Black-Eyed Pea & Kale Soup With Cheesy Croutons

This is quick but phenomenal. I substituted spinach for kale and used a few handfuls of spinach. I also doubled the beans and skipped the croutons. Recipe courtesy of Spilling the Beans. Eat your lucky beans!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Croutons

• 1  garlic clove, crushed
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil or 1⁄4 cup canola oil
• 4 -6  slices  French bread (thick and crusty) or 4 -6  slices  Italian bread (thick and crusty)
• 1⁄4  c- 1/2 c grated parmesan cheese

• Soup

•  canola oil or  olive oil
• 1  onions or 1  leek, finely chopped
• 3 -4  garlic cloves (crushed or chopped)
• 14  ounces diced tomatoes or 14  ounces stewed tomatoes
• 3  cups  chicken stock or 3  cups  vegetable stock
• 2  cups black-eyed peas (19 oz can, rinsed and drained) or 2  cups white beans (19 oz can, rinsed and drained)
• 1  bunch kale (washed and thinly sliced, discard the ribs)
•  salt
•  pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. To make the croutons: Put the garlic clove into a small dish with the oil and let it sit for a few minutes to infuse the oil. Place the bread on a baking sheet and brush both sides with the infused oil. Bake for 10 minutes, until golden. Take the sheet out of the oven, flip the bread over, and sprinkle with cheese, then return the pan to the oven for a few minutes, until the cheese melts.
3. To make the soup: Heat a drizzle of oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onion for about 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes, stock, and beans and bring to a simmer.
4. Add the kale and stir and cook for a minute or two, until the kale wilts. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot, topping each bowl with a cheesy crouton.