White Bean Mediterranean Salad (Printable)

A fresh white bean and tomato salad with herbs and olive oil dressing, perfect for a light lunch or side.

# Ingredient list:

→ Beans

01 - 2 cups (1 can, 14 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup (5.3 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
04 - 1 clove garlic, minced
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced (optional)

→ Herbs

06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
08 - 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves (or 1 tsp dried oregano)

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (or lemon juice)
11 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
12 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional Additions

13 - 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
14 - 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (omit for vegan)

# How-to:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber if using, and minced garlic.
02 - Incorporate chopped parsley, basil, and oregano into the salad.
03 - Whisk extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar or lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
05 - Fold in Kalamata olives and crumbled feta cheese if using.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in fifteen minutes with zero cooking required
  • The flavors actually improve if you make it ahead, letting the ingredients get friendly in the fridge
  • You can keep all the staples in your pantry and freshen it up with whatever vegetables look good at the market
02 -
  • The salad tastes infinitely better after at least thirty minutes in the refrigerator so please don't rush it
  • Drain the beans thoroughly or the dressing slides right off instead of coating everything
03 -
  • Make a triple batch on Sunday and you're set for lunch all week because it keeps beautifully
  • The onion soak trick genuinely transforms the salad from something sharp into something mellow and sweet
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