White Bean and Kale Salad (Printable)

Hearty Mediterranean salad featuring creamy beans, crisp kale, and zesty lemon-garlic dressing ready in 20 minutes.

# What You'll 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

# 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.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The dressing transforms ordinary kale into something creamy and tender without any cream whatsoever.
  • It's one of those rare salads that actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have time to get friendly with each other.
  • You can throw it together in the time it takes to boil water, making weeknight dinners feel less like a chore.
02 -
  • If you skip the kale massage step, you'll end up with a salad that feels scratchy and unfinished, so don't rush this part even though it seems odd.
  • The salad actually improves after a few hours or overnight in the fridge because the kale continues to soften and the dressing flavors deepen, making it perfect for meal prep.
03 -
  • Buy pre-massaged kale if you're in a hurry, but honestly the massage is half the meditation of making this dish, so don't skip it if you have even a few minutes.
  • Toast your own seeds in a dry skillet if you can, as homemade toasted seeds taste noticeably more vibrant than store-bought.
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