Quick Tomato, White Bean and Kale Soup

A hearty bean and vegetable soup does not always require hours on the stove. Using the canned variety cuts the cook time down drastically for this colorful recipe, which takes no more than an hour start to finish. You can save even more time by tackling some prep while starting to sauté the soup. This soup is healthy as well as delicious. White beans are a nutritional powerhouse, as they’re packed with fiber and protein and a good source of numerous micronutrients, including folate, magnesium, iron, and vitamin B6. They are also rich in antioxidants that help protect against heart disease and other chronic conditions. Kale is also antioxidant, vitamin C, and fiber rich and is associated with enhanced eye and heart health as well as weight management. The World Health Organization, American Cancer Society and American Heart Association all recommend at least 6-10 servings of vegetables per day for optimal health. A vegetable soup is an easy way to achieve this goal.

Makes: 4-6 servings
Time to cook: 55 minutes

Ingredients

· 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

· 1 medium onion, chopped

· 1 large carrot, chopped

· 1 stick celery, chopped (optional)

· Salt to taste

· 2 large garlic cloves, minced

· 1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice

· 6 cups water

· 1 tablespoon tomato paste

· 1 teaspoon oregano

· 1 medium Yukon gold potato (about 6 ounces), diced

· A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf, a couple of sprigs each parsley and thyme, and a Parmesan rind (optional – but it does add flavor; use what you have for this)

· ½ pound kale, stemmed, washed thoroughly, and chopped or cut in slivers (4 cups chopped)

· 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

· Freshly ground pepper

· Grated Parmesan for serving

Cooking Instructions 

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot and add the onion, carrot, and celery and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes and juice from the can, add another pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly.

2. Add the water, tomato paste, oregano, potato, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, add the bouquet garni, cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are just about tender.

3. Add the kale and simmer another 10 minutes, until the kale and potatoes are tender and the soup is fragrant. Taste, adjust salt, and add pepper. Stir in the beans and heat through for 5 minutes. Serve, sprinkling some Parmesan over each bowl.

Advance preparation: The soup tastes even better on the second day and will keep for 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. It freezes well. I've used small amounts of leftovers as a pasta sauce, adding a little tomato paste to thicken.

Nutrition per serving
182 calories; 4 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams protein; 4 grams fiber; 4 grams sugar; 1158 milligrams sodium 

Recipe by Martha Rose Shulman, NY TimesCooking  

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