Hearty White Bean Vegetable Soup

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This hearty, healthy soup is comforting on a chilly night. Serve with warm bread or rolls.

minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (medium, diced)
2 carrots (medium, diced)
2 celery ribs (diced)
1 leek (large, sliced into 1/2 ″ rings, washed well to remove any sand and drained in a colander)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1½ cups white beans (cooked, rinsed, one 15 ounce can or homemade from dry beans )))
28 ounce can diced tomatoes
6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken, or water)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cups diced butternut squash
4 kale leaves (ribs removed, roughly chopped)
salt
black pepper (freshly ground, to taste)

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onions starts to soften. Add the carrots, celery, and leeks. Continue cooking, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, being careful not to let it burn.
Next add the tomato paste and stir well. Let cook for 30 seconds then add beans, diced tomatoes, broth, thyme, and butternut squash. Add salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste. (It might not need much salt if the broth is salted.) Bring to a simmer and let cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
Add the chopped kale and let cook for another 5-10 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
Ladle into bowls and serve hot with warm rolls or bread on the side.