Black Bean and Kale Salad

This vibrant vegetarian Black Bean and Kale Salad is my new favorite way amp up my daily servings of veggies and fiber! It's fresh, flavorful, and so totally delicious!

Course Salad

Cuisine American, Vegetarian

Keyword Black Bean Kale Salad

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 245kcal

Author Jenn Laughlin - Peas and Crayons

Ingredients

5 cups finely chopped curly kale
1 lime (plus 2 limes for the dressing)
¼ tsp fine sea salt
15 oz can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1-2 cups diced tomatoes any kind
½ cup finely diced red onion
1-2 avocados

CILANTRO LIME DRESSING

¼ cup avocado oil or light olive oil
3 TBSP fresh lime juice from approx. 2 small limes
1 TBSP white wine vinegar
2 tsp sweetener of choice (honey, agave, sugar)
½ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp ground cumin
⅛ tsp black pepper
2 TBSP fresh chopped cilantro

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

corn (grilled, roasted, steamed, etc...)
crumbled cotija or feta cheese (vegetarian t-rex option)
fresh cilantro or scallions for topping
crispy tortilla strips or crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

FIRST MAKE THE DRESSING

For the cilantro lime vinaigrette, combine all the above ingredients in a small mason jar and shake well.
PRO TIP: If you'd like to take some of the harshness out of the red onion, go ahead and add your finely minced onion to the dressing jar and let it soak while you prep the rest of the salad. This will result in the most delish marinated onions that will have more flavor and less sharpness. Win-win!

NEXT MASSAGE THE KALE

Remove kale leaves from the center stem. Wash and dry (I use my trusty salad spinner) then chop into small pieces.
Add to a large mixing bowl and squeeze juice of half a lime over the kale. Reserve the other half to slice and garnish the salad. Massage the kale with your fingers until it darkens slightly in color and takes on a more tender texture.

PREP THE REMAINING VEGGIES

Dice all the remaining vegetables nice and small (so we can fit more into each forkful) and save chopping the avocado for the very end before serving.
Add to the kale along with the drained and rinsed black beans and the salad dressing. Mix well to coat.
Give it a taste-test and adjust the dressing to your personal tastes. You can add more acidity (an extra splash of lime or vinegar) or some extra salt/pepper/cumin to liven up the flavors even more. Extra sweetness can be added if desired and feel free to toss in any of the optional extras from the list above if you'd like. Let your taste buds be your guide.

READY TO EAT?

Add that avocado and dive in! I hope you love this salad as much as I do! xoxo

Notes

Recipe yields 6 side salads but feel free to serve it up as 3-4 larger portions! See blog post for lots of pairing ideas and serving suggestions.

Nutrition Facts below are estimated for both the salad and dressing using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on any extras added and enjoy!

Nutrition