A quick to pull-together cozy meal with rich flavor. This hearty and delicious White Bean Fennel Soup Recipe is so satisfying on its own with a thick slice of crusty Multigrain Sourdough Bread or top with Sourdough Croutons to make a cozy meal. This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: “Made this for lunch today and loved it, Traci! I never had fennel in soup before and really enjoyed it. I was able to eat two bowls (could not have stopped me lol)…” ~ Janice

White bean fennel soup with a slice of sourdough bread in a bowl.

Fennel Soup Highlights

There’s so much to love about this vegetarian and vegan fennel soup recipe. Rich and complex flavor comes from the simplest ingredients! Here’s why you’ll enjoy this recipe:

Simple to Make – a one pot meal with just eight basic ingredients.
Fresh Ingredients – a soup to feel good about eating.
Cook and Prep Time – this recipe can be on the table in just under 30 minutes.

For those on the fence about soup with fennel, this is a recipe I recommend starting with. Cooking truly transforms the flavor of fennel into a rich, sweet, and complex-tasting vegetable.

You’ll enjoy this flavorful white bean fennel soup if you love hearty and plant forward homemade soup recipes.

Ingredients for Kale, White Bean and Fennel Soup Recipe

Standout Ingredients

Fennel Bulb – look for fresh fennel with fronds attached. While the fronds will only be used for garnish in this soup, they’re quite tasty in green smoothies. Fennel adds texture and mild sweetness.
Kale – I like Lacinato or Dinosaur Kale in this recipe, but any kale will do. It adds texture, color and bulk. It’s mild in flavor too.

Vegetable Broth – a good veggie broth is key here. My preferred brand is Better than Bouillon, reduced sodium. It a broth concentrate that’s flavorful, economical and the jar can be recycled!
Cannellini Beans – add bulk, creamy texture and earthy flavor. Use cooked white beans (aka white kidney beans), home cooked or canned.

If you’re a fennel fan, you’re going to love my Roasted Fennel Mushroom Gratin!

A series of four images of chopping veggies preparing for the white bean and fennel soup recipe.

At a Glance: How to Make Vegan White Bean and Fennel Soup

Get out your Dutch oven or large pot and wooden spoon. We’re making a rich and tasty soup with fennel!

First, dice the onion and fennel and saute’ in a bit of olive oil.
Second, destem, chop and wash the kale, then add it to the soup pot along with minced garlic – I always add a little extra!
Next, pour in the veggie broth and cook the soup until it’s warmed through.
Last, remove from heat and stir in a squeeze of lemon juice.

Add plenty of fresh ground pepper and taste for salt. Ladle into soup bowls and share with lemon wedges and warm, crusty Sourdough Bread for sopping up all the delicious, infused broth.

Preparing a soup with fennel recipe in a Dutch oven. 1. sauted onions and fennel 2. Kale is added to the soup pot. 3. Broth being poured into the Dutch oven. 4. White beans are added to the white bean and fennel soup.

Good to Know

What Part of Fennel is Used for Soup?

For this soup recipe, we’re chopping the bulb, the white part of fennel and saving the fronds for garnish.

What Does Fennel Taste Like in Soup?

Cooking fennel softens its otherwise sharp, raw flavors. Since we’re sautéing the fennel, its flavor is transformed into sweet, buttery and complex. It’s quite nice.

Traci’s Tips

Make Ahead – this is this kind of soup that’s perfect for the work week. Its flavor improves with a little time.
Variation – I adapted this soup with fennel recipe from BonAppetit Magazine where they use Mustard Greens in lieu of Kale. When I can find Mustard Greens, I use them in this recipe. They are delicious! But, they can be hard to find.
Garlic and Lemon – if you love these two together, you can get away with adding more in this recipe.

22 comments

5 from 11 votes (7 ratings without comment)