I absolutely love roasting chickpeas so that they’re slightly crispy and full of flavour, so I decided to experiment with roasting other canned beans to see if I could get similar results. And that’s how I came to develop this hearty kale salad with roasted white beans!
Beans in and of themselves can have very little flavour – especially canned beans. But when tossed in some olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted until golden and lightly crisp, they transform into something totally delicious. Cannellini beans, in particular, get a lovely, crispy exterior but retain their characteristic creamy interior.
Tossed into a salad with kale, orange segments, briny olives and tangy feta, this makes for an excellent and hearty vegetarian meal perfect for the warmer months of the year.
How to Make a Roasted White Bean & Kale Salad
Like all my recipes for salads using fresh kale (see my green lentil kale salad or my kale and freekeh salad) we will start with massaging the kale. This helps tenderise the leaves to make them nicer to eat raw.
All you need to do is drizzle some kale with olive oil and season with salt. Use your hands to vigorously massage the oil into the kale and then let it sit for about an hour at room temperature.
You can use this time to roast your white beans. Drain and rinse a can of cannellini beans and add them to a bowl. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. I also like to sprinkle a bit of za’atar on the beans, but you can leave this out if you don’t have it.
Spread the bean on a parchment-lined baking sheet and then roast them in a 200°C/400°F oven for about 15-20 minutes, just until they’re crisp and golden.
You can also use this time to toast some walnuts – just add them to a baking sheet and put them on the rack below the beans. Toast them for about 5 minutes – until they’re nice and fragrant.
Once the beans are done, add them to the bowl with the kale. Go ahead and toss in your toasted walnuts, as well.
To the salad, I also like to add some chopped kalamata olives, a bit of crumbled feta and some red onion.
To add a bit of sweetness, I also love putting in some fresh orange segments – but you could also add in some dried fruit here (raisins, cranberries, currants or cherries would be nice).
Now, all you need to do is drizzle with the dressing of your choice. I find that this salad goes really well with my miso tahini dressing, but it would also be nice with my pomegranate dressing or tahini yoghurt dressing.
Toss everything to combine and then serve and enjoy!
Kale & White Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 150 g kale torn from stems and chopped fine
- 1 (400g/14oz) can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 2 tsp za'atar
- 30 g walnut halves roughly chopped
- ½ red onion diced
- 25 g pitted kalamata olives roughly chopped
- 25 g feta crumbled
- 1 orange segmented
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped
- 60 ml salad dressing such as miso tahini, yoghurt tahini or pomegranate vinaigrette
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F. Add the kale to a large salad bowl. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil and season generously with salt. Use your hands to vigorously massage the kale. Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes and preferably 1 hour at room temperature.
- Add the beans to a mixing bowl. Drizzle with 2 tsp of olive oil, sprinkle over the za'atar and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and spread over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until golden and lightly crisp 15-20 minutes.
- Add the walnuts to a rimmed baking sheet. Move to the oven and toast until fragrant, 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
- To the bowl with the kale, add the onion, olives, feta, orange segments and parsley. Add in the roasted beans and walnuts. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine. Serve.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
This hearty meal salad with roasted white beans is simple to make and really tasty to eat! One of my new favourite ways to jazz up canned beans, this salad is sure to become a regular in your weeknight meal repertoire.
Are you looking for a salad with kale and white beans? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
