Butternut Squash, Kale and White Bean Soup uses seasonal ingredients to create a comforting 1-pot meal. Ready in just 40 minutes, this warming + nourishing soup will become an instant favorite.
This post is sponsored by Staub, who I’m incredibly excited to be partnering with this year. Staub Cast Iron cookware is the secret to serving impressive, restaurant-quality dishes through every season. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
January brings a renewed sense of optimism and vitality for the year around. It's the perfect opportunity to set new intentions, revisit goals and ambitions, and update your repertoire of recipes.
And, if you're also looking to increase your intake of veggies, this soul-soothing soup will leave you feeling victorious.
It’s a recipe I love for its wholesome ingredients and versatility.
A hearty blend of butternut squash, aromatics, greens, and beans will warm you from the inside out. Especially served with a little extra Parmesan and some warm bread for dunking.
To ensure the soup cooks evenly, I use my gorgeous grenadine Staub 7-qt Cast Iron Cocotte. Staub products have been staples in my kitchen for years, as their design and functionality is truly unrivaled.
Staub’s craftsmanship is committed to excellence, and their high-quality products are truly made to last a lifetime. And the ability of Staub cocottes to transfer from the stovetop to the dinner table makes them true cookware saviors.
How to Make Butternut Squash, Kale and White Bean Soup
All you need is 40 minutes + 1 pot to make this comforting soup.
Plus, it's freezer-friendly and makes for some of the BEST leftovers.
The Ingredients
- Butternut Squash: A golden jewel of winter produce, butternut squash is wonderfully sweet, nutty, and nutrient-dense. It pairs beautifully with the rustic flavors of this soup. You need 1 lb. of peeled and cubed squash, which amounts to one small squash.
- For convenience, you can also purchase the containers of peeled and pre-sliced squash.
- Kale: Packed with fiber and immune-supportive vitamins, kale helps create an impressive nutrition profile for this soup. If you're not a fan of kale, you can use chard, escarole, or even spinach instead.
- White Beans: For a one-two punch of protein and fiber, use any white bean you like or have on hand! For example, Great Northern Beans, navy beans, or chickpeas.
- Onion: You need one medium yellow onion, which you can swap for shallots or sweet onion.
- Garlic: I love to REALLY amp up the garlicky goodness of this soup with 5 cloves. You can certainly adjust this amount to your taste preferences.
- Broth: If making vegetarian, use vegetable broth. Otherwise, chicken broth also works great.
- Heavy Cream: To create a luxuriously creamy finish, just ½ cup of heavy cream does all the heavy lifting. Alternatively, you can use cashew cream or full-fat coconut milk.
- Smoked Paprika: A little smokiness balances the sweetness of the butternut squash.
- Cheese: Savory, salty Parmesan is sprinkled in at the end for richness.
- Herbs: I love using a rustic winter herb, such as rosemary or sage, combined with fresh thyme. This soup has a lovely herbaceous backbone, which relies on fresh over dried herbs.
The Directions
Step 1: Sauté Aromatics
Heat oil in a Staub 7-qt Cast Iron Cocotte over medium. Once hot, add onions and celery; cook 8 minutes, until soft.
Next, stir in garlic, chili flakes, butternut squash, and fresh thyme sprigs; cook 4 to 5 minutes, until aromatic.
Step 2: Simmer Soup
Add kale, white beans, broth, water, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; increase heat to bring soup to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the squash is tender, about 25 minutes. 
Step 3: Stir in Cream, Cheese, and Herbs
Remove thyme sprigs, and stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and rosemary or sage. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. 
Tools to Make this Soup
- Staub Cast Iron Cocotte: For an elegant transition from stovetop to table, I use my Staub 7-qt Cast Iron Cocotte. The cast iron possesses exceptional heat-retaining qualities, so the pot heats evenly throughout. Plus, the smooth enamel bottom works on all stovetops, including gas, electric, glass, ceramic, induction, and halogen.
- Chef’s Knife: A sharp chef’s knife will especially come in handy for cutting the butternut squash. I personally love my Zwilling Pro Le Blanc Chef’s Knife, which is a reliable, sturdy knife for all veggie chopping endeavors.
Serving Suggestions:
I love serving this soup with crusty bread for dunking. It also pairs well with many other light + flavorful dishes. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Salad: Try this Autumn Salad with Maple Vinaigrette, which is packed with good-for-you nutrients.
- Sandwich: You can't beat a soup + sandwich combo! Try this Chickpea Tuna Salad, which is delicious wrapped in a tortilla or made into a sandwich.
- Meatballs: Stick with the rustic theme and try these amazing Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs. These Chickpea Meatballs are also an easy option that come together in just 20 minutes.
How to Store and Reheat:
- To Store. Refrigerate leftover soup in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days. For leftovers with a longer lifespan, use the Zwilling Fresh & Save storage containers, which keeps food fresh up to five times longer.
- To Reheat. Gently reheat soup in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of broth or water as needed to thin the soup. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, stopping to stir every 30 seconds for more even heating.
- To Freeze. Soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze soup in an airtight freezer-safe storage container. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
More Vegetarian Soup Recipes to Try:
Tuscan Creamy Gnocchi Soup
Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
Nourishing Chickpea and Rice Soup
If you give this butternut squash, kale, and white bean soup a try, snap a pic and tag #dishingouthealth so I can see your beautiful creations. Also, follow along on Facebook and Pinterest for the latest recipe updates!
