This soup is an alpha-gal friendly version of my Tuscan Kale, Leek & White Bean Soup with Bacon, Parmigiano and Rustic Croutons — which is itself a riff on a classic Italian escarole and white bean soup. This type of soup features a generous amount of greens (and beans and croutons) in relation to the broth. The broth here gains background flavor from leeks, garlic, and shiitake mushrooms — and a deep earthiness from the Tuscan kale that simmers in it. Lemon juice perks up all the flavors, and rustic croutons add hearty texture. (Don’t skip the croutons — they are essential!)
Not hard to make, the soup is a great light supper and is best eaten on the day it’s made. The ingredients can be prepped a few hours ahead, and you can make and freeze the Rustic Croutons any time.
When you serve the soup, portion the kale and beans into four bowls and then evenly divide the remaining broth between the bowls (it will barely cover the beans and greens). Garnish each with some of the reserved shiitakes and an equal portion of croutons.
Serves 4
- 4 to 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cups sliced shiitake caps (about 6 ounces)
- 2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 3 tablespoons chopped oil-packed sundried tomatoes, well-drained
- 6 cups torn or roughly chopped stemmed Tuscan kale leaves (from about 1 large bunch)
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- One 15.5-ounce can of white beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups (or as many as you like) Rustic Croutons
1. Put the leeks in a bowl of tepid water, swish around and let sit for 10 minutes or so or while you cook the shiitakes.
2. In a medium (4- to 5-quart) Dutch oven or other soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add the shiitakes, stir once and cook until browned and shrunken. For the first few minutes of cooking, don’t stir the shiitakes – they need some time to brown on the bottom side or they will stick when you try to move them. If the pan seems very dry, add 1 more tablespoon of oil. Transfer the shiitakes to a paper-towel lined plate. Add 2 more tablespoons oil. Turn the heat to medium-low.
3. Lift the leeks out of the water and transfer them (some water still clinging to them) directly to the pot. (Take care — the water will spatter.) Season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Return the heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are softened, about 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring frequently until the leeks are very soft, shrunken, browned in places and beginning to leave browned bits on the bottom of the pan, about another 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and the sundried tomatoes, stir, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return 2/3 of the shiitakes back to the pot and reserve the rest for garnish. Add the kale and season with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Stir the kale as it begins to wilt, mixing it well with the contents of the pot.
5. When the kale is mostly wilted, add the chicken broth and 1 cup water, stir well, bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer. Cover and cook until the greens are tender, about 8 minutes. Uncover, add the beans, and simmer for 2 more minutes.
6. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice, stir, and remove the pan from the heat. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice if needed.
7. Ladle the soup into four soup bowls. Top each with some of the shiitakes and a generous portion of croutons. Serve right away.