1- Sauté the finely chopped onion in a large pot with olive oil until it begins to brown slightly.

2- Add garlic, celery, and carrot; continue to sauté for about 10 minutes until the vegetables soften and brown.

3- Pour in white wine and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes.

4- Stir in the remaining ingredients except kale, starting with 2 1/2 cups broth, and mix well; this includes the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, tomato paste, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes if using, dried thyme, dried oregano, and bay leaves.

5- Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low; simmer for 15 minutes.

6- Remove bay leaves; transfer 2 1/2 to 3 cups of soup to a blender and blend until smooth.

7- Return the blended soup to the pot; add more broth as needed to achieve your desired consistency, aiming for 3 to 4 cups if you prefer it thinner.

8- Add chopped kale and simmer until it wilts, which takes just a few minutes.

9- Adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and optionally a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavors.

10- Serve warm, ideally with rustic bread for dipping to soak up every bit of goodness.