Escarole and White Bean Soup Recipe (2024)

Published: Jan 26, 2024 by Megan Calipari · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

87 Shares

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Escarole and White Bean Soup recipe is a cozy Italian classic that is filled with nourishing ingredients and plant-based protein from cannellini beans! Its simple to make and only requires 9 ingredients!

Soups and stews are the perfect one-pot meal. They're so easy and delicious! And I've been making a lot of them lately. From Black Bean Butternut Squash Soup to Vegan Barley Vegetable Soup they are all simple and make dinner a breeze!

And, today I'm adding to my list of soup recipe and sharing my Escarole and White Bean Soup. It has been one if my favorite Italian recipes for as long as I can remember!

Jump to:

Why You Will Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
Can You Substitute Escarole?
Step-by-Step Instructions
What to Serve the Soup With
Recipe FAQs
Expert Recipes Tips
Looking for More Italian Recipes?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This soup has long been one of my favorites and I know you will love it to. Here is why:

This recipe only requires 9 simple ingredients.
It makes a big batch, so its great for meal prepping.
The soup freezes well.
This recipe is full of vegetables and plant-based protein from white beans.
And its easy to make!

Ingredient Notes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like to use a good extra virgin olive oil in the soup. And I drizzle some onto the finished soup, too.

Vegetables: The classic mirepoix vegetables go into this soup recipe: onion, celery and carrot.

Vegetable Stock: I like to use Better Than Boullion. I think it has the best flavor.

White Beans: I used cannellini beans in this escarole soup but you can also use navy beans, or northern beans.

Escarole: Escarole is a bitter green that looks like a head of lettuce. Be sure to wash it thoroughly as it usually has dirt between the leaves!

Can You Substitute Escarole?

If you can't find escarole, I think the best substitute for this soup recipe is kale.

Kale has a heartier texture, so chop it more finely than you would chop escarole.

I don't recommend spinach for this Vegan Escarole and Bean Soup.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1. Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes.

Step 2. Then, add minced garlic, red pepper flake and black pepper. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

Step 3. Next, add the vegetable stock and white beans. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

Step 4. Finally, add the chopped escarole. It will look like a lot, but it wilts down! Cook for another 5 minutes or until the escarole has wilted. Serve!

What to Serve the Soup With

This Escarole and Cannellini Bean Soup is a complete meal in one-pot, but I like to serve it with Vegan Garlic Bread or Vegan Parker House Dinner Rolls.

Recipe FAQs

How should I store this Escarole and White Bean Soup recipe?

Transfer the soup into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to a month.

How do you cut escarole for soup?

Remove the leaves from the escarole to thoroughly wash it. Then, stack the leaves and slice crosswise into 1 inch strips.

What is the best substitute for escarole?

My favorite substitute is kale. It is not exactly the same, but it will hold up in this soup better than spinach!

Expert Recipes Tips

Be sure to wash the escarole thoroughly! There is often a lot of dirt between the leaves near the base.

I like to remove the leaves and put them into a salad spinner to wash them.

Looking for More Italian Recipes?

Vegan Garlic Knots
Easy Vegan Sausage Pasta with Broccolini
Tuscan Cannellini Bean Salad
Tahini Pasta with Kale

If you tried this Escarole and White Bean Soup recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!

📖 Recipe

Escarole and White Bean Soup

Megan Calipari

This Escarole and White Bean Soup recipe is a cozy Italian classic that is filled with nourishing ingredients and plant-based protein from cannellini beans!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Equipment

▢
1 4 Quart Dutch Oven or Large Soup Pot
▢
1 Cutting Board
▢
1 Knife
▢
1 Wooden Spoon
▢
Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients

▢ 2 tablespoon Olive Oil plus more for serving
▢ 1 Medium Yellow Onion, small dice
▢ 2 Ribs Celery, small dice
▢ 2 Medium Carrots, peeled and small dice
▢ 3 Large Cloves of Garlic, minced
▢ ¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
▢ 4 Cups Low-Sodium Vegetable Stock I used Better Than Boullion
▢ 2 15 oz Cans White Beans, drained and rinsed I used cannellini, but navy or northern beans will work too
▢ 8 Ounces Escarole, thoroughly washed and roughly chopped See note
▢ Salt and Black Pepper to Taste

Instructions

In a large dutch oven or pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent. About 5-7 minutes.
2 tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 Medium Yellow Onion, small dice, 2 Ribs Celery, small dice, 2 Medium Carrots, peeled and small dice
Add garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and some black pepper to the pot and cook for 1 minute.
3 Large Cloves of Garlic, minced, ¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Add vegetable stock and drained and rinsed white beans and stir. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the all the vegetables are soft.
4 Cups Low-Sodium Vegetable Stock, 2 15 oz Cans White Beans, drained and rinsed
Add escarole to the pot a couple handfuls at a time, stirring to push the greens down. It will look like a lot, but it will wilt a lot.
8 Ounces Escarole, thoroughly washed and roughly chopped
Simmer for 3-5 minutes more, or until the escarole has wilted and cooked through.
Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a big hunk of crusty bread.
Salt and Black Pepper to Taste

Notes

Be sure to wash the escarole thoroughly. There is often a lot of dirt between the leaves.

8 ounces of escarole is about 8 cups of chopped escarole, lightly packed.

If you are going to use kale in place of escarole, chop it smaller as it is more hearty than escarole.

To store: Scoop the soup into containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Or freeze for up to a month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1CupCalories: 157kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 7gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 182mgPotassium: 273mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 3822IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!