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Hearty Pasta and Bean Soup with kale is an easy 1 pot recipe filled with veggies that can be enjoyed all year round! Change up the beans and greens to suit your taste.
Why We Love This Recipe!
It’s healthy + delicious. I don’t know about you, but I love my soups, and this is one of those soups that always leave me feeling full and satisfied. Loaded with plant-based ingredients, this recipe comes together for a nourishing and flavorful soup you’ll want to come back to again and again!
It cooks in 1 pot! We adapted this recipe to come together in one pot for easy cooking and cleanup. Plus, cooking the pasta right in the soup infuses even more flavor and richness. It’s a win, win!
Makes plenty for leftovers! This veggie soup makes enough to feed a small crowd or give you plenty of leftovers. I highly recommend using a stockpot since it will yield a lot of soup. You will be happy to have the leftovers because it tastes even better the next day!
Ingredients Notes
Here are a few ingredient notes to help you with variations and substitutions. Ingredient measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
The Beans – I chose to use a batch of fresh cooked black-eyed peas I had on hand, but you can use whatever beans you prefer. If using dried beans, be sure to soak and cook them before assembling the recipe. Canned beans are convenient and will make this recipe move along fast. Suitable beans for this soup recipe are pinto beans, white beans (cannellini, chickpeas, great northern, etc.), and kidney beans, or any combo of what you have on hand.
The Pasta – I have used rotelle pasta here, but you can use whatever small pasta you prefer. The pasta adds bulk, making this a great hearty soup full of all the nutritious essentials to keep you healthy and feeling your best.
The Greens – Kale is the king of the leafy greens and is packed full of goodness! I used flat kale but curly kale is great too. You can substitute with spinach, collards, or chard when needed.
The Herbs – This recipe calls for thyme, smoked paprika, and optional sage with red pepper flakes added for heat. And a few bay leaves are added for another layer of flavor. Feel free to switch up the thyme with Italian seasoning.
Veg Paste– I use and recommendBetter Than Bouillon(affiliate link) for your vegetable broth base. It’s convenient and you only need a little so it lasts for months in the fridge. I only used 1 teaspoon for this recipe and it still adds a nice robust flavor.
How To Make Pasta and Bean Soup
Making Pasta and Bean Soup is as easy as can be!
Here is a quick overview with photos for reference. You can find the full printable recipe card below.
- In a large dutch oven, saute the onion, carrots, and garlic.
- Next, add the herbs and spices, saute for 1 minute more (or until nice and fragrant).
- Add the beans, pasta, tomatoes, bay leaves, and pour the vegetable broth overtop, give a good stir.
- Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer at a gently rolling boil for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the kale, stirring until softened and wilted.
And now you are ready to dine!
Warm and hearty, it’s an all-around wonderful soup to enjoy throughout the year!
Serving Suggestions
This soup is hearty on its own, but if you like to make a soup and salad combo or pair with crusty bread, here are a few of my favorite options:
- Classic House Salad
- Artisan Bread
- Almond Parmesan to sprinkle overtop for additional macro-nutrients!
How To Store, Freeze + Reheat
- Refrigerator:Leftovers will keep for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator, stored in a covered container.
- Freezer:Pasta and bean soup freezes well for up to 2 – 3 months! To freeze, let cool completely and store infreezer safe containers(affiliate link), or large baggies. Let thaw in the refrigerator before serving or warming.
- Reheat:Simply re-warm on the stovetop over low heat or the microwave for 30 – 60 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until warmed through.
More Vegan Soup Recipes!
Soup is always on the meal rotation at our home because it is so easy to make and versatile. Here are a few others we think you might enjoy!
- Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup
- Vegan Minestrone Soup
If you try this easy soup recipe, please let me know!Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PASTA AND BEAN SOUP with KALE
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
5 from 5 reviews
Pasta and Bean Soup (aka pasta Fagioli) with kale is an easy 1-pot recipe that’s hearty enough to enjoy all year round. Change up the beans and greens to suit your taste. Vegan, with an oil-free option!
- Author: Julie | The Simple Veganista
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6 – 8 1x
- Category: Entree, Soup
- Method: simmer
- Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
Units Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water (for water saute)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme or 2 tablespoons fresh
- 2 teaspoons dried sage, optional
- 2 – 3 teaspoons smoked paprika
- a pinch or two of red pepper flakes
- 3 cans (15oz) beans (black-eyed peas, pinto, white, or kidney), drained and rinsed – or 1 pound dried beans, cooked (black-eyed peas, cranberry, or great northern beans)
- 8 oz of pasta of choice
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, with the juices
- 2 – 3 bay leaves
- 8 cups vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale (about 4 loose cups), center stems removed, and roughly chopped
- salt & cracked pepper, to taste
To serve
- almond parmesan
- squeeze of lemon
Instructions
Saute: In a large pot, add oil/water and heat over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic, saute for 5 minutes. Add in the thyme, paprika, optional sage, and red pepper flakes, cook 1 more minute, or until fragrant.
Simmer: Add the beans, pasta, tomatoes, bay leaves, and vegetable broth, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until pasta is al dente, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, stir in the kale to soften and wilt (if you prefer very soft kale, add it 5 minutes before soup is done. Remove bay leaves before serving. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve: We love adding a squeeze of lemon to our serving bowl for brightness. And for soaking up the juices, this homemade Artisan Bread is delicious!
Serves 6 generously.
Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 – 7 days. For longer storage, keep in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. To freeze, let cool completely and store in freezer-safe containers. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Notes
If starting with dried beans.Pre-soak your beans overnight, or at least 8 hours in a large pot of water filled two to three inches above the beans. Drain and rinse well, set aside. After pre-soaking, beans will need to cook and simmer at different lengths of times before using. Cranberry beans need 45 minutes or so cooking time, while northern beans & black-eyed peas need about 1 – 2 hours. Follow this guide for further cooking times depending on your beans of choice:Cooking Beans
Feel free to use 3 cans (15 oz) beans such as kidney, cannellini, pinto, or northern in place of dried beans. Just be sure to drain and rinse them. Skip the first step and go right into step 2 instead.
I’ve also used a mix of canned kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans, and have even added in some mushrooms and used quinoa pasta. It just goes to show how very versatile the recipe is – almost anything goes and it’s still delicious!
Use any pasta type you like from shells, macaroni, penne, bowtie, ditalini, etc. My pasta grain of choice is spelt, quinoa, or rice pasta. The latter two are gluten-free. If you’re not gluten intolerant you can use spelt and whole wheat. If you’re not following any sort of diet, use whatever pasta you prefer.
If you don’t have garlic on hand, use 1 teaspoon garlic powder when adding the other herbs and spices.
This recipe has been updated to cook in 1 pot using canned or pre-cooked dried beans. The original recipe using dried beans and cooking the pasta separately can be found here: Original Pasta and Bean Soup Recipe
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