White Bean Cannellini Soup With Ground Beef, And Kale

his White Bean Cannellini Soup with Ground Beef and Kale is hearty, filling, and made with simple ingredients like ground beef, cannellini beans, tomatoes, vegetables, and tender kale.

It’s an easy one-pot dinner with plenty of protein and fiber, and it works well for lunch, meal prep, or busy weeknights.

I like this white bean soup because it feels substantial without needing a long ingredient list. You can make it on the stovetop or in the Crockpot, and leftovers reheat really well the next day.

Serve it with crusty bread, garlic toast, or a simple salad for an easy family dinner.

If you like hearty, protein-packed soups like this one, these are worth trying too:

• One Pot Beef and Chickpea Stew Packed with Protein and Fiber
• 20 High Protein Crockpot Soup Recipes for Fall
• Bean and Vegetable Stew with Smoked Sausage in Tomato Sauce
• 25 Satisfying High Fiber Lean Protein Meals That Are Low Carb

Ingredients You’ll Need

Mashing some of the cannellini beans against the side of the pot thickens the broth naturally without needing any flour or cream. Stripping the tough stems off the kale before chopping keeps the soup from having any chewy, fibrous bites.

Crockpot Version

To make this White Bean Cannellini Soup in the Crockpot, brown the ground beef in a skillet first and drain any excess grease.

Add the cooked beef to the slow cooker with the cannellini beans, tomatoes, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, broth, and seasonings.

Cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours. Stir in the chopped kale during the last 20–30 minutes of cooking, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.

Important Recipe Notes

• Mash some of the beans before adding them. This thickens the broth naturally without needing any flour or cream, and it’s an easy way to add body to the soup.
• Remove the tough stems from the kale. The stems stay fibrous and chewy even after simmering, so it’s worth stripping them off before chopping the leaves.
• Don’t skip browning the beef. Good color on the meat adds flavor that carries through the whole pot, so give it the full time to brown before moving on.
• This soup thickens as it sits, since the beans and kale both absorb liquid over time. Thin leftovers with a splash of broth when reheating.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. This soup tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have had time to meld.
• No kale on hand? Spinach or Swiss chard both work as a substitute, though spinach wilts faster, so add it a couple of minutes later than kale.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving:

Serve hot with a generous sprinkle of parmesan and crusty bread on the side. This is filling enough on its own to make a complete dinner.

Storage:

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stove.

Customization:

Swap the ground beef for Italian sausage for more spice, or add a rind of parmesan cheese to the broth while it simmers for extra depth. A pinch of red pepper flakes adds some heat if you want it spicier.