While the ingredients in this soup may be seasonal in your summer and fall garden, the beauty of modern markets is that you can create delicious soups like this year round. This one pot meal is full of exceptional nutrients that support a healthy diet. The soup, designed for plant based diets can also be individually adjusted to satisfy those who enjoy the addition of meat in a hearty soup. Easily created in about an hour, this soup could well become a weeknight favorite. You can also freeze the soup in portions, reheat, and deliver a time efficient burst of nutrition.
Squash, Kale, and White Bean Soup
Equipment
- 1 Soup pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- ⅔ cup celery, bok choy, or chard ribs, diced
- 5 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes, or less
- 1¾ cups butternut, delicata, or other firm squash, diced into ½ inch cubes
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 15 oz can white beans
- 3 cups kale leaves, or combination of kale, and any chard, spinach, collards, Bok choy, all roughly chopped
- 5 cups vegetable bouillon or stock
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup heavy cream, dairy free sour cream or cashew cream
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated, or a mix of hard cheeses
- 2-4 links optional 1" diameter sausage links
Instructions
- Melt butter in soup pot on medium, then add avocado oil.
- Add onion, diced stems and cook 2-3 minutes stirring until soft. Stir in garlic, chili flakes, squash, thyme, sage, and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add beans, greens, broth, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
- Bring soup to a boil, then cover and reduce heat, simmering 20-25minutes until squash is tender. Soup can be eaten as is at this point, or add cream and cheese. You may choose to offer cream and cheese on the side for individual tastes and dietary needs.
- Serve while hot. Store in refrigerator, covered and airtight 3-4 days. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator and reheat slowly.
- NOTE: If using sausage, cook raw links in boiling water. Cool to the touch, slice into ¼ inch pieces and fry in a little oil until brown on both sides. Serve by placing a few sausage slices in the bottom of individual bowls and ladle soup on top.
