Place all ingredients except bread and cheese into the inner liner of your Instant Pot. Cook on High pressure for 30 minutes and then allow the pot to sit undisturbed for 15 minutes and then release all remaining pressure.
Turn the pot on Sauté. Using the back of a spoon, roughly mash a few of the beans and vegetables to thicken the soup.
Once the broth is boiling, add the bread cubes and allow the soup to cook for an additional 5 minutes until the bread is completely soft. Add more water if needed to create a relatively thick stew.
Ladle into serving bowls, sprinkle cheese on top and serve.
FOR THE SLOW COOKER
Soak the beans in cold water overnight.
Place all ingredients, plus an additional 1-2 cups of water, except bread and cheese into the slow cooker.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Using the back of a spoon, roughly mash a few of the beans and vegetables to thicken the soup.
Add the bread cubes and allow the soup to cook for an additional 5 minutes until the bread is completely soft. Add more water if needed to create a relatively thick stew.
FOR THE STOVETOP
Substitute 2 cans of beans, instead of using dry beans for the stovetop version.
Place all ingredients, plus an additional 1-2 cups of water, except bread and cheese into a large soup pot.
Cook on medium-high heat for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through.
Using the back of a spoon, roughly mash a few of the beans and vegetables to thicken the soup.
Add the bread cubes and allow the soup to cook for an additional 5 minutes until the bread is completely soft. Add more water if needed to create a relatively thick stew.
You can substitute frozen spinach to replace the frozen kale if you prefer.
If you want to make this recipe dairy-free, simple omit the added cheese when serving.
Remember to use canned beans for the stove top version, or they soup won't cook properly.