This Slow Cooker White Bean and Kale Soup is one of my favorite slow cooker soups; and please don’t skip the shaved Parmesan!

PIN Slow Cooker White Bean and Kale Soup to try it later!

As much as I whine about the cold weather, you can tell I love cold-weather dishes, especially soup. Some of my favorite soups are the ones where I start with an idea and add things until it tastes good, but even when I have a recipe to start with like I did this time, I tend to improvise with most of the soups I make.

This Slow Cooker White Bean and Kale Soup can cook all day, and it was adapted from a recipe I saw in The Italian Slow Cooker (affiliate link), a book that’s loaded with good ideas. I increased the amount of stock (and might use even more next time), added some dried Italian herbs, and served the soup with shaved Parmesan Cheese instead of croutons, for a soup that was warm and filling, and loaded with flavor.

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If you use vegetable stock and skipped the Parmesan, this would be a tasty vegan slow cooker soup. If you’re not making a vegan version, this is the perfect soup to add some Parmesan rinds and let them melt into the soup while it cooks all day, and this will be a tasty meatless meal. (And I realize some vegetarians don’t eat Parmesan, so take your choice on that.)

What ingredients do you need?

• Olive Oil (affiliate link)
• onions
• Minced Garlic (affiliate link)
• Italian Herb Seasoning (affiliate link)
• can white bean beans (see note)
• canned petite diced tomatoes with liquid
• finely chopped kale
• vegetable stock or broth
• fresh sage leaves, or dried sage
• Parmesan rind to add flavor (optional)
• freshly shaved Parmesan, to garnish (optional)

What kind of white beans did I use?

I made this soup with Cannellini Beans (affiliate link), which are white kidney beans that are often used in Italian cuisine. Any type of white beans will be fine, but I do think the Cannellini Beans are extra flavorful in a soup like this.

What if you’re not a fan of Kale?

If you’re not a fan of the bitter assertive flavor of kale you can use other greens like collards, Swiss Chard, or Spinach in this soup.

What Slow Cooker size did I use?

I used my Crock-Pot 5-Quart Smart-Potfor this recipe.

Want more ideas for soup with beans?

If you’re a fan of soup with beans, you’ll want to check out Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Bean Soup Recipes on my Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker site!

How to Make Slow Cooker White Bean and Kale Soup:

(Scroll down for complete recipe, including nutritional information.)

1. I know some of you hate to have to pre-cook things for the slow cooker, but I promise that cooking the onions and garlic with the Italian Seasoning for a few minutes really does increase the flavor. 
2. I used the bowl attachment of my Immersion Blender (affiliate link) to coarsely puree the 2 cans of Cannellini beans, but after I wondered why I didn’t just puree them in the slow cooker with the immersion blender.  You can also use a blender or food processor.
3. Finely chop 8 oz. kale leaves and give them a wash in the salad spinner if you’re using garden kale.
4. Put the sauteed onion mixture, pureed beans, 1 can tomatoes with juice, stock or broth, chopped kale, and sage leaves into the slow cooker (with Parmesan rinds if using) and cook about 4 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
5. I used fresh sage leaves from my garden, but dried sage would also work.
6. The soup won’t win any beauty contests, but it was delicious!  
7. And I highly recommend serving with shaved Parmesan like I did!

More Ideas for Beans and Greens:

Slow Cooker Stew with Sausage, Beans, and Kale

Slow Cooker Bean Soup with Ham, Spinach, and Thyme

CrockPot Sausage, Beans, and Greens

Try This Next Keto Short Rib Chili

Slow Cooker Spicy Vegetarian Pinto Bean and Chard Burritos

Black-Eyed Pea Salad

Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped small
• 2 T minced garlic (or less if you’re not a garlic fan)
• 2 tsp. Italian Herb Seasoning (contains oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme and rosemary)
• two 15 oz. cans Cannellini beans (see notes)
• one 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes with juice
• 8 oz. finely chopped kale, washed if needed (see notes)
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 4 fresh sage leaves, or 1/2 tsp. dried rubbed sage
• Parmesan rind to add flavor (optional)
• freshly shaved Parmesan, to garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy frying pan; add the onions and cook 4-5 minutes or until they are just starting to brown.
2. Add the garlic and Italian Seasoning and cook 1-2 minutes more, being careful not to let the garlic brown.
3. Spray the slow cooker with non-stick spray; then put onions and garlic into the slow cooker.
4. While the onions are cooking use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the Cannellini beans with the juice, keeping them a little chunky if you prefer.  (If you’re using freshly-cooked beans I would add about 1/4 cup water.)
5. Finely chop the kale (cutting away thick center ribs if you have them) and wash kale in the salad spinner if you’re using garden kale.
6. Put the pureed beans, chopped kale, vegetable stock, canned tomatoes and juice, and sage leaves (or dried sage) into the slow cooker with the onion mixture.
7. Add one or two pieces of Parmesan rind if desired for extra flavor.
8. Cook 4 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
9. Serve the soup hot, with strips of Parmesan shaved over if desired.
10. This soup will keep for at least a week in the fridge, and it freezes well.

Notes

I used my Crock-Pot 5-Quart Smart-Pot for this recipe. You can cook the soup for 8-10 hours on low if you prefer.

You can use 4 cups cooked beans and a little water if you prefer. I used about 8 cups finely chopped kale.

