Description
This creamy butter bean, kale & lasagne soup is a comforting and hearty dish, perfect for chilly days. Featuring smoked pancetta for a rich depth of flavor, tender kale, velvety butter beans, and broken lasagne sheets, this soup is both filling and delicious. Enriched with a parmesan and egg yolk mixture, it delivers a silky texture and a bright finish with fresh lemon zest and juice, complemented by optional chilli flakes for a subtle heat. Serve with crusty bread for the perfect meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 150g smoked pancetta or guanciale
- 1 onion, halved and sliced
- 5 thyme sprigs
- 150g kale, stalks finely chopped and leaves torn into pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 x 400g cans butter beans
- 1 chicken or vegetable stock cube
- 800ml water
- 30g parmesan, grated, plus a little extra to serve, and the rind
- 4 dried lasagne sheets
- 3 egg yolks (freeze the whites for another recipe)
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
- Crusty bread, to serve
Instructions
- Cook pancetta and aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the smoked pancetta and sizzle for a few minutes until it’s crisp in places. Stir in the sliced onion and thyme sprigs, cooking for 8-10 minutes until the onion softens and begins to caramelize.
- Add kale stalks and garlic: Incorporate the chopped kale stalks and crushed garlic cloves into the pan. Stir for about a minute to release their aromas.
- Add beans, stock, and pasta: Add the butter beans with their liquid, crumble in the chicken or vegetable stock cube, pour in 800ml of water, and add the parmesan rind. Break the dried lasagne sheets into smaller pieces and add them to the saucepan. Season well with salt and pepper. Stir everything together and cover the pan with a lid.
- Simmer the soup: Cook over low heat for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking together, until the pasta starts to soften but still has a slight bite.
- Prepare the egg yolk mixture: While the pasta cooks, whisk together the 3 egg yolks and 30g grated parmesan in a separate bowl until smooth and combined.
- Add kale leaves and finish cooking: Add the torn kale leaves to the soup, adding a splash of water if the soup seems too thick; it should have a soupy consistency. Cook for another 5 minutes until the kale is tender and the pasta is fully cooked.
- Enrich the soup and add lemon: Lower the heat to very low. Slowly stir in the egg yolk and parmesan mixture, along with the lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir constantly to prevent curdling—this will thicken the soup and give it a creamy, rich texture.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, topping each with extra grated parmesan, a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil, and an optional pinch of chilli flakes or a twist of freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping.
Notes
- Freeze the leftover egg whites for use in meringues or omelets to avoid waste.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute pancetta with smoked paprika or smoked tofu and use vegetable stock.
- Adjust chilli flakes according to your preference for heat or omit if you prefer a milder flavor.
- The parmesan rind adds depth to the soup but can be omitted if unavailable.
- Stir frequently when adding the egg yolk mixture to avoid curdling and ensure a silky texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: butter bean soup, kale soup, creamy soup, Italian soup, pancetta recipe, lasagne soup, comforting soup, easy soup recipe
