To me, summer means delicious and simple bean salads packed with fresh, summer vegetables and herbs. Enter: this lemony white bean salad!
I use parsley in this recipe because:
- I think parsley is delicious.
- I often have it on hand.
- When I have it on hand, that usually means I have handfuls and handfuls and need to use it up before it spoils.
So if you are facing that problem with parsley – or really any herb you like and want to use – then please join me in the delightful simplicity of this Lemony White Bean Salad, complete with (insert herb of choice)!
Lemony White Bean Salad
Course: SaladsDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutesThis lemony white bean salad is the perfect combination of summer produce and creamy white beans, balanced with the tang of lemon and freshness of herbs.
Ingredients
1.5-cups cooked white beans of your choice (cooked at home or from 1 15-oz.can), drained and rinsed – cannellini beans, navy beans, etc.
1 cucumber, chopped
1 cup cherry or sweet 100 tomatoes, halved or quartered (depending on how large they were to start and what size you want them in the salad)
2 green onions, sliced (optional, or use a handful of chives instead)
1/4 cup chopped parsley (or herb of your choice), or to taste
- Dressing
2-3 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice (~1 medium-small lemon or ~1/2 of 1 large lemon), or to taste
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs roughly chopped capers, or to taste
Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste – you may not need more salt if you are using salted beans and lots of capers
Directions
- Prepare (read: rinse, slice, dice, chop – all that good stuff) the produce for the salad: cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, and herbs.
- Add these lovely ingredients you just prepped with the beans to a large bowl.
- In a smaller bowl, make the dressing. Thoroughly mix the lemon juice, chopped capers, olive oil, pepper, and salt (if using).
- Add the dressing to the salad ingredients and mix well. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
- If you have time to let this lemony white bean salad sit in the refrigerator for a few hours so the flavors can all blend, that is ideal. If not, that’s okay too. Just serve up and enjoy!
Notes
- Use whichever herb you prefer – it does not have to be parsley! Or even embrace the madness and do an herb medley.
- If you are a cheese person, seriously consider sprinkling some feta on this salad.
Why not celebrate summer with more bean salads? Try out this refreshing chickpea Waldorf salad!
Fun fact: chickpeas are technically not a bean but a pulse! What am I talking about? Check out the difference between legumes, pulses, and beans here, and amaze your friends at your next dinner party. And if your friends aren’t fascinated by that, come hang out with me instead. It’s one of my favorite topics! On that note, would it be helpful to make a diagram – kind of like the one in the paper we wrote about the types of legumes – explaining the difference between these words (legume, pulse, bean)? Or even a short video? Let me know in the comments!
This looks and sounds yummy! I’m going to make it this weekend.
Let me know what you think – hope you like it!!
I would like to try this recipe! Looks great and healthy!
Always nice when taste and nutrition align! Thanks for the comment and I hope you like it if you try! 🙂