Up your usual salad game with this warm Kale and Bean salad that’s made in one pot! A protein loaded, vegetarian option that the entire family will devour.
Do you get tired of the same old green salad at dinner time and family events? If you are like me there is only so much green leaf lettuce with add-ins that you can handle! This White Bean and Kale salad is going to be your new favorite go to…and I guarantee you it costs a fraction of the green salad you normally make!
Warm or Cold this salad recipe is delicious
It uses just a few ingredients, most of which you probably have on hand already, but it creates a dish unlike any other you have had. One of the things I love about this salad is that it feeds a ton of people with such little effort, making it a perfect addition to your next BBQ or family dinner.
I am not gonna lie though, this is a dish that you have to plan ahead of time (unless you use canned beans which I don’t think would take on the flavor as well).
The longest part is the cooking of the dried beans, but this is where all the flavor is added in so like I said, canned beans are not your friend for this dish! With that being said, you can make a double batch and have enough beans to use in another dish later in the week, we love double duty dishes.
Ingredients
- Dried White Beans
- Kale
- Garlic
- Marjoram
- Lemon
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Parmesan
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
Frequently asked questions
This will depend on what type of salad you are making. A cooked kale salad like this one does good with any type of green kale as it cooks down and softens. If you are doing a raw kale salad you will want to choose a younger or more tender variety.
Massaging kale is the best way to soften it before using. You simple take the leafy greens in your hands and gently massage/rub until the leaves become wilted. They will feel and look wet as well as you are releasing their natural water and oils.
Yes!! Regardless of which type you are making, whether it is our version or a raw version, kale salad made the day before holds up very well. I prefer to hold off on dressing it until closer to when we will eat it.
Be sure to PIN this Kale Salad Recipe so you have it for later!
More delicious salad recipes
- Easy Kale and Broccoli Salad
- Greek Chickpea Salad
- Delicious Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
- Simple Kale Slaw Recipe
- 50 Simple Salads
White Bean and Kale Salad
White Bean Kale Salad: A salad recipe that is made with simple ingredients. It is healthy and delicious and makes enough to feed a crowd!
Ingredients
- 2 c Dried White Beans, I used Navy but you can use any kind you like
- 1 bunch Kale, stems removed and chopped
- 5 cloves Garlic, peeled
- 1 tbsp Marjoram
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 sm Lemon
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes, more or less to your taste
- 3/4 c Parmesan, freshly grated
- 1/2 c Olive Oil, for finishing
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium pot, combine the white beans, marjoram, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow to cook for 5 mins at high boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low maintaining a gentle simmer. Cook, partially covered, for 1 hour 20 minutes and stir occasionally. (the beans should be just tender all the way through).
- Add the chopped kale, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to the pot and stir to combine. Cover the pan and simmer until the kale is wilted and tender, an about 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil and the cheese. Zest 1/2 of the lemon over top and squeeze juice to finish. Stir all to combine and serve warm.
- If you prefer the salad the next day you can refrigerate overnight and serve cold.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1/2Amount Per Serving: Calories: 261Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 199mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 4gSugar: 1gProtein: 8g
*Please note that nutritional values are not always 100% accurate and are to be used as a guide.
Now if you are wondering how the salad turns out let me just tell you. The beans, although cooked for almost 2 hours, have a wonderful texture with a little bite to them (they are anything but mushy) and then you get the slight bitterness from the kale mixing with the lemon zest making it a perfect dish for any meal.
I really love that this salad is just as yummy cold as it was warm, so you don’t have to worry about serving it right off the stove. In fact, my hubby and I both agreed that it was even better the day after we had made it for dinner. I mean is that even possible?!
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Whole Food Bellies (@Wholefoodbellie)
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This is such a great salad for summer, we love bean salads around here! Love the addition of the kale as well :)
oliveblogger
Monday 26th of June 2017
I know right?! We don't get enough beans in our diet so we will be whipping this up again many times over this summer!