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Marinated bean salad is one of those salads that can be a complete meal. Totally vegan but totally delicious.
Marinated Bean Salad–An All-Season Salad
When my neighbor saw this she said it reminds her of summer. She’s right there because this or my Mexican 3 bean salad is generally on my menu when I have cookouts on my deck.
But I tend to think of this marinated bean salad as an all-season treat. In fact, it is a meal in itself when you think about it. Beans are a great source of protein and also a wonderful source of fiber so it’s pretty filling. To top that off–if you could–it’s totally vegan. Therefore, it’s a great main course when you’re serving those who don’t eat meat.
Economical Salad
Perhaps one of the best things about this recipe is that it is very economical.
Face it, beans are cheap. With rising prices, we’re all trying to economize where we can. Pasta, rice and beans are some of the best money savers around. Many of us are cutting down on meat too because it’s very high in price at the moment. What better way to save than with this delicious bean concoction.
It calls for canned beans which a lot of us already have in our pantry to begin with. I used white (cannellini) and red kidney beans because they make a great presentation. But you can use any variety or a combination of such.
Marinade
Basically, the marinade or dressing is a vinaigrette.
One tip I picked up from watching numerous Julia Child shows is that the proportion of oil to vinegar is a highly personal choice. She said she preferred more olive oil to vinegar and/or lemon juice. I’m totally the opposite. Therefore I suggest you mix up the marinade first and taste it. Then you can adjust for your personal taste.
The Recipe
Marinated Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 30 oz cannellini beans 2 cans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz dark red kidney beans 1 can, drained and rinsed
Bean Marinade:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tbs