Brighid’s Bean Soup

Imbolc marks the beginning of spring and is the time we honor the multi-talented Brighid, Celtic Goddess of midwifery, smithery, poetry and healing arts. Lambs and goat kids are being born and little signs of spring are starting to show. Though it may still feel like winter there is promise of returning warmth in the air.

This is also the time when my coven sisters and I gather to renew our vows to our spiritual path, dressing in white and partaking in purification rituals before looking forward into the new year. We also incorporate our dedication to the Goddess by honoring Brighid and singing to her during our ritual.

Womb of Brighid

In silence, drinking from her well—transformation
While waiting we move gently toward transformation
Oh Brighid, gravid with our future transformation

There are many beautiful songs honoring Brighid and the Sabbat of Imbolc. Here’s a Spotify playlist for Imbolc that you can listen to while you make the recipe below.

After our Imbolc ritual, we enjoy a feast and bring foods that are white to share. I love to make my warm and creamy white bean and kale soup for this since it incorporates white and seasonally appropriate ingredients that keep well through the winter like dry beans, garlic and onions and carrots, as well as kale which is hardy enough to grow even in winter in most places if somewhat protected.

Brighid’s White Bean Kale Soup

• 1 1/2 cups of white beans, soaked over night or brought to a boil in enough water to cover by a few inches and then turned off to soak for a few hours and then drained and rinsed.
• 4 quarts of water or broth (either chicken or vegetable)
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon of thyme
• 2-6 cloves of garlic depending on how garlicky you like it
• 2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion
• 3 Carrots, find white ones if you can
• 6 cups of Kale, destemmed and chopped
• 2 light colored cooked sausages like chicken sausage if you’d like, sliced in half rounds
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste

Combine soaked and drained beans in 3 quarts of fresh water or broth (broth will make a much more flavorful soup), along with bay leaf, thyme and garlic cloves and either pressure cook for 8 minutes at pressure or 4 hours or so on high in a crock pot (longer if you want to leave it all day on low), or 2-2 1/2 hours simmered on the stove. Once beans are cooked blend half with an immersion blender or regular blender to add a creamy texture to your soup.

Heat butter or oil, add onions and carrots and saute on high until nicely caramelized on the edges. Add kale to the pan and wilt and then add all of the vegetables, remaining liquid and if desired the sausage to your beans and cook for an additional 30 minutes to an hour or until the kale is cooked to your liking. Add the yeast and salt and pepper and enjoy with a crusty bread and friends.

Blessed BE!

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