Kale and Bean Salad
An easy kale and bean salad packed with nutrients and dressed with a tangy citrus dressing.
This is my version of the Long Life salad seen on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
It’s loaded with kale, black beans, lima beans, lentils, quinoa, and spiralized beets.
It’s so good that my husband requests this salad on a regular basis. That’s saying something, he has to be forced to eat a healthy salad most of the time.
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Kale and Bean Salad
This plant-based beans and kale salad is great as a meal, side or prepping for the week.
While the lentils and quinoa are cooking make the dressing.
Whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, orange juice, orange zest, olive oil, ginger, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. S
Clean and chop the kale into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl.
Add the black beans, lima beans, spiralized beets, quinoa, and lentils to the bowl.
Drizzle about half of the dressing over and toss to coat. Add more dressing if desired.
We usually only use about 3/4 of the dressing. It’s great on a tossed green salad as well.
I honestly don’t find it necessary to massage the kale leaves. I will eat this kale and bean salad immediately but if you like more tender kale place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.
Check out our other kale recipes Tuscan White Bean Soup and Sauteed Kale
Kale Salad Recipe
Kale and Bean Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 large bunch fresh kale cleaned and chopped
- 1 cup canned black beans rinsed and drained well
- 1 cup canned lima beans rinsed and drained well
- 2 cups spiralized beets*
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa cooked according to package directions
- 1 1/2 cups lentils cooked according to package directions
Citrus Dressing
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon orange zest
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa and lentils according to the package directions.
- For the dressing: whisk all the dressing ingredients together or shake in a mason jar.
- Clean and chop the kale into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl.
- Add the black beans, lima beans, spiralized beets, quinoa, and lentils to the bowl.
- Drizzle half of the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat, add remaining dressing if desired.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to soften the kale.
Notes
*This makes a ton of salad, perfect for lunch prep. Â