil Soup

• Big hunk of delicious bread with butter (use gluten-free bread and vegan butter, if needed)
• Side of simple cheese quesadillas or grilled cheese sandwiches (use dairy-free cheese and gluten-free tortillas/bread, if needed)
• Side salad
• If you eat meat: Add sausage! You could add a plant-based sausage if you want to keep it plant-based!
• Top with parmesan cheese (use vegan parmesan cheese if you are keeping the recipe vegan)

Storage & Reheating

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. 
• Freezer: Let the soup cool completely and then transfer the soup to an airtight freezer-safe container. I love to use Soupercubes 2-cup Freezer Trays to freeze this soup! Store the soup in the freezer for up to 3 months. 
• Reheating: When you’re ready to use the soup, thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it in the microwave or a pot on the stove. If you don’t have time to thaw it, you can immerse the freezer container in warm water until it’s mostly thawed. Alternatively, you can pop the frozen soup directly into a large pot and heat it over medium heat until heated through. This can also be done in the microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions