Vegetarian Kale Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best kale for soup? ›

Lacinato kale is just right for soup because it doesn't disintegrate or fall apart if cooked for a long time. Even after it's reheated, kale retains its integrity. Its earthy-but-sweet flavors blend well with beans, a highly desirable soup ingredient. Besides tasting good, Lacinato kale is good for you.

Add a little bit of vinegar or lemon juice to your soup to make it taste better. Use a high-quality broth or stock as a base for your soup. Roast or caramelize your vegetables before adding them to your soup to bring out their natural sweetness.

Kale is filled with powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants help our body by inhibiting chemical processes that lead to the damage of cells. Many studies show that antioxidants, specifically carotenoids and flavonoids, help protect against various cancers.

I like adding kale to things like lentil soup. I usually add it near the end, but give it about 15 minutes of cooking to get very soft. I saw this recipe on serious eats where Kenji recommends sauteing the kale with the rest of the veggies prior to adding any liquid.

For example, tossing in some dried fruit helps balance the bitter with some sweet. If you eat meat, you can try adding in some sausage or bacon, perhaps to a soup or stew, to cut the bitterness. Minced garlic, olive oil, and salt are also simple ingredients that can transform the flavor of a bitter kale dish.

And, as with most cooked greens, they make an excellent addition to scrambled eggs and fried rice. I've even put them into chicken soup to add an extra hit of nutrition to a classic comfort food.

A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.

Some of our favorites are Dried Shallots, Dehydrated Red Bell Pepper, Dehydrated Green Bell Pepper, Tomato Flakes, Minced Onion and Roasted Garlic Flakes. Or, add a bay leaf to your recipe. The bay leaf will give the soup a little something extra without overwhelming the dish.

Plus, eating too much fiber (like what you find in kale) could wreck havoc on your GI system, causing bloating, diarrhea, gas, constipation, and even improper absorption of nutrients. Of course, you'd have to be eating a lot of kale to suffer these effects, says Manganiello, but it's still something to keep in mind.

What happens to your body when you eat kale everyday? ›

Being a good source of calcium and Vitamin K, kale may help in boosting bone health. Consumption of kale may help in detoxifying the body. It may help in managing malnutrition problems. Being a good source of iron and Vitamin C, it may help in boosting immunity.

Kale is also rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants that reduce your risk of macular degeneration and other age-related eye diseases. Kale offers an abundance of nutrients that support heart health, including potassium, fiber, folate, and calcium.

Yes, kale can become overcooked if left in the soup for too long. It is best to add kale towards the end of the cooking time to prevent it from becoming too wilted or losing its vibrant green color. Aim for a tender yet slightly crisp texture, as overcooked kale can turn mushy and affect the overall taste of your soup.

Kale is richer in Vitamin C, while spinach has more folate, vitamins A, and K. Though kale and spinach hail from entirely different plant families, they're often used interchangeably in recipes ranging from salads to soups to smoothies.

Massage Your Kale Leaves

Kale will benefit from some gentle kneading to soften its texture. A bit of oil can help to break down the fibrous membranes as well. Here's how: Wash the kale and remove the leaves from the stems. Tear the leaves into smaller pieces and rub them in your hands with olive oil and salt.

Tuscan Kale aka Lacinato Kale aka Dinosaur Kale

This is the kale we love to cook—and not cook—the most. It has a deeper color and is slightly thinner and more tender than curly kale, making it more versatile—it cooks more quickly and requires less massaging for use in raw preparations.

From the bumpy leaves of lacinato to the ruffled look of curly kale, all types of kale are excellent for soup. No matter what kale you're using, you will want to make sure it's washed well. Before you chop it up, remove the tough stems from the center of the leaves.

Both kale and spinach are incredibly nutritious! Raw kale is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, while cooked kale retains its vitamins and also becomes easier to digest.