Kale white bean salad with tuna makes for a delicious lunch with a homemade creamy tahini dressing. This recipe was update in 2020 and originally posted on August 15, 2013.
When I create salad recipes, I want them to be hearty and sturdy. Something that’s more of a meal or a lunch than a side dish. That’s exactly what this kale white bean salad is.
My inspiration for this salad comes from a classic tuna salad sandwich–minus the mayo. I’ve got my favourite tuna salad components; some celery for crunch an apples for sweetness and more crunch. What makes this a salad comes from the white beans and kale.
To balance out the salad and add a bit of creaminess I opt for a simple tahini dressing here. Tahini is sesame paste and could easily be swapped for peanut butter or almond butter, if you don’t have tahini on hand.
How to balance the bitterness in tahini dressing
Tahini tends to be a little bit bitter, so I use maple syrup as the sweetener in this recipe to add rich, sweet caramel notes to the dressing. Though this salad would be equally good with a simple white balsamic vinaigrette.
Generally speaking, balancing tahini with acidity (either citrus or vinegar) and a sweetener (honey, maple syrup or sugar) is the simplest way to counter some of the bitter notes.
Tahini is an ingredient that is a staple in North African, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. 
The trick to making a homemade kale salad taste as good as the ones you get in restaurants? Massage your kale! I know, it sounds crazy, but hear me out. It’s an important step to kale salad success.
Why do I need to massage kale?
Massaging kale helps break down the cell structure and gives kale a softer texture so it will be tender to eat and not as chewy. Once you’ve removed the stems, hit the kale with a bit of lemon juice (or vinegar) and a pinch of salt and start to crunch the leaves in your hands.
Be careful not to over-massage as you don’t want to end up with mushy kale. Once it starts to soften and turn a darker green colour, it’s done. Bon Appetit’s Basically has a good explanation about how to massage kale properly.
Kale White Bean Salad with Tuna
Ingredients
- 6 cups chopped kale
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 19 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 7 oz can of tuna, packed in oil
- 2 ribs of celery, thinly sliced
- 1 small apple, thinly sliced
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
For tahini dressing
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss kale with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Massage kale with your hands, crunching between your fingers until kale becomes darker green and tender, about 1-2 minutes.
- Toss massaged kale with white beans, tuna (and its oil), celery, apple and red onion.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk tahini with lemon juice, garlic, maple syrup, and salt, mixture should look creamy but not smooth. In a steady stream while whisking, pour in olive oil. Continue whisking until dressing looks smooth and shiny and has emulsified.
- Pour dressing over salad; begin by pouring half the dressing, then toss–you may not need all of the dressing.
Let me know if you give this kale white bean salad recipe a try in the comments below.
Jan
This a a really lovely salad. Great as a main meal lunch to take to work as you can make it ahead of time.
Louisa Clements
So glad you enjoyed it, Jan!
Margot
Very good , rustic and filling. Will make it again
Louisa Clements
So glad you enjoyed this, Margot! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
Sophia
Hello,
For this recipe, which kale is to be used? I want to try this but know that there are different types of kale.
Thanks.
Louisa Clements
Hi Sophia, this recipe just uses ‘curly kale’ which is the kind that you typically will find at your grocery store. I hope you enjoy!
Amy @ Long Drive Journey
I know it’s cold, but you could also try running in the winter. I started training for my first 5K in January, and while I was getting on the treadmill every day, I soon switched to running outside. I found that I could run pretty comfortably (with the right gear) at temperatures above 15 degrees. For me, that meant running RIGHT after work when it was the warmest point in the day. Your body warms up about 20 degrees more than the temperature outside, so in most weather, you are fine.
Just a thought! Either way, if you like running, you should totally get out there! Goal or not!
Lou
Hi Amy,
Thanks for the great advice and info – running in the winter is something that I’ve never had a good experience with. I always find the cold air burns my lungs like crazy. I’m thinking of giving it a try and looking into getting the right gear.
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
This recipe looks awesome and so fresh! I too get a little caught up in my goals. Maybe I’ll see you running around the neighbourhood…running for fun of course :)
Lou
Thanks Davida, I’ve been thinking about really actually doing it!