Name: Instant Pot White Bean and Kale Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 small yellow onion (minced); 2 stalks celery (diced); 2 medium carrots (peeled and diced); ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon oregano; 2 cloves garlic (minced); ¼ cup dry white wine (*or additional broth); 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth; 2 (15oz) cans great northern beans (rinsed and drained); 1 bay leaf; 3 cups packed chopped lacinato kale (about 1 bunch); 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (diced into 1-inch chunks, about 3 cups)

Reasons to Love This White Bean and Kale Soup

Instant Flavor. This soup tastes as though it has been simmered for hours, yet comes together in just over 40 minutes, including prep time and the time it takes to come to pressure and pressure to release.

Humble Ingredients. White beans, kale, potatoes, and broth are simple, inexpensive ingredients, yet when they are combined with aromatics and spices, this White Bean and Kale Soup is not lacking anything in terms of flavor.

Nourishing and Wholesome. Instant Pot White Bean and Kale Soup is low in fat and calories, yet packs in fiber from the beans and greens and nutrients to boot.

Allergy-Friendly. As written this soup recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free, and vegan-friendly.

Notes on Ingredients and Equipment

Ingredients for White Bean and Kale Soup labeled on counter.

Aromatics: To start this soup, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic are sauteed in a bit of olive oil to build the base layer of flavor. Use a yellow or white onion for best results. And feel free to omit the celery or carrots if you don't care for either or don't have them on hand.

White Wine: While an optional ingredient, dry white wine helps the flavors to pop and make this soup taste divine. Use a dry white wine worthy of drinking, such as a Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio.

White Beans: Use cannellini or great northern beans.

Kale: Any hearty, leafy dark green like kale, escarole, or chard will work. Just be sure to remove the thick stems and tear the leaves into 1-inch pieces so that they wilt into the soup and are easy to eat.

Broth: Use either low-sodium vegetable broth or low-sodium chicken stock.

Potatoes: Adding potatoes to this white bean soup helps to make it more filling and heartier. I recommend Yukon gold potatoes for the best flavor and texture but feel free to use red potatoes or peeled russet potatoes.

Seasonings: This white bean and kale soup is seasoned simply with dried oregano, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Instant Pot: This recipe works as written in a 6-quart or 8-quart pressure cooker. It can be doubled if using an 8-quart Instant Pot and needs to be cut in half to work in a 3-quart Instant Pot. This soup recipe can also be cut in half if using a 6 or 8-quart model.

Recipe Modifications

No Wine? If you don't have white wine on hand or don't care to cook with alcohol, use additional broth in its place. I would also recommend finishing the soup with 1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice to help the flavors pop.
Adjust Spiciness: Decrease, omit, or increase the crushed red pepper flakes according to the level of heat desired.
Use Dried Beans: In place of canned white beans, prepare 1 cup of dried cannellini or great northern beans using my recipe for Instant Pot dried beans. After preparing the beans, proceed with the recipe as written, keeping in mind you may want to add additional salt to season the soup.

∗ Tips for Making Instant Pot White Bean and Kale Soup ∗

While this is an incredibly simple recipe, if you are unfamiliar with cooking in an Instant Pot or the functions of your Instant Pot, be sure to start with How to Use an Instant Pot for the best results on this and future recipes. You will find the full recipe in detail in the recipe card below.

Saute the aromatics. Rather than simply dumping the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and dried herbs into the pressure cooker along with the other ingredients, taking a few minutes to saute the onions, celery, and carrots with the garlic and spices will help develop the rich flavor in the soup.
Chop the greens. Be sure to remove the ribs from the kale and tear the leaves into 1-inch pieces to make sure they have the best texture for this soup and are bite-sized.
Let the pressure release naturally. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes, which will help keep the beans and potatoes intact as well as prevent hot liquid from spewing out of the Instant Pot.
Garnish as desired. If you aren't dairy-free, White Bean and Kale Soup are delicious topped with parmesan cheese.

White Bean and Kale Soup in instant pot after pressure cooking.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Refrigerate: Allow the Kale and White Bean Soup to cool fully and then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Cool the soup fully, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container, being sure to leave 1-inch room for expansion, for up to 3 months.

Reheat: If your soup is frozen, defrost overnight in the refrigerator. If reheating several servings at once, pressure cook for 0 minutes on high pressure, or simmer over low heat on the stove. Alternatively, reheat individual bowls of Instant Pot White Bean and Kale soup in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave for 60-second intervals until heated through.

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