Butternut Squash, Kale, and White Bean Soup
Equipment
- 1 5 to 7-qt Dutch oven, cocotte, or stock pot
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp. chili flakes
- 1 lb. peeled and cubed butternut squash
- 8 thyme sprigs
- 1 (15-oz.) can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained (or chickpeas)
- 4 cups stemmed and roughly chopped lacinato kale
- 4 cups lower-sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- ¾ tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ⅓ cup heavy cream (sub cashew cream*)
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
- 1 to 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage leaves
- Toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium. Once hot, add onions and celery; cook 8 minutes, until soft.Stir in garlic, chili flakes, butternut squash, and thyme sprigs; cook 4 to 5 minutes, until aromatic.
- Add white beans, kale, broth, water, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; increase heat to bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until squash is tender.
- Remove thyme sprigs, and stir in heavy cream, Parmesan, and sage. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- To Store. Refrigerate leftover soup in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Gently reheat soup in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave, stopping to stir every 30 seconds for more even heating.
- To Freeze. Soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze soup in an airtight freezer-safe storage container. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Deanna
I'm eager to try this recipe, but am wondering if it's ok to use frozen butternut squash, and spinach instead of kale?
Nicole
This is seriously one of the BEST soups I’ve ever made!! The smoked paprika adds the perfect amount of spice. I will definitely come back to this recipe over and over.
Cindy
Easy and super delicious!! Thanks❤️
Becca
Absolutely awesome recipe. I needed to sub
Chickpeas for the beans and broccoli rabe for the kale
Based on what I had and it was soo good.
Jamie Vespa
Hi Becca - I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a review!
Ames
Delicious! It’s a great framework to make the stew your own (or clean out your fridge). Thank you!
I didn’t have butternut squash but I did have yellow bell peppers and a sweet potato. Added some chicken kielbasa for more protein, and coconut milk instead of cream because why not. Lol.
Jamie Vespa
Hi Ames - I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to come back and leave a review!
Deborah
Just made this and wow, it is delicious. I used the cashew cream and added about 1/2 can of extra beans. Terrific flavor, and healthy! Definitely one of my new go-tos.
Christine
Amazing. I needed to use up a few ingredients and thought I’d give this a whirl; blew me away! I added 1 lb of ground Turkey sausage because it was about to expire. What a pleasant surprise that I will now add to my soup rotation 🙂
megan
So flavorful!!! delicious! added 3/4 pound cooked ground pork for more protein since we aren’t vegan.
Laura
I appreciate your amazing recipes so much. I am making a grocery list and planning to make butternut squash sage soup soon. However, I will Not be making it in a Staub 'cocotte'. Three -hundred-dollar (or more) pots just are NOT in either my budget or my kitchen, which, sweet as it is, is just a very small galley kitchen. I used to find Instagram posts and recipie blogs to be inspiring, and I used to look forward to having time to read them. But lately I find that they can make me feel very discouraged and sad. I read them now with my guard up, careful not to Ever click on any 'suggested' product. I nearly stopped reading one of my favorite blogs over the summer,realizing that all the author has to do is write anything at all, and then slap on a 'click on' sentence - "I used This pasta sauce" , "I used These beans". That same author recently received a top of the line refrigerator for basically being an advertising platform. It feels dishonest. I felt betrayed. It would be great if Instagrammers and bloggers would take a look around BEFORE writing and posting things, and realize that NOT everyone has what they have. A three hundred dollar le creuset pot, in Williams sonoma blue, has been on my 'list' for YEARS. It just might stay there. My butternut squash will turn out just fine, I am certain, in my amazon basics stainless steel pot, which I bought last year after researching more expensive brands, but having to hold off because other necessities took priority. At the end of the day, it's NOT a 'cocotte'. It's just a pot.
Kathleen B
I also love the recipes on this website, but I'm aware that they are probably provided because of advertising links. I don't get discouraged or feel like it's dishonest, I'm just grateful for the delicious recipes. Why should this person not get paid? She provides wonderful, healthy dishes that are truly unique. I would feel guilty if she wasn't benefiting from this website. I didn't use a $300 pot for this soup and it was still great. That said, I'm happy with the detail about which pots and pans to use, as well as the specific details on ingredients.
Thanks again for the creative and yummy recipe, this soup was definitely a winner!
Katie
Laura, if you see this, please email me at [email protected]. I would love to send you a gift card for the pot on your "list". Le Creusets are certainly not necessary, but they are fun to cook with 🙂
As a side note, this recipe was delicious!
dianne
The PERFECT soup for a pre-maturely chilly early Fall evening. My one error was in having only half and half instead of heavy cream. The soup was excellent but I am betting it would have been even more delish with the cream. Next time, and I'm sure there will be a repeat of this recipe.
One of the best things about this blogger's site is that just reading the recipes makes me feel healthy 🙂 Such nutritious ingredients in every single recipe.
Mary
Really good soup! Will definitely make again.
Jamie Vespa
Hi Mary - I'm so glad it was a hit! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Marie-Pier
Such a great, comforting soup! I was sceptical of the kale for some reason but it was ended up amazing.
Jamie Vespa
I'm so glad you enjoyed this one, Mary-Pier! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Kyle
I love all of our Staub products. They have such amazing kitchen equipment.
There's really nothing like sitting on the couch with a hot bowl of soup and watching some TV with the family. It's even better when you have some nice, hearty food in the soup. This was just an overall awesome experience for me. It's even better when it's cold and snowing outside. 10/10 will be indulging in this again!