This is THE salad of salads! Crunchy kale, creamy white beans and a burst of lemony flavor brings it all together.
This lemony kale and white bean salad has a Middle Eastern flare to it and it screams “flavor” in every bite!
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What you will love about this lemony kale and white bean salad recipe
You are going to love all the fresh flavors in this white bean and kale salad. The lemon and the garlic burst with flavor while the mint brings in a new dimension of brilliance.
This is one of those salads you crave!
Tips
Whenever you make salad, it is always SOOOO IMPORTANT to add the acid first when mixing the dressing in. Some people add olive oil first and that will ruin your salad.
I strongly recommend that you add and toss the lemon juice first and foremost into your salad BEFORE you add olive oil at all.
If you add olive oil first, then all the lemon juice will not adhere to the greens, and you will be left with a pool of liquid at the bottom of your salad.
You must add the lemon juice first for the dressing to be evenly distributed throughout the salad.
Ingredients
This salad has its roots in the Middle East and Lebanon. The dressing is very similar to traditional Lebanese salad dressings like what is on Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad and on Fattoush Salad.
The fresh squeezed lemon juice is so bright. In combination with the garlic and the mint, it is a level of deliciousness that you have never experienced before. The Middle East knows how to do salads, ok?
When it comes to kale, you will want to make sure to clean it very well. Sometimes kale can be sandy since it is cultivated in sandy soil, so it’s best to soak your kale in a bowl of water before putting it in a salad spinner.
You also don’t want to eat the thick ribs of the kale. Make sure to cut the ribs out of the kale so that you can have a more tender bite.
Kale has a wonderful crunch to it and a deep earthiness that is great in this salad.
The white beans we are going to use in this recipe are great northern beans. We will just use one can, just make sure to drain and rinse them well.
For mint, you are welcome to use dried mint, or if you have fresh mint that is always the best! You must use more mint if you are using it fresh. When mint is dried the flavors are concentrated so you use much less of it.
These are the ingredients for lemony kale and white bean salad:
- Kale
- Great northern beans
- Red onion
- Croutons or pita chips
- Fresh lemon
- Mint leaves (dried or fresh)
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Let’s dive into how to make lemony kale and white bean salad!
Start by soaking the kale in a large bowl of water. It’s important to do this with kale and other greens that are grown in sandy soil so that you don’t bite into gritty sand when you eat your salad. No fun!
After soaking it, run it through a salad spinner to remove most of the water.
Rip or cut the kale into bite-size pieces and remove the woody thick stems and ribs. Place the prepared kale in a salad bowl.
Drain and rinse the great northern beans and let them drip dry before adding them to the salad.
Chop the red onion into small slices and add it to the salad bowl along with the croutons or pita chips of choice.
If you have never made pita chips, I highly recommend it! Adding homemade pita chips to a salad is delicious and they are not as crunchy and thick as store bought pita chips.
You can check out my tutorial for homemade pita chips in this recipe for Lebanese Fattoush Salad.
Add the drained and rinsed white beans.
Now it’s time to add the dressing. Start by adding the dried mint, salt, pepper and garlic powder over the top of the salad.
Take the juice of a fresh squeezed lemon and pour it all over the salad. It is VERY important to add the lemon juice and toss it first before adding the olive oil.
You will ruin your salad if you add the oil before the acid!
Toss the salad together and you will begin to see that the lemon juice starts to slightly wilt the kale leaves.
Add the olive oil after you have tossed the salad then toss the salad again.
Go ahead and taste the salad and see if it needs any more salt. Sometimes you need to add a little bit more.
Serve immediately, otherwise the croutons will get soggy. Enjoy!
Variations
This is a vegan kale salad if you follow the recipe as is.
If you are a cheese person you can always add your favorite cheese to the mix.
Fresh grated parmesan is always a great option!
Equipment
- Salad bowl
FAQ’s
Is it better to eat kale raw or cooked?
Since kale is a dense, fibrous green it can sometimes pose a challenge in the digestive system when eaten raw. Slightly blanching kale can help break down the fibers, allowing for it to be digested easier.
It is, however, not bad to eat kale raw. It can be eaten cooked or raw and still provides great health benefits.
What is the downside to kale?
Kale can be hard to digest and can cause stomach upsets and irritation. While it is considered very healthy, it is not for everyone.
📖 Recipe
Lemony Kale and White Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups fresh kale
- 1 can Great Northern Beans 15.5 oz
- 1 cup croutons or homemade pita chips
- ¼ red onion
- 1 ½ lemons juiced
- 1 tablespoon dried mint or ¼ cup fresh mint leaves chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Soak the kale in a bowl of water for a few minutes then run it through a salad spinner to remove excess water.
- Drain and rinse the beans and let them drip dry while preparing the rest of the salad.
- Rip the kale into bite size pieces, removing any stems and the thickest part of the ribs. Place it in a large salad bowl.
- Slice the red onion into thin slices and add it to the salad bowl along with the croutons or pita chips and the drained beans. Give it a slight toss.
- Sprinkle all of the spices over the top and add the mint also.
- Pour the juice of 1 ½ lemons over the top of the salad and toss it together until the leaves just begin to wilt and it tosses easier.
- Add the olive oil and toss together. Taste it to see if it needs any more salt. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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