By Samantha Chabior, RD
I love one pot dinners, especially ones that are as delicious as this Mediterranean mixed bean soup with kale!
This is such a versatile dinner recipe and can be adapted to meet so many taste preferences and dietary needs. It’s rich in soluble fibre, which can help with lowering LDL cholesterol levels (the “lousy” cholesterol), and filled with nourishing plant proteins. It’s also lower in sodium, so it’s great for those trying to manage their blood pressure and limit salt in their diet.
You can use any kind of leafy greens in place of the kale, such as spinach or collard greens, and any canned beans you have in your pantry. I used one can of six bean medley which has a mix of chickpeas, dark red kidney beans, black-eyed peas, white kidney beans, romano beans, and baby lima beans, plus one can of fava beans. But you can substitute the fava beans for another can of mixed beans, or really any beans of your choice.
This dish also combines the heart healthy powerhouse trio of onion, garlic, and tomato paste, which are jam packed with antioxidants shown to be cardiac protective. I decided to use some tomato paste I had frozen previously, and it worked great! If you want to read how I freeze leftover tomato paste you can read my step-by-step article here.
To save on prep time, I kept the skins on the carrots and yellow potatoes, which also helps boost nutrients and reduce food waste. Simply wash the veggies well with a soft brush and then chop as usual!
I used 1 cup of pasta noodles to help thicken the soup and make it even more hearty, but you can leave these out to lower the carbohydrate content. Alternatively, you can use gluten free noodles if you’re avoiding gluten.
You can keep the recipe completely vegan, meaning using no animal products, or you can grate some fresh parmesan cheese right before serving for an extra flavour boost. To keep the saturated fat and sodium low, I usually recommend clients choose a flavourful good quality parmesan cheese where a small amount goes a long way.
This recipe makes a large pot with about 8 servings! So you can definitely have leftovers for lunch the next day, or freeze half the soup in a freezer safe container with a bit of room at the top to allow for expansion. If you’re freezing the soup I would recommend cooking the pasta noodles separately and then adding them into the soup after it’s been reheated or else the texture may not be the greatest.
Let me know how you enjoyed this Mediterranean Bean Soup with Kale in the comments below!
And if you feel like you need a bit of help getting on track with meal planning, download my FREE heart healthy meal planning guide, grocery list, and weekly meal planner.
Simple Mediterranean Bean And Kale Soup Recipe
Equipment
- Large pot
- Cutting board and knives
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 stalks celery diced
- 3 carrots diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
- 5 medium-sized yellow potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups kale about 3-4 leaves, stems removed, chopped
- 1 can (14 oz) of mixed beans drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14 oz) of fava beans drained and rinsed
- ½ tsp dried rosemary leaves
- ½ tsp dried oregano leaves
- ½ tsp dried thyme leaves
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp dried parsley flakes
- ⅛ tsp pepper or more to taste
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 8 cups low sodium or no salt added vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup whole wheat pasta noodles omit or use gluten free noodles if avoiding gluten
- Salt to taste optional, omit to keep sodium lower
Toppings (optional)
- 1 tsp fresh parmesan cheese, grated omit to keep vegan and limit sodium and saturated fat
Instructions
- Prepare all vegetables. Dice the onion, celery, and carrots, mince the garlic, and cube the potatoes. To save time and retain additional nutrients you can leave the potatoes and carrots unpeeled (simply wash them thoroughly before chopping). Remove kale leaves from stems and slice into strips. Drain and rinse the canned beans. Set all ingredients aside.
- Combine rosemary, oregano, thyme, paprika, and parsley in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to the pot and sauté until onion begins to soften, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the carrot, celery, and potatoes to the pot. Cook, stirring often for about 5 minutes.
- Add spice mixture of rosemary, oregano, thyme, paprika, and parsley into the pot. Grind fresh black pepper (or about ⅛ tsp black pepper) and mix well. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 more minutes.
- Add tomato paste, broth, and beans to pot, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to maintain a low simmering boil for about 20 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are cooked through.
- Add sliced kale and pasta noodles to the pot, cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until noodles are cooked.
