Ingredients
Soup base
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium brown onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, diced into 1 cm pieces
- 2 celery stalks, diced into 1 cm pieces
- 1 L vegetable or chicken stock
- 200 ml water
- 1 parmesan rind (about 50–80g)
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp red chilli flakes
- sea salt
- black pepper
Beans and greens
- 2 × 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 200 g fresh kale, stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
- 16 g tomato paste
To finish
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
- crusty bread, sliced
- lightly toasted
Method
Build the broth
Heat 60 ml olive oil in a large heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook gently, stirring often, until soft and just beginning to colour, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic, diced carrot, and diced celery. Stir constantly for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw edge.
Pour in the stock and water. Add the parmesan rind, bay leaves, thyme, and chilli flakes. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Simmer and add beans
Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered for 12 minutes, allowing the flavours to meld and the parmesan rind to begin softening.
Add the drained cannellini beans and stir gently. Continue to simmer for another 8 minutes.
Taste the broth and season with ½ tsp salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Adjust to your preference.
Finish with kale
Add the chopped kale in batches, stirring after each addition to help it wilt, about 3–4 minutes total. The kale should be tender and bright green, not dark or mushy.
Remove from heat. Discard the parmesan rind (it will have mostly dissolved and enriched the broth) and bay leaves.
Ladle the soup into warm bowls. Drizzle each serve generously with extra virgin olive oil and serve alongside warm crusty bread.
