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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 1/2 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
- 1/2 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
- 3/4 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (sub cashew cream*)
- 1/3 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.
Nutrition
I calculate these values by hand to ensure accuracy, however expect up to a 10% variable depending on food brands.
This soup is my new obsession! Absolutely delicious 😍
This is divine ! So easy. Incredibly tasty and very healthy. Thank you for sharing 🙏💜
This is really, REALLY good. I made it for my lunches for the week, and each day I’d think, “Wow this is so good!” Back to make it a second time this month. The only thing I am changing this round is to wait for the last 10 minutes to add the beans. The first time the beans had disintegrated into mush by the end, which maybe was intentional for the texture.
My husband and I liked this recipe-such a great way to get our veggies. This was the first time that I’ve cooked butternut squash, and the recipe was simple with few dishes. I subbed collard greens for the kale, as they were less expensive. Also, to save some calories, I used 1% milk and cornstarch, instead of half and half. Thanks for the recipe; we will be eating this again.
Insanely good!
I’ve been trying to get more veggies in my diet. This recipe was absolutely perfect. There was the sweetness from the squash, smokiness from the paprika, spice from the red peppers, and some savory with the parm and garlic. Delicious. I did add more salt and chicken broth base at the end. But it was incredible. My husband, who’s not that into vegetables, loved it as well. Thank you!
Delish! I used a bit more onion, a little less cream, and some carrots to make up for the sweetness that was lacking in my home-grown, underripe squash. Yummers!
This is the third time I have made this soup now. I’ve made it once with heavy cream and once with coconut milk—both have been delicious. I do use seasoned chicken bouillon with just a little added salt, and I think it has given a big flavor boost. My whole family devours this! It’s a brilliant recipe and a definite keeper.
I’ve made this soup two times now, and both times it was a WINNER! I used turkey broth both times. The second time I sauteed the onion, garlic, and celery then decided to throw it into a crockpock. It worked! A few hours later, I had amazing soup! In the crockpot the night before I threw in water, salt, and a turkey leg. This morning I added the ingredients (as I mentioned, some were sauteed) and let the crockpot do its job. It’s 2:30 pm and I just enjoyed a perfect soup! This time less parm (see my earlier comment) and it did not overpower the soup. So happy to have this as it is exactly 2 degrees outside here in Wisco!
Hey there! Glad you enjoyed this recipe and were able to modify it in a way that suits you. Stay warm.
Do you think it would be ok in the crockpot on high for 4 hours, or would it be better on low?