White Bean and Kale Salad (Printable version)

Creamy white beans and massaged kale with zesty lemon-garlic dressing, perfect for light lunches or sides.

# What You Need:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) white beans (cannellini or Great Northern), drained and rinsed
02 - 1 large bunch kale (approximately 6 cups), stems removed, leaves chopped
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
06 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
11 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.
02 - Place chopped kale in a large salad bowl. Pour half the dressing over the kale and massage with your hands for 1 to 2 minutes, until the leaves soften and darken.
03 - Add the white beans, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and seeds to the kale. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.
04 - Toss everything gently to combine. If using, sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The kale gets tender and almost sweet when you massage it with the dressing, transforming from tough to silky in just a minute or two.
  • It's filling enough to eat alone but humble enough to play supporting role at dinner without demanding the spotlight.
  • Everything comes together in twenty minutes, which means you can make this on a Wednesday night without any fuss.
02 -
  • Don't skip the kale massage—I learned this the hard way by making a salad that felt like chewing leaves, and it was only after that transformation moment that everything clicked into place.
  • The dressing needs to sit in the kale for at least a minute after massaging, and the whole salad actually gets better if you eat it within an hour rather than letting it sit overnight getting soggy.
03 -
  • Toast your own seeds instead of buying pre-toasted—the difference in flavor is worth the three minutes of attention, and your kitchen smells amazing in the process.
  • Make a double batch of dressing and keep it in a jar in your fridge for the next few days, it works on anything green and becomes even more delicious as the flavors meld together.
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