Kale White Bean Salad

This nutrient-packed kale white bean salad is inspired by the beloved one from Los Angeles store Erewhon. Curly kale, white beans, various seeds and avocado tossed in delicious lemon vinaigrette makes this amazing, nourishing salad a must-try!

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Why You'll love this recipe

• Not only is this kale salad absolutely delicious, it's filled with nutritious ingredients! Kale is a known superfood, high in vitamin A, K and C. Hemp hearts are high in protein and healthy fats, pumpkin and sunflower seeds are rich in magnesium, iron and more minerals. White beans are a great source or fiber and plant-based protein, and avocado is rich in many vitamins. Topped it with a extra-virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice vinaigrette. If you love kale, try this kale beet salad.
• This recipe is a copycat version of a salad available at the famous grocery store Erewhon located in Los Angeles known for their amazing healthy (and very expensive) smoothies and salads. You can recreate this very popular kale and white bean salad for a fraction of the price with this recipe!
• It's very quick and easy to put together. You can serve it as a side, a main vegetarian meal, or even add some grilled chicken or steak on top.

Key Ingredients and variations

• Curly kale: I use a mix of green and red curly kale but you can simply use green if you can't find red. You can also substitute the kale with spinach and arugula.
• White beans: canned cannellini or great northern beans are perfect. Make sure to rinse them in a fine mesh strainer under cold water and drain them well.
• Hemp hearts: also called hemp seeds, they're a superfood and add a ton of nourishment to this salad.
• Sunflower seeds: raw and hulled is my 1st choice, but they could be roasted too if you prefer, salted or unsalted, your choice.
• Pumpkin seeds (pepitas): I use raw pumpkin seeds which add a nice crunch.
• Avocado: adds creaminess and extra flavor.
• Honey: the original version of this copycat recipe uses maple syrup. I prefer honey but both work great!
• Lemon vinaigrette: super simple and made with a handful of ingredients, olive oil, fresh lemon, fresh garlic, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Tangy and delicious with this kale salad.

How to prepare Fresh kale

• The 1st step is removing the big middle stem. You can use a knife and cut the kale leaves along the stem, of simply tear the leaves with your hands. You can also use a stem stripping tool.
• Once the stems are removed, chop the kale, or tear it with your hands.
• Wash and rinse the kale thoroughly with cold water. Kale can get very dirty.
• Dry the kale, my favorite way is using a salad spinner and then patting it dry with paper towels.
• Massage the kale: this step is very important and I highly recommend doing it. It tenderizes it so it's not so tough. To do so, drizzle a tiny bit of olive or avocado oil over the kale, and massage it using your hands, gently squeezing it for about 1-2 minutes or until if feels significantly more tender. Don't overdo it, but do it enough, taste a piece to see if it's ready to your liking.

how make this kale white bean salad

• Rinse and drain the canned white beans under cold water in a fine mesh strainer.

Tips

• Massage the kale! I repeat massage the kale if you don't want it to be chewy. Kale can be a little tough and massaging it makes a big difference in making it more tender and pleasant to eat.
• Don't cut or add the avocado to the kale salad until right before serving so it doesn't get brown.
• I highly recommend using fresh lemon juice if possible for the best taste.

Frequently Asked Questions