This comforting kale and white bean soup is spiced with harissa and topped with a quick lemon and parsley oil for an extra hit of herby flavour. Serve with plenty of crusty bread.
This is the kind of comfort we all need right now 🙌
There's no denying that a slightly spicy, harissa spiked soup with hearty white beans and a fresh crunch of kale is a recipe for deliciousness. But what I really can't get enough of is that herby mixture of parsley, olive oil, shallot and lemon juice which really takes the whole thing to another level.
It's that freshness that the whole thing really needs especially when you add in a dollop of tangy Greek yoghurt. It's just such a simple but tasty combination which will keep you coming back for more.
I think this is the perfect healthy winter comfort food. Heavy on the beans and vegetables to keep you full and packed full of warming spicy flavour. I'm going to be eating this all winter long.
Why we love this white bean soup...
It's such a simple vegetarian soup recipe which requires just a handful of healthy ingredients. Plus it can easily be made vegan by leaving off the Greek yoghurt.
This soup is filling enough to be a main course especially when served with some crusty bread. You could also serve a smaller portion as a starter if you're entertaining.
If you'd like to add extra veggies to this soup you could try some chopped pepper or carrot along with the onions and garlic or you could swap the kale for spinach if you prefer.
If you'd like to add some meat to this recipe you could try frying some sausage with the onion then scoop out and add back to the soup jut before serving.
Spicy Bean Soup Ingredients
This section is here to provide further tips and ideas for alternative ingredients. The full recipe and instructions are included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Onion & Garlic: The perfect start to any good meal.
Harissa: There are a few different brands of harissa so you might want to adjust the amount you use depending on how spicy it is.
White Beans: I used cannellini beans for this recipe but you could use any white bean you like, butter beans would also be good.
Vegetable Stock: Store bought or homemade is good!
Kale: This is stirred through and wilted before serving. You could switch for spinach if you prefer.
Herby Oil: All you need to make the oil topping is lemon juice, parsley, olive oil and shallot all wizzed up in a blender.
How to make soup with white beans and harissa
Start the soup: Fry the onion and garlic in olive oil then add the harissa followed by the beans. Crush some of the beans with your spoon.
Simmer the soup: Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the kale just before serving.
Make the oil: Blend the lemon juice, parsley, shallot and salt in a blender then stream in the olive oil with the motor running. Serve the soup topped with the oil.
Equipment you need to make this recipe...
Want more? Try these other soup recipes!
- Tortellini Soup with Kale
- Spicy Lentil Soup with Coconut
- Mushroom Miso Soup with Noodles
- Coconut Noodles with Mushroom & Edamame
- Veggie Pesto Pasta Soup with Kale
- Roasted Red Pepper Soup with White Beans
- Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup
White Bean Soup with Herby Oil
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 4 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 4 cloves Garlic crushed
- 1 Onion chopped
- Salt and Pepper
- 3 tablespoon Harissa adjust according to spice preference
- 3 400g tins White Beans we used cannellini
- 1 litre Vegetable Stock
- 1 large bunch Kale stems removed, chopped
- Greek Yoghurt to serve
For the Herby Oil
- 1 Lemon juiced
- 30 g Parsley
- 1 Shallot peeled and roughly chopped
- 100 ml Olive Oil
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and fry gently until softened. Season well.
- Add the harissa and stir to coat, cook for a couple of minutes. Add the beans and season again. Crush a few scoops of the beans with a wooden spoon.
- Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Add the kale and cook for another couple of minutes to wilt.
- While the stew cooks make the oil. Blend the lemon juice, parsley, shallot and plenty of salt in a food processor. Stream in the olive oil with the motor on.
- Serve the stew topped with the herb oil and yoghurt.
Notes
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Chris Collins says
This is total comfort food! Perfect for this time of year 🙂
Danielle Wolter says
Love recipes like this in the winter. And anything using harissa paste is right up my alley - yum!
Dannii says
White bean soup is total comfort food, and really cheap too. I love the twist on it with the herby oil.
Gina says
Love the contrast of the spicy harissa with the refreshing herb oil on top! Such a great soup for winter.