White Bean and Kale Salad (Printable Version)

Hearty Mediterranean salad with creamy white beans, crisp kale, and bright lemon-garlic dressing.

# Ingredient List:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 6 cups kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1/4 cup toasted sunflower 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

# How-To Steps:

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 Advice:

01 -
  • The massaged kale becomes silky without any cooking, which sounds like kitchen magic but tastes like pure comfort.
  • It gets better as it sits, so you can make it ahead and the flavors just deepen throughout the day.
  • One bowl feels complete enough for lunch but humble enough to sit quietly beside grilled fish or roasted chicken.
02 -
  • Don't skip the massage—I once rushed and just tossed everything together, and the kale stayed tough and bitter; that two-minute hand massage is when the transformation actually happens.
  • Use freshly squeezed lemon juice; the difference between fresh and bottled is the difference between a salad that tastes alive and one that tastes flat.
03 -
  • Toast your own seeds in a dry pan for two minutes right before you make the salad—they'll be crunchier and more flavorful than anything pre-toasted.
  • If you forget to rinse your canned beans, the salad will taste a little starchy and flat, so take the thirty seconds to do it properly.
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