Roasted Mushroom, White Bean, and Kale Soup

This soup is deceptively amazing.  I know that it looks so normal and sounds boring, but somehow as if by by magic these totally normal ingredients combine to make a totally soul-warming soup, perfect for a cold winter day.  It is this type of magic that makes me love soup!

In addition, though this soup is creamy in appearance and texture, there is not a drop of cream or cheese in it, making it a healthy alternative to richer winter soups.  This soup could easily be adapted to be vegetarian or vegan without sacrificing anything, simply by leaving out the sausage and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.



Inspired by this post, I made a handful of changes that I think made this soup extra amazing.  I will be remaking this again and again.  Here is the recipe as I made it:

Roasted Mushroom, White Bean, and Kale Soup.

Ingredients:

• 16 oz. mushrooms, quartered (I used plain white mushrooms, but a variety would be great)
• 1 large sweet onion, quartered
• 1 regular yellow onion, quartered
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and slightly crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 10 fresh sage leaves
• 10 stems + 1 tablespoon leaves fresh thyme*, divided
• 3 garlic and herb chicken sausages, casings removed (leave out for a veg version)
• 4 cups chicken broth (vegetable broth can be substituted for a veg version)
• 2 cans (15 oz) white beans, drained but not rinsed (I used great northern but cannellini would also work)
• 1 bunch of kale, ribs removed, sliced thin (I had about 4 cups once chopped up)
• Additional salt and pepper for seasoning

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Toss mushrooms, garlic and onion in olive oil, adding 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. (I separated the mushrooms from the onions and garlic before roasting because later you want them separate! You can separate them after roasted if that's easier for you.)
3. Spread on baking sheet. Add sage leaves and stems of thyme and toss them around slightly so they get a little bit coated with the oil. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes then toss everything around a bit and roast for an additional 15 minutes.
4. While vegetables are roasting, pour a glug of olive oil into a dutch oven and warm over medium heat.  Add the sausage and cook, breaking the sausage up into crumbles. 
5. Add 3 cups of the broth, 1 can of beans, a pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper, and 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves to the pot and bring to a simmer.
6. When the vegetables are done roasting, let cool slightly. Separate mushrooms from other roasted vegetables (if not already separated).
7. Place into a blender the last cup of broth, the 2nd can of beans, along with the roasted onions, roasted garlic, and slightly crispy roasted sage (remove the stems of thyme).  Blend until smooth.
8. Add pureed bean mixture into the dutch oven, stirring in until smooth. Add roasted mushrooms and chopped kale to the pot. 
9. Let simmer for about 10 minutes to soften up the kale and let the flavors meld a bit.  Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
10. Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve. 
11. Don't forget a delicious loaf of bread to soak up all the tasty herby broth!

 Note:  *Dried herbs may be substituted for fresh at the rate of one part dried herbs to three parts fresh.


Watch the magic!