Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Category: salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean
This delightful bean salad overflows with Mediterranean flavors including garlic, parsley, chives and lemon for a vegan and gluten-free dish that is sure to. Better still, the leftovers can keep up to three days in the refrigerator. Make it the night ahead for an easy and quick lunch. The recipe yields about six one-cup servings.
The use of aromatics in this salad transforms what could be a dull plate into an experience bursting with flavor and texture. It makes good use of parsley and chives, two of the easiest and most nutritious herbs one can grow. For more information on the benefits of parsley and tips on how to grow it at home, visit this post.
Tip: harvest your aromatic herbs fresh from the garden just before combining the ingredients, for maximum flavor and nutrition.
The beans in this salad are easily substituted for any bean of your choice. The dish is equally delicious with Adzuki beans, Red Kidney beans, White Cannellini beans or Chickpeas. Combine different types of beans for an even more colorful salad bowl. I even made it with Pinto beans and it was a hit!
Ingredients
- 3 cans of your favorite beans or 4 cups cooked dry beans. Here I chose one can each of Red Kidney Beans, Cannellini Beans and Chickpeas.
- 1 small red onion, diced finely
- 1 cup chopped parsley. Use either Curled Parsley or Italian Parsley. I’ve also used Japanese Parsley, or Mitsuba for a refreshing, unusual take on this salad.
- 2 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice (about 1 ½ lemons)
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- ¾ teaspoon of salt
- Pepper to taste
- Small pinch of hot pepper flakes (optional). I often used 2 tbsp. of finely chopped Ancho Poblano, seeds removed, for a fun kick.
Instructions
In a large serving bowl, combine the beans, onion, celery, cucumber, parsley, chives and dill.
Make the lemon dressing. In a separate bowl, combine together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Add the optional hot pepper flakes or the finely chopped Ancho Poblano if you like. Whisk together until emulsified.
Combine the dressing and the beans in the serving bowl. Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator to marinate for a few hours. Leftover can be stored in the refrigerator in a covered bowl, up to three days.
Notes
Growing your own herbs from seeds at home is easy. Follow this link to grow your own parsley, dill and chives.
Recipe adapted from Ethnic Cuisine : How to Create the Authentic Flavors of Over 30 International Cuisines, by Elizabeth Rozin