Recipe adapted from The Italian Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 467Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 475mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 9gSugar: 7gProtein: 36g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Slow Cooker White Bean and Kale Soup is good for low-glycemic eating plans. Even though they are a low-glycemic ingredient, dried beans are a limited food for Phase One of the original South Beach Diet, but in a soup like this with lots of other ingredients you can have a normal serving, even for Phase One. This is too high in carbs for a low-carb diet plan.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Slow Cooker Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest or on Facebook to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

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Keto Short Rib Chili

Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.

There’s a definite chill in the air. Can you feel it? Well, maybe not in some parts of the country, but here in the Pacific Northwest, autumn is on its way, if not already here.

The best part of fall is the comfort food and there is no food more comforting than this short rib chili. Well, maybe my Shrimp and Bacon Chowder. Or perhaps my keto Cream of Mushroom Soup. And my Buffalo Chicken Soup is also pretty darn spectacular.

But this keto chili recipe definitely makes the short list.

Chili is and always has been one of my favorite foods, because even not very good chili is pretty darn comforting when you’re cold and hungry. How can you go wrong with meat cooked slowly in rich spices and a thick tomato broth? You can’t, that’s all. You can’t go wrong.

And the crazy part is that while I make chili all. the. time, I don’t actually have a good keto chili recipe here on All Day I Dream About Food. Until now, that is.

What makes the best keto chili?

Well, what really makes good chili is a matter of opinion and taste. And probably a few feuds as well. Everyone has their own take on the best way to make chili.

In my experience, a slow simmered chili recipe is best, as it allows the flavors to develop and intensify over time. So don’t be fooled by promises of “fast and easy”. Good chili is usually easy to make but it takes time to cook.

Keto chili should be devoid of any higher carb items like beans, though. That goes almost without saying, because beans are high in carbs and many consider them inflammatory. Onion needs to be kept to a minimum as well, since it’s surprisingly high carb.

Tomato sauce, paste, and puree can also send the carb count up if used too liberally. I like to keep my chili to less than 5g total carbs per serving, so I use a single can of diced tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes help bring out the best flavor.

But the focus of a good keto chili recipe should always be the meat and the spices. Use beef with a high percentage of fat for a satisfying meal, and be generous with the chili, cumin, and garlic.

Can you make keto chili ahead of time?

I find myself wanting to answer this question with a smart ass comment like “Is the pope Catholic?”. Because chili is perhaps the best make ahead meal on the planet.

It’s one of those dishes that seems to actually get better when it’s eaten the next day or even a few days later. And one of the benefits of keto chili is that there are no beans to get mushy as they sit and soften. So it’s just as good or better than the day you made it.

So go ahead and make a huge pot of this short rib chili. This particular recipe serves 10 people. Let it cool to room temperature and then split it up however you see fit. You can do individual servings, or portion it out for your family size.

The chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. We froze our leftovers back in May and I just fed my family the second portion about a month ago!

Because it contains acidic ingredients like tomatoes, I recommend storing in glass containers if you have them. If not, good BPA-Free tupperware works too.

Tips for making Short Rib Chili

Short ribs are ideal for comfort food dishes like this, because they are fatty and rich, and become incredibly tender with slow braising.

Always brown the ribs first: This step adds 10 minutes or so, but it’s worth it. Browning the meat in lard or oil helps bring out the best flavor, before the liquids are added. Otherwise, you are essentially just eating stewed meat. Transfer the ribs to a plate while making the rest of the chili.

Sweat the onions and other veggies: While I do keep the onion to a minimum, it definitely helps add flavor. So add the onion and green pepper to the pot and sauté in the oils and fats with a little bit of salt. This will help them release their juices and flavor.

Add the spices into the hot oil: Before adding any liquids into the pot, you want to briefly sauté the garlic, jalapeño, and spices in the hot oil. This enhances and intensifies the flavor.

Adjust the heat to your liking: My husband and I like our chili pretty spicy but our kids have more tender palates. So we keep the heat at a medium level. I always add the seeds from the jalapeño but you can leave them out if you want less spice. You can also leave out the cayenne. Or you can add more jalapeño and cayenne too.

Now add the liquids and the meat: Once the spices and garlic are fragrant, stir in the diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer before adding the meat.

Slow braise in the oven: You’re looking at a good two to three hours of cooking, but this time is completely inactive. You can be doing lots of other things during this time. Slow braising makes the meat from the short ribs fall off the bone and shred more easily.

Doesn’t this keto short rib chili sound like the perfect comfort food? 

Check out my Keto Soups & Stews cookbook for more delicious comfort food recipes.

Keto Short Rib Chili

Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.

Popular Recipe Cream of Asparagus Soup – Dairy Free Keto Recipe

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: keto chili, keto chili recipe, short rib chili

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 428kcal

Ingredients

• 3 lb bone in short ribs
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup bacon fat, lard, or other high-heat oil
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 large green pepper chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 medium jalapeno pepper minced (leave the seeds in for more heat)
• 2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
• ⅓ cup beef bone broth

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 300F and season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.

• In a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt the bacon fat or lard. Once hot, add half the short ribs and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and brown the remaining short ribs. Transfer to the plate.

• Add the onion and pepper to the pot, sprinkle with salt, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne, and cook another minute, until fragrant.

• Stir in the roasted tomatoes and bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add the short ribs back into the pot, cover and transfer to the oven.

• Cook 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender. Remove the ribs, shred the meat and return the meat to the pot. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with your favorite chili toppings.

Nutrition Facts

Keto Short Rib Chili

Amount Per Serving (1 serving = about 1 cup)

Calories 428
Calories from Fat 319

% Daily Value*

Fat 35.4g54%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1.2g5%

Protein 22.6g45%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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