Recipe: Hearty Kale Soup
The cold weather continues here in the mid-Atlantic. I tend to get a bit weary of the snow and chilly temperatures by February, which is about the same time I start dreaming of tropical vacations! Since a holiday is not in the cards for me right now, I needed another way to warm up. This kale soup does the trick!
In addition to being a hearty dish, this soup is also packed with lots of kale, the super food du jour. Kale has loads of health benefits; it’s high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and calcium, and has anti -cancer properties as well. Delicious AND healthy… I’m all about multitasking!
TIP: If you’ve never cooked with kale before, don’t be deterred! First, rinse the kale in cold water to wash the leaves. In order to de-vein the kale, fold in half lengthwise, and simply run the edge of your knife against the vein; discard. Next, loosely roll the leaf, and make thin cuts. This will result in thin ribbons of kale. Congrats; you’ve just learned how to chiffonade!
Hearty Kale Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 8 cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 cups of kale, de-veined and chopped
- 4 cups low-sodium broth
- 2 15oz cans of cannellini beans
- 4 plum tomatoes, chopped
- salt and pepper
- chili flakes
- Cheese, for topping
Direction
- Heat olive oil in a large pot.
- Saute onion until translucent.
- Add garlic and continue to sauté until fragrant.
- Add kale, and turn mixture frequently. It may seem like a mountain of kale, but it cooks down rather quickly!
- Add 3 cups of broth (I used vegetable because that’s what we had on hand), 1 can of beans, and tomato.
- In a blender, mix the remaining 1 cup of broth and the other can of beans. Stir mixture into soup. This gives the soup a hearty thickness .
- Add salt, pepper, and chili flakes (you know I love chili flakes!) to taste.
- Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve in bowls, topped with cheese. I used pepper jack to kick it up a notch, but you could also go the traditional route and use parmesan!
Yield: 6 servings.
Not the prettiest display (which is why I used a picture from WF at the top!). But trust me, it tastes fantastic!
Kavi360 
Looks awesome, Kiks! Will def try this! 🙂
I actually thought of you and Sam when I posted this!
Can’t wait to try this! I’m a new Vegan, and have been getting to know this vegetable over the past couple of months. I’m really enjoying cooking with, and eating it. Can I ask you a question though….? Does it ever change the quality of your dreams? I’ve had some quite psychedelic dreams after eating curly kale, to the extent that I’ll now make sure I don’t have it too often in quick succession as it disrupts my sleep!
Thanks for checking out my blog! I’m not vegan, although I do frequently eat vegetarian and vegan meals – and this one is a winner! I’ve never experienced sleeping issues as a result of eating kale. Everyone reacts differently to food, but perhaps it’s the way you’re preparing it, or another ingredient you’re using? If you figure it out, let me know!
I will. At the moment I’ve talked to only one other person who’s experienced this, and most people say the same as you, so maybe it is me!
Another delicious dish to soon be brought west to Chicago!!!
haha I think you’re right Harold… I just got here a few days ago, and I’m cold already 😉