Tuscan White Bean and Kale Soup
Ingredients:
Base: 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion diced, 2 large carrots diced, 2 celery stalks diced, 4 garlic cloves minced, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, ¼ tsp red chili flakes
Soup: 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, 2 cans 425 g cannellini beans rinsed and drained, 1 bay leaf, ¾ tsp sea salt, ¼ tsp black pepper
Finish: 4 cups kale stems removed and chopped, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, extra black pepper and chili flakes for serving
Method:
1. Sauté: Heat 2 tbsp oil in large pot over medium. Cook onion, carrots, celery 6 min until soft. Add garlic, oregano, thyme, ¼ tsp chili flakes. Cook 1 min.
2. Simmer: Add broth, beans, bay leaf, ¾ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper. Bring to simmer. Cook 15 min to blend.
3. Mash: Remove 1 cup of beans and broth. Mash lightly, return to pot for thickened texture.
4. Kale: Stir in kale. Simmer 3-4 min until wilted but bright green.
5. Serve: Discard bay leaf. Stir in lemon juice and 1 tbsp oil. Ladle into bowls. Top with extra black pepper and chili flakes.