• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Living Lou

Simple, fresh and flavorful recipes.

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Contact
    • Work with me
    • Press & Media
    • Send me a Message
  • About

Home » salad » Kale White Bean Salad with Tuna

Kale White Bean Salad with Tuna

Published: Apr 2, 2020 · Modified: May 13, 2020 by Louisa Clements · This post may contain affiliate links

This post may contain affiliate links

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
Jump to Recipe
15 minutes 8 Comments

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. 

Kale and white bean salad in a glass bowl with wooden salad spoons

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. 

Closeup of salad in a bowl with tahini dressing being poured over top

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. Closeup of salad in a bowl

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 in a glass bowl

Kale and white bean salad in a glass bowl with wooden salad spoons

Kale White Bean Salad with Tuna

Author: Louisa Clements
4.75 from 4 votes
Kale white bean salad with tuna is a fresh and vibrant salad with apple, celery and a simple, creamy tahini dressing.
Pin Print
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
servings icon
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 6 cups chopped kale
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp 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 tbsp tahini
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, toss kale with 1 tbsp of lemon juice and ¼ tsp 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.
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment + rating and let me know what you think!
Filed Under: easy, gluten free, lunch, salad, side dish
Nutrition Facts
Kale White Bean Salad with Tuna
Amount Per Serving
Calories 392 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 9mg3%
Sodium 442mg19%
Potassium 1252mg36%
Carbohydrates 43g14%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 30g60%
Vitamin A 10078IU202%
Vitamin C 126mg153%
Calcium 270mg27%
Iron 7mg39%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided for informational purposes only. If you have any specific dietary concerns, please consult with your healthcare practitioner.

Let me know if you give this kale white bean salad recipe a try in the comments below.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Review Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Margot

    October 04, 2021 at 5:26 pm

    Very good , rustic and filling. Will make it again

    5 stars

    Reply
    • Louisa Clements

      October 20, 2021 at 8:25 pm

      So glad you enjoyed this, Margot! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
      Reply
  2. Sophia

    April 12, 2020 at 4:51 pm

    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.
    Reply
    • Louisa Clements

      April 25, 2020 at 8:12 pm

      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!
      Reply
  3. Amy @ Long Drive Journey

    August 18, 2013 at 9:46 am

    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!
    Reply
    • Lou

      August 18, 2013 at 4:30 pm

      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.
      Reply
  4. Davida @ The Healthy Maven

    August 17, 2013 at 4:19 pm

    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 :)
    Reply
    • Lou

      August 18, 2013 at 4:27 pm

      Thanks Davida, I've been thinking about really actually doing it!
      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Lou!

Hi, I'm Louisa Clements & welcome to Living Lou. I've been creating simple, fresh & flavorful recipes for the modern kitchen for 12 years.
Learn More

Let’s connect

Living Lou

Copyright © 2023 Living Lou | Privacy

  • Home
  • All Recipes
  • Contact
  • About

Footer