Ingredients

The following ingredients have 5 Servings
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter (or olive oil)
  • 1 large white onion, diced
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
  • 2 28-ounce cans diced fire roasted tomatoes*
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 15-ounce cans white beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried fennel seed, crushed with fingers, divided
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 2 bunches Tuscan kale (or 1 large bunch curly kale), chopped
  • Shredded Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese for serving, optional

Instruction

  • Prepare the onion and carrot as noted above.
  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter (or all olive oil) over medium high heat. Add the onion and carrots and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until tender.
  • Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth and beans. Bring to a steady simmer, then add 1 teaspoon of the fennel seed, along with the dried oregano, smoked paprika and kosher salt. Simmer 12 minutes. (Meanwhile, chop the kale.)
  • Add the kale and simmer additional 2 to 3 minutes until the kale is tender. Add the additional 1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seed. Taste a cooled spoonful and add up to 1/2 teaspoon additional kosher salt (depending on the salt level of your broth and beans), until the flavor pops.
  • Serve immediately with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese. Store refrigerated for 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.