I love turning to seasonal produce in recipes like this Mediterranean Persimmon White Bean Kale Salad, which is 100% plant-based (vegan) and gluten-free. The earthy flavors of white beans, kale, and walnuts with sweet, crunchy persimmons shine through in this Mediterranean-inspired salad, which is as easy as one, two, three! It’s hearty enough to pair with a flavorful soup, such as my Vegetable Barley Soup, for a satisfying meal. Plus, it’s rugged enough to meal prep and pack away for on-the-go meals during the week.
Persimmons are in season late summer through early winter, and offer such a unique flavor, color, and texture to cool weather recipes. That bright pink-orange color is a calling card for persimmons’ nutrition power, compliments of phytochemicals. The beans offer a nice dose of protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. The kale is packed with essential nutrients, too. And the walnuts offer a punch of heart-healthy fats. What’s not to love about that nutrition combination! In fact, I brought this salad to my Thanksgiving potluck this year and it was a huge hit. You can easily substitute a different bean for the white beans, such as chickpeas or black beans, and a different nut for walnuts, such as hazelnuts, pistachios, or almonds. Follow along with my recipe video below to learn how to make this easy, yummy salad in minutes, with only 7 ingredients (not including pantry staples).
Here’s a note about persimmons—there are two main types of persimmons—hachiya (pictured above at the farmers market) and fuyu (pictured with my salad). The fuyu, are squat and round, looking a bit like an orange tomato. These can be eaten crisp before they are fully soft and mature. These are the types of persimmons that work best in recipes like this. Hachiya persimmons must be eaten soft and ripe, so they aren’t good in salads.
Check out my video on how to make this Mediterranean Persimmon White Bean Kale Salad at The Plant-Powered Dietitian.
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Description
The earthy flavors of white beans, kale, and walnuts with sweet, crunchy persimmons shine through in this Mediterranean-inspired White Bean Kale Salad.
Salad:
- 1 15-oz can white beans, rinsed, drained
- 1 bunch kale, finely chopped
- 2 firm barely ripe fuyu persimmons, sliced
- 1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
Mustard Vinaigrette:
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or pomegranate molasses (available at Middle Eastern stores or online)
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons whole grain mustard, gluten-free
- Pinch black pepper, sea salt (optional)
- To make salad: Toss together beans, kale, persimmons, and walnuts in a large mixing bowl.
- To make vinaigrette: Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar or pomegranate molasses, garlic, whole grain mustard, and black pepper and sea salt (optional).
- Toss salad with vinaigrette. Chill until serving time.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (salad)
- Calories: 112
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 12 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Protein: 6 g
Keywords: kale salad, salad, bean, Mediterranean
For other satisfying fall and winter salads, try the following:
Quinoa Waldorf Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette
Butternut Squash Kale Barley Salad
Persimmon Brown Rice Arugula Salad with Tahini Dressing
To learn more about cooking with persimmons, check out this blog.
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