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High Protein White Bean Soup

High Protein White Bean Soup with a hearty Italian-American broth, tender cannellini beans, shredded chicken, and wilted kale. Simmered with a parmesan rind for deep flavor, then thickened by mashing some beans.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

cannellini beans
  • 2 can (15 oz) cannellini beans drained
shredded chicken
  • 2 cup cooked chicken, shredded
pancetta
  • 4 oz pancetta or turkey bacon, diced
kale
  • 4 cup kale, chopped
onion
  • 1 onion, diced
garlic
  • 4 garlic, minced cloves
chicken broth
  • 6 cup chicken broth
diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
red pepper flakes
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
parmesan rind
  • 1 parmesan rind
olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for serving
parmesan
  • 0.25 cup parmesan for serving
lemon
  • 0.5 lemon for serving
salt
  • 1 tsp salt to taste
black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook pancetta
  1. In a Dutch oven, cook the pancetta (or turkey bacon) over medium heat until crispy, about 6-8 minutes, then remove and set aside.
Build the base
  1. Sauté the diced onion in the rendered fat over medium heat for 4 minutes until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.
Simmer the soup
  1. Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, drained cannellini beans, Italian seasoning, and the parmesan rind; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
  2. Simmer for 20 minutes, keeping the soup at a steady bubble and stirring occasionally.
  3. Remove the parmesan rind and mash some of the beans in the pot to thicken the broth.
Finish with chicken and kale
  1. Stir in the shredded chicken and chopped kale, then simmer for 5-7 minutes until the kale is wilted.
  2. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Serve
  1. Top each bowl with the crispy pancetta, parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and lemon for serving.

Notes

For the thick, spoon-coating texture, mash the beans right after removing the parmesan rind—use the back of a spoon or potato masher. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is OK for up to 2 months, but kale may soften further when thawed. For a lower-fat option, use turkey bacon and keep the olive oil drizzle light.