Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup finely diced onion
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 4 large carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 cups peeled & cubed butternut squash
• 12 cups vegetable broth
• 2 red potatoes, cubed
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 cups (or more) finely chopped kale leaves
• 1 (16 oz) can Great Northern beans, rinsed & drained

Directions:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the onion & garlic; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 min. Stir in the carrots & butternut squash; cook and stir until squash begins to brown, about 15 min.

2. Pour in the broth. Stir in the red potatoes, thyme, salt & pepper, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 45 min. Stir in the kale & Great Northern beans, simmer until the kale is tender, about 10 min.

3. Pour about 3 cups of the soup into a *blender, filling the pitcher mo more than halfway full (you may have to do this in two batches). Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Return the pureed portion of the soup to the soup pot, leaving the remaining soup chunky.

*Alternately, you can use a stick blender and partially puree the soup right in the cooking pot.