White Bean and Kale Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the thickener in a white bean soup? ›

What is the thickener in a white bean soup? In this recipe, what really thickens up the soup is the 15 oz of white beans that you are mashing and the starches from the potatoes. We aren't using cornstarch or a thickening agent in this recipe, it really doesn't need it!

Soup Ingredients

I use canned cannellini beans, which you can find at any grocery store. Great Northern or Navy beans will also work. Make sure you rinse and drain the beans before using.

If you're looking for a cannellini beans substitute, go for something similarly creamy, tender, and mild: Butter Beans if possible, Great Northern as an alternative, or Navy Beans as a last resort.

Milk or Half-and-Half: This is the other magical ingredient that turns your homemade chicken noodle soup into the creamiest soup ever. Use 1 cup of whole milk or 1 cup of half-and-half. If you want to make regular (non-creamy) chicken noodle soup, replace the milk with more chicken broth.

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

Others, like Joe Yonan, the Food and Dining Editor of the Washington Post and author of Cool Beans, insist that in most cases, soaking is unnecessary– and may even lead to flavor loss. The only consensus is that soaked beans take less time to cook than unsoaked.

Not draining and rinsing them can add viscosity, liquid, and/or flavor to a dish, she says, which isn't always something she wants for a recipe.

Beans can take a lot of salt.

If you don't need soup until tomorrow, let them hang out in a bowl of water overnight—they'll be tender in about half the time, which sometimes is the priority. But either way, make a big batch.

Cannellini Beans are larger and heartier than Great Northerns and are sometimes referred to as “white kidney beans” because of their traditional kidney shape. You'll often find them mixed with pinto beans.

What are the healthiest beans for soup? ›

Due to their creamy white color, navy beans are sometimes confused with other white beans such as great northern beans, cannellini beans, or white kidney beans. Although their taste is similar, navy beans are smaller and rounder than these other varieties.

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says. The choice of ingredient depends on the recipe, though.

Use what you love! Cream: Half and half, heavy cream, light cream or thickened cream all yield similar results, however heavy cream adds richness.

Yes, you can definitely add cream to your soup. Whether you use a few tablespoons or a few cups, cream gives soup a silky mouthfeel and rich flavor. You can definitely add milk or other dairy as well, though it will taste gradually less creamy as you go down in percent.

Add a thickener.

If your beans are still too watery after prolonged cooking and mashing, consider adding a thickener like cornstarch, all-purpose flour, or arrowroot. To do this, first, make a slurry of equal parts thickener and water, then slowly add it to your refried beans. They should thicken considerably.

Soup Thickening Method: Cornstarch Slurry

About this method: One of the most common ways to thicken sauces and soups is with a starch-based slurry, and cornstarch is a popular choice. Cornstarch is flavorless, easy to mix up, and versatile, which makes it a go-to pantry ingredient.