This broccoli rabe soup is comforting, hearty, and full of flavor! Made with potatoes and white beans in a garlicky broth, a big bowl of this makes a delicious meal on a chilly day! This delicious soup is also 100% vegan and gluten-free.
Soups are one of my favorite ways to enjoy my greens. That's probably why I have so many soup recipes centered around greens, like my escarole soup, my Tuscan kale soup, and my Swiss chard soup.
In a way, it's surprising though that until today I hadn't featured one of my favorite greens in a soup: broccoli rabe. It's also not that surprising because broccoli rabe isn't a green I normally think of as a soup green. I've never seen it featured in a soup, and for the most part I enjoy it sautéed with garlic alongside pasta.
But it's actually an excellent star ingredient for soup. If you love the flavor of broccoli rabe, just imagine enjoying a piping hot bowl of broth and veggies that's totally infused with it's pungent flavor. That's exactly what we'll be making today, and the best part it that this vibrant soup is not only delicious, but also really easy.
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Ingredients You'll Need
- Olive oil. Another high heat oil can be substituted if absolutely necessary, but I recommend olive oil for the best flavor.
- Onion.
- Carrots.
- Garlic.
- White wine. Use a dry variety like chardonnay or sauvignon blanc, and make sure to search for the variety and brand you choose in Barnivore to ensure that it's vegan (not all wine is!).
- Vegetable broth.
- Broccoli rabe. This is the main ingredient of our soup. Most supermarkets carry it in the produce aisle, near the other leafy greens or cruciferous veggies. It also goes by the name rapini.
- Potato. The recipe calls for a russet potato, but red or gold potatoes will also work.
- Cannellini beans. We're using canned cannellini beans to make life easy. Chickpeas or butter beans will also work.
- Red pepper flakes. These will add a mild kick to your soup. Feel free to leave it out if you prefer.
- Tomato paste. A couple of tablespoons of this will help to deepen the flavor of your soup.
- Lemon juice.
- Lemon zest.
- Salt and pepper.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Begin by heating your olive oil in a large pot. Once it's hot, add diced carrot and onion. Sauté the mixture for about five minutes, until the veggies start to soften.
Add minced garlic to the pot and sauté it briefly with the carrots and onions. Stir it constantly to prevent it from burning.
Add your white wine to the pot and bring it to a simmer. Let it cook for a few minutes, until it reduces in volume by about half.
Now add the broth, chopped broccoli rabe, diced potato, cannellini beans, and red pepper flakes.
Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer until the potato is tender, which should take about 15 minutes.
Take the pot off of heat and stir in the tomato paste, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Season the soup with some salt and pepper to taste.
Your broccoli rabe soup is ready to serve! I like to top mine with some vegan Parmesan cheese and enjoy it with a big piece of crusty bread.
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover broccoli rabe soup will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days.
More Soup Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Broccoli Rabe Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe, stems removed, leaves and flowers chopped (Note 1)
- 1 russet potato, scrubbed and diced (½ inch)
- 1 (15.5 ounce/439 gram) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- Pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Coat the bottom of a large pot with the oil and place it over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the onion and carrots. Sweat the veggies for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften.
- Add the garlic and sauté it for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until it becomes very fragrant.
- Add the wine and bring it to a simmer. Let it continue to simmer until reduced by about half, which should take about four minutes.
- Stir in the broth, broccoli rabe, potato, beans, and red pepper flakes. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil.
- Lower the heat and let the soup simmer until the potato is tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pot from heat and stir in the tomato paste, lemon juice and lemon zest (Note 2). Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and serve.
Notes
- It's not necessary to remove every bit of stem. Just try to get the thicker pieces.
- Take care to ensure that the tomato paste dissolves completely. You may want to ladle some of the broth into a small cup, then stir in the paste and add the mixture to the pot.
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This is a great recipe, thanks! PersonaI preference; I think I’ll try this with a less bitter green than broccoli rabe next time. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe, I love the combination of ingredients.
The printed directions do not mention when to add the wine. I added a can of chickpeas once this was done. I didn't feel 1 can of beans was enough with the amount of broth. Having both beans together adds good flavor and texture. I also made this without ever having tried broccoli rabe before. It's good! Feels very healthy. I love your recipes! Thank you for what you do.
Hardy soup with great flavor!
This soup is amazing! I made it yesterday and it is absolutely delicious. Broccoli rabe is one of my favorite vegetables but I never have seen it used in soup. It reminds me slightly of escarole soup that I have not had since going vegan. This will be made often!