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This quick and simple kale and white bean Thai curry soup has everything you want in a bowl of soup. It’s cozy, packed with nutrients, and absolutely delicious with it’s creamy Thai curry broth with coconut milk. It also packs a hefty punch of protein and fiber!
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A bowl of soup should be both cozy and invigorating. It should have flavors and warmth that offer comfort along with healthy ingredients that nourish the body. With this yummy kale and white bean Thai curry soup, you get exactly that. It’s creamy, rich, and warming, and it’s chock full of wholesome goodies like kale, zucchini, carrots, and heart-healthy white beans.
Looking for more wholesome soup recipes? Check out my Italian wedding soup with chicken meatballs or this healthy creamy tomato tortellini soup. And if you’re loving white beans, add this lemon mackerel and white bean salad on toast to your list.
Why You’ll Love This Kale & White Bean Soup
- It’s so tasty—You get the warming flavors of Thai curry and a silky smooth texture from the coconut milk.
- It’s healthy—Thanks to the veggies and beans, this hearty soup offers up a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein.
- It’s easy—This soup is incredibly easy to throw together and makes for an incredible chilly weeknight dinner option.
Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Curry paste—This recipe calls for yellow curry paste. My favorite one to use is this Mae Ploy Thai Yellow Curry Paste. You could also use red Thai curry paste, though you’ll get a bit of a different flavor profile and won’t have that golden broth.
- Kale—Varieties best for soup include curly kale or lacinato kale. In a pinch, you could use baby spinach.
- Beans—I use Cannellini beans. They’re great in soups! Great Northern white beans also work well. Navy beans aren’t as sturdy so tend to deconstruct throughout the cooking process, but they can still be used.
- Fish sauce—If this is your first time working with fish sauce, note that despite the smell, it does wonders for making dishes more flavorful!
Recipe Variations & Modifications
- Broth—Chicken broth works just as well if you aren’t keeping things vegetarian.
- Beans—You can use dry cannellini beans if you prefer them over canned. Simply rinse them to rid of any debris, then pop them into a large bowl and cover them with cold water to soak for at least 8 hours prior to use, or overnight. Lentils could work in this soup as well, but I haven’t tested this yet. If you try it, let us know in the comments below!
- Vegetables—You could add mushrooms, sweet bell peppers, butternut squash, or bok choy. Cubed sweet potato would also be great, though you’d have to fit in extra cooking time for that.
- Turmeric—I like adding turmeric to this soup for its anti-inflammatory properties.
- Protein—If you want to add meat, ground sausage works beautifully in this.
How to Make Kale & White Bean Thai Curry Soup
Step 1. Heat oil over medium-low in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes to slightly soften; season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Step 2. Add more oil to the pot, then add the carrots, kale, and zucchini to the pot and stir. Simmer until the kale has wilted down and all the veggies are tender. Stir frequently.
Step 3. Stir in the curry paste, ginger, and garlic. Let it simmer, stirring to ensure the curry paste is well distributed an no longer a clump.
Step 4. Pour in the vegetable broth, coconut milk, and fish sauce. Bring it to a low simmer (you don’t want a full boil) and scrape up any brown bits from the pan.
Step 5. Finally, add the white beans and lime zest to the soup. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 6. Remove the soup from the heat. Stir in the fresh lime juice and serve. You can top the soup with fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped scallions, or even some hot chili sauce or red pepper flakes if you like things spicy!
Storage & Reheating
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- To reheat, transfer the soup to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 35-second increments until warmed through.
- I don’t recommend freezing this soup as it separates when thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe gets his creaminess from the coconut milk. Some soups will incorporate corn starch as a thickening agent, but I don’t find it necessary here. If you use navy beans, which tend to deconstruct during the cooking process, they will also create a thicker soup.
I like using curly kale or lacinato kale, though any kale will work as it cooks down and softens in the soup.
Letting it simmer for enough time is key. If you’re finding it to be watery, let it simmer on low, uncovered, until you reach your desired consistency.
Some sources say yes, but I never bother. I am a huge proponent of massaging kale for salad, but when it comes to soup, I find the simmering process tenderizes the leaves just fine.
More Comforting Soups You’ll Love…
If you try this kale & white bean Thai curry soup, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Kale & White Bean Thai Curry Soup
Ingredients
- 2-3 TBSP olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 large carrot, shredded or sliced
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 2 TBSP Thai yellow curry paste
- 1 TBSP freshly grated ginger
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 14 oz can of coconut milk, Do not use light coconut milk
- 2 15 oz cans of cannellini beans, drained
- 1 TBSP fish sauce
- 4 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 lime, zested and juice
For garnish
- Thinly sliced scallions
- Fresh parsley or cilantro
- Lime wedges, for an extra squeeze of fresh lime juice
- Hot chili sauce, like Sriracha, sambal oelek, or crispy chili oil
Instructions
- Heat 2 TBSP of olive oil over medium-low in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes to slightly soften.
- Add the another TBSP of oil and then add the carrots, kale, and zucchini. Simmer until the kale has wilted down and all the veggies are tender, stirring frequently.
- Pop the curry paste, ginger, and garlic into the pot and stir well. Let it all simmer, stirring to ensure the curry paste is well distributed and no longer clumpy.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, coconut milk, and fish sauce. Bring it all to a low simmer; scrape up any brown bits from the pan. These add flavor!
- Finally add in the white beans and stir in the lime zest. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the soup from the heat. Stir in the fresh lime juice and serve with garnishes like cilantro or parsley, chopped scallions, and even some hot chili sauce if you like a little heat!
