Mediterranean Easy White Bean Salad
Light-hearted white bean salad bursting with vibrant Mediterranean aromas! Tossed together in a large bowl are canned beans, diced vegetables, and fresh herbs. Squeeze of lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil suffice here; no fancy dressing!
Ingredients To create this salad,
you’ll need the following:
white beans: Any variety of white beans will work well in this recipe. I used cannellini beans from a can, which have a subtle flavour and hint of nutmeg. Additionally, they have a lovely creamy texture and are sensitive, which I appreciate.
Fresh veggies: green onions, grape or cherry tomatoes, and chopped English cucumber.
I prefer English cucumbers since their skin is delicate and they have a sweeter taste, saving me time peeling them. Though you may use any type of tomato for this salad, I usually like the smaller ones like grape or cherry. When using the white and green parts of the onion, the flavour is stronger. Green onions have a subtle flavour.
Fresh herbs: A few springs of herbs are not enough to use as a garnish here. There are roughly fifteen fresh mint leaves and a decent cup of fresh parsley. Fresh basil is a fantastic substitute for mint in this recipe.
Spices: You can season this salad with a variety of spices, but cumin and oregano work particularly well. However, I added three spices—za’atar, sumac, and Aleppo pepper—for a daring and exciting touch. If necessary, you can experiment by adding dry oregano, a small amount of cumin, or just salt and pepper. I have some interesting spices here, though, if you’re up for something a little unusual. )Za’atar tastes nutty and earthy. Aleppo pepper, which tastes somewhat tart and fruity and has a very mild heat, is similar to sun-dried tomatoes in flavour to sucan, which has a lovely earthy and smokey profile.
Putting on clothes? This place isn’t for fancy dress. To season this salad straight from the salad bowl, just squeeze in some lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. Rich and robust, Early Harvest Greek extra virgin olive oil is the ideal way to round off this salad! Add the lemon zest as well if you want a little more zing.
Feta cheese (optional): While completely optional, a sprinkling of the creamy, salty cheese is highly suggested. It’s the creamy and salty cheese on top that really makes it.
Can I use dried beans in this salad?
Here, canned white beans are a terrific shortcut; just make sure to rinse them well before using. However, you may definitely start this recipe for white bean salad with dry beans if you do have the time.
To begin, you will need slightly more than one cup of dry beans.
- Soak the beans for the entire night in lots of water. To soak, you can store them in the refrigerator. Before cooking, drain.
- After draining the beans, put them in a saucepan that is big enough because they will swell. Pour in about 2 inches of cold water, cover, and heat until it boils. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for one to one and a half hours, stirring gently every now and then, until beans are cooked.
- Before adding the beans to the salad, remove any extra water and let them cool somewhat. As directed by the salad recipe.
Ingredients For Easy White Bean Salad
- Two cans of white beans (cannellini), thoroughly rinsed and drained
- 10 ounces of halved grape or cherry tomatoes and one chopped English cucumber
- four chopped green onions
- One cup of freshly chopped parsley
- fifteen to twenty mint leaves
- one lemon juiced and zested
- Season with salt
- pepper, and a teaspoon each of Za’atar, sumac, and aleppo. For other choices, see the notes.
- Extra virgin olive oil (Early Harvest EVOO, for example).
- Feta cheese is optional.
Direction For Easy White Bean Salad
- To a large mixing bowl, add the white beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, parsley, and mint.
- Zest the lemon and add. Add the Aleppo pepper, za’atar, and sumac after seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Add a final flourish of lemon juice and a liberal amount of extra virgin olive oil (two to three tablespoons).
- Toss the salad well to incorporate. Taste and modify the seasoning. Feta cheese can be added if desired. Before serving, let the salad soak in the dressing for around half an hour for the finest flavour. Refer to the notes.
TIP:
Chef’s Advice. To help the flavours mingle, this salad tastes best after sitting for around thirty minutes. Additionally, you can prepare it the night before, cover, and chill it until you’re ready to use it. When I’m ready to serve, I usually hold the feta and mix it in.
Spice Variations: Feel free to adjust the seasonings in this recipe to your personal preference. Cumin and oregano are excellent substitutes. Add a little amount of crushed red pepper flakes if you enjoy a little heat.
To utilise dry beans: To begin, you will need little more than one cup of dried beans. Soak the beans for the entire night in lots of water. To soak, you can store them in the refrigerator. Before cooking, drain. After draining, put the beans in a big enough saucepan because they will swell up. Pour in about 2 inches of cold water, cover, and heat until it boils. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for one to one and a half hours, stirring gently every now and then, until beans are cooked. After removing any extra water, let the beans cool somewhat before incorporating them into the salad. As directed by the salad recipe.
Nutrition Facts
| Amount Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 205 | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 6g | 8% | |
| Sodium 679mg | 30% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 31.4g | 11% | |
| Sugars 5.8g | ||
| Protein 9.7g | 19% | |
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Would like the recipes to be more condensed with all the main parts. The length of descriptions to the process is like instruction a very new cook. Nice thought but unnecessary to the old folk.