White Bean and Kale Salad (Print Version)

Creamy white beans and crisp kale with zesty lemon-garlic dressing

# What You'll 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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • The massage-the-kale trick actually works, transforming tough leaves into something creamy without any cream involved.
  • It's the kind of salad that tastes even better the next day when everything gets acquainted overnight.
  • One bowl feeds four people or sustains you through the week, depending on your mood and hunger.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans; the starchy liquid left behind makes the salad taste cloudy and less fresh.
  • The salad actually improves after a few hours in the fridge because the kale continues to soften and all the flavors meld together into something more sophisticated than the sum of its parts.
03 -
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the dressing separate and only dress it a few hours before eating, or the kale will continue softening and become mushy.
  • Toast your own seeds if you have time—they taste fresher and more alive than pre-toasted ones, and it only takes five minutes in a dry pan.
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