Looking for an easy lunch or light dinner recipe? This fragrant vegan sesame white beans and kale recipe is almost effortless to whip up, and it tastes delicious on a cold day.

A fragrant kale and white bean soup is perfect for a cold day.

Whether you need a quick little lunch or a light dinner, this ginger-sesame white bean and kale soup is the right choice. It’s easy to make, and you only need a few ingredients. It’s also the type of soup you can modify endlessly depending on your preferences or what you have on hand.

How to make this vegan sesame white beans and kale recipe

This is one of those easy recipes you want to keep in your back pocket for days when you just don’t feel like cooking.

What you need

Aromatics: I use ginger and scallions as the aromatic base of the soup. You could add minced garlic. No scallions? Replace with a regular old onion, or use a sliced leek instead.
Spices and seasonings: I use sesame oil, chili oil, and shichimi togarashi to flavor the soup. If you don’t have shichimi togarashi, use a few shakes of crushed red pepper.
Butter beans: I use big butter beans; I love how creamy they are! You can use any white bean, such as cannellini, navy, or great northern beans. It would also be delicious with chickpeas!
Kale: I use chopped kale for this soup, but you could use cabbage, baby spinach, or chopped bok choy. If using spinach, add it in at the very end.
Grated carrots: I added a handful of grated carrots, but you could boost the veggies in several ways. Try it with frozen, shelled edamame, broccoli florets, sugar snap peas, or diced bell peppers. Small-diced sweet potatoes would be amazing in this!
Tahini: I love tahini as a way to add richness to soups!
Garnishes: I finish the soup with crispy shallots, sesame seeds, and more sesame oil. You could add a drizzle of chili oil or finish it with your favorite furikake seasoning.

How to make it

The best part about this recipe? It comes together SO fast.

Step 1: Sauté the scallion whites and ginger.
Step 2: Add the sesame oil, beans, chili oil, and shichimi togarashi.
Step 3: Add the kale, water, and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 4: Taste and season the broth. Add half of the minced scallion greens. Scoop out a bit of the broth from the pot and add tahini. Whisk until smooth, and pour it back into the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes.

That’s it! From there, ladle the white beans and kale into bowls and garnish to your heart’s content! I love it with crispy shallots and sesame seeds on top for extra crunch.