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High Protein White Bean Soup

High Protein White Bean Soup with an Italian-style broth simmered with cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, and a parmesan rind. Shredded chicken and kale cook until just tender, finished with pancetta, parmesan, olive oil, and lemon.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

cannellini beans
  • 2 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained
cooked chicken
  • 2 cup cooked chicken, shredded
pancetta or turkey bacon
  • 4 oz pancetta or turkey bacon, diced Use pancetta for classic flavor or turkey bacon for a lighter option.
kale
  • 4 cup kale, chopped
onion
  • 1 onion, diced
garlic
  • 4 garlic, minced
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 Provides a savory, deeper broth flavor—save rinds from Parmesan wedges.
olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil For serving, drizzle to finish.
parmesan
  • 0.25 cup parmesan For serving, grated.
lemon
  • 1 lemon For serving, cut into wedges.
salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt to taste
black pepper
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the pancetta and aromatics
  1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the pancetta until crispy, about 6-8 minutes; remove it to a plate, leaving the rendered fat behind.
  2. Sauté the onion in the fat for 4 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Simmer the bean broth
  1. Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, Italian seasoning, and the parmesan rind, then bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
  2. Remove the parmesan rind, then mash some of the beans in the pot with a spoon to thicken the soup; you should see the broth turn slightly creamy.
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 and the chicken is heated through.
  2. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then top each bowl with the pancetta, parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon.

Notes

Pro tip: for the thickest texture, mash beans right in the pot after simmering; keep some whole for body. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days—reheat gently on the stove. Freezing is yes (up to 3 months), though kale may soften further. For a dietary swap, use turkey bacon instead of pancetta to reduce saturated fat.