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Kale and White Bean Soup

Kale and White Bean Soup

A leftover Parmesan rind and canned cannellini beans make for an extra-savory broth in one of our favorite crusty-bread soups.

  • Makes
    6 servings
  • Cook Time
    25 minutes
  • Rating

Canned cannellini beans transformed this otherwise long-simmering soup into an easy weeknight meal. The Parmesan rind added a deep savoriness; some grocery stores sell just the rinds, or if you have a chunk of Parmesan in your refrigerator, trim off its rind for use in the soup. If you reheat leftovers, you may need to add to additional broth, as the soup becomes thicker as it stands. Crusty bread is the perfect accompaniment.

Tip

Don’t fear the anchovies even if you are not an anchovy fan. They help build rich, meaty flavor in the soup but don’t leave any trace of fishiness. And don’t simmer the soup for longer than directed; overcooking causes the beans to break down and make the soup overly thick.

Ingredients
  • ¼

    cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve

  • 1

    medium yellow onion, finely chopped

  • 8

    garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 4

    oil-packed anchovy filets, patted dry and minced

  • ½

    teaspoon red pepper flakes

  • 2

    quarts low-sodium chicken broth (8 cups)

  • 2

    sprigs rosemary

  • 2

    15½-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided

  • 1

    2-ounce Parmesan cheese rind, plus grated Parmesan, to serve

  • 1

    bunch lacinato kale (1 pound), stemmed and torn into bite-size pieces

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • Lemon wedges, to serve

Step 1

In a large Dutch oven over medium, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, anchovies and pepper flakes, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Step 2

Add the broth, rosemary, Parmesan rind and 1 cup of the beans. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then reduce to medium, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs and Parmesan rind.

Step 3

Stir in the remaining beans and kale. Return to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the kale is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Serve drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkled generously with grated Parmesan and with lemon wedges on the side.

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