White Bean and Kale Salad (Printable Version)

Creamy white beans and crisp kale tossed with zesty lemon-garlic dressing for a quick, nourishing Mediterranean meal.

# What You Need:

→ Salad

01 - 1 can (15 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 1 large bunch kale, about 6 cups, stems removed and 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 Advice:

01 -
  • The kale softens into something almost buttery: no salad spinner or special technique required, just your hands and the dressing doing the work.
  • It actually tastes better the next day: flavors meld and deepen, making it perfect for meal prep without any of the usual soggy regret.
  • You can throw it together in under 20 minutes: even when you're tired or cooking for unexpected guests.
02 -
  • Massage the kale for real: I used to skip this step thinking it was unnecessary fussiness, and the salad was always disappointing—raw, tough, and unpleasant. Once I committed to actually working the leaves with the dressing, everything changed.
  • Taste your dressing before it touches the salad: The lemon juice and salt need to be assertive enough to carry through all those vegetables and beans without being overwhelming.
03 -
  • Toast your own seeds if you have the time: raw seeds are watery and flavorless, but toasted ones add a textural snap and nutty depth that changes everything.
  • Make extra dressing: it keeps for a week and works on literally any vegetable situation you find yourself in.
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