Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a few cracks of fresh black pepper, and cook (stirring occasionally) until softened — about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary (or thyme), and basil and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.

Step 2

Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until the veggies are fork-tender and the flavors are well developed.

Step 3

Optional (skip this step if you prefer a chunkier soup): Use an immersion blender to purée the soup in short bursts, only puréeing part of the soup (mostly the beans) and leaving plenty of whole pieces of vegetables.

Step 4

Return the soup to a light simmer. Then add the kale, turn off the heat, and cover the pot for 5 minutes. Once the kale is softened, uncover the pot and stir in the vinegar and coconut milk (or cashew cream). Taste and adjust as needed, adding more red pepper flakes for heat, vinegar or tomato paste for richness, coconut milk for creaminess, or salt for overall flavor.

Step 5

Serve warm garnished with vegan parmesan cheese, thinly sliced basil, and croutons (all optional).

Step 6

Store cooled leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month. Thaw from frozen before reheating. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a saucepan or pot over medium heat (covered) until warmed through. Add more broth or water as needed to thin.