This copycat Erewhon Kale White Bean Salad tosses kale, avocado, cannellini beans, and seeds in a lemony tahini dressing. A must-try healthy lunch, light dinner, and satisfying side dish!
Table of Contents
One bite of Erewhon’s Organic Kale with White Bean Salad and you’ll understand why everyone is obsessed with this bougie meal.
The salad from the gourmet Los Angeles grocer has a little bit of everything you could need in a light and healthy yet filling lunch, like kale, avocado, white beans, and seeds. Served with an irresistibly sweet and tangy vinaigrette, it really gets your taste buds excited.
Even though I’m a big fan of this salad, my wallet sure isn’t. Luckily, my copycat Kale White Bean Salad is made with similar good-for-you ingredients and features the same wholesome deliciousness without breaking the bank!
Its refreshing flavors and protein-rich ingredients make it a perfect make-ahead lunch, light dinner, or side dish. Plus, it’s super simple to prepare and easy to customize with even more add-ins. Erewhon has nothing on this!
Looking for more hearty and healthy salad recipes? You’ll also love my Jennifer Aniston Salad, Southwest Chicken Salad, and Vegan Farro Salad.
Ingredient notes
- Kale – Like my other kale recipes, this salad works with both curly kale and lacinato kale. Bagged pre-washed and chopped kale leaves are a great time-saver!
- Lemon juice – It brightens each bite and helps tenderize the kale leaves.
- Olive oil – Massaging the kale leaves with olive oil softens and tenderizes the leaves while lending a rich flavor.
- Garlic
- Salt and pepper
- Avocado – For rich and creamy bites, and a boost of healthy fats.
- Cannellini beans – These fiber and protein-rich white beans make this salad filling enough to be a light meal on its own. Use canned beans to get it on the table even faster.
- Hemp hearts – They add some crunch and a dose of omega-3 fatty acids and plant protein.
- Pumpkin seeds – Also called pepitas, these add more crunch and a generous amount of healthy fats, magnesium, and zinc.
- Lemon tahini dressing – I dressed the salad in a mix of tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, black pepper, and hot water.
How to make it
- Toss the kale with the fresh lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to massage and soften the kale leaves.
- Add the diced avocado, rinsed cannellini beans, hemp hearts, and pumpkin seeds to the bowl.
- Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Add a splash of hot water and whisk until it’s pourable.
- Pour the dressing over the kale and white bean salad, give it a good toss, and enjoy!
Erin’s tips and tricks
- Massaging the kale is the most important step, so don’t skip it! Doing so softens and tenderizes the leaves and reduces their natural bitter flavor.
- Consider toasting the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat before adding them to your salad. This simple step will take their flavors over the top!
- Why not make a double batch of the dressing for drizzling over other hearty salads and grain bowls? It keeps well in the fridge for about one week.
Variations
Here are some delicious ways to mix up this easy kale salad:
- Fresh veggies and herbs – Toss in cherry tomatoes, sliced red bell peppers, red onion, cucumbers, radishes, shredded carrots, or even roasted sweet potatoes. A handful of fresh parsley, basil, chives, or dill will add extra brightness, too.
- Plant-based proteins – Top the salad with chickpeas, edamame, or crispy tofu for double the protein.
- More protein options – If you don’t need the kale salad to be vegan, top it with shredded chicken, bacon, chopped hard-boiled eggs, canned tuna, salmon, or shrimp.
- Croutons – Top the salad with store-bought or homemade croutons for extra crunch.
- Change the dressing – Feel free to swap the tahini dressing for creamy poppyseed, caesar, Italian, or lemon pesto dressing if you’d like.
Serving suggestions
This copycat Erewhon kale white bean salad makes for a satisfying light lunch or dinner but can also be served as a side dish with any of these main dishes:
FAQs
I don’t have cannellini beans. What can I use instead?
Great Northern beans and navy beans are just as creamy and mildly flavored as cannellini beans. You can also use chickpeas if you want a heartier texture and nutty taste.
Can I cook the white beans from scratch?
Sure! Soak 1/2 cup of dry white beans in water overnight, then simmer them in fresh water until tender (60 to 90 minutes). Drain and set the beans aside to cool before adding them to your salad.
Make ahead and storing
This kale white bean salad is perfect for meal prep! Keep the massaged kale, salad toppings, and dressing in separate containers in the fridge, then toss everything right before serving.
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More kale recipes
Did you make this kale white bean salad?
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Full Recipe
Erewhon Kale White Bean Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 10 ounces kale (1 large bunch, chopped, large stems removed)
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced or grated)
- 1 avocado (peeled, pitted and diced)
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
For the Dressing:
- ⅓ cup tahini
- ¼ cup lemon juice (this is the juice of about 1-2 lemons)
- 1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 cloves garlic (grated or minced)
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper to taste
- Hot water (to thin)
Instructions
- Add kale to a large mixing bowl with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and minced garlic. Use your hands to massage the kale to soften it. To the kale, add the diced avocado, rinsed white beans, hemp hearts and pumpkin seeds.
- To prepare dressing, add tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, dijon, garlic and salt and pepper to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine, then add hot water to thin until pourable. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
- Massaging the kale is the most important step, so don’t skip it! Doing so softens and tenderizes the leaves and reduces their natural bitter flavor.
- Consider toasting the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat before adding them to your salad. This simple step will take their flavors over the top!
- Why not make a double batch of the dressing for drizzling over other hearty salads and grain bowls? It keeps well in the fridge for about one week.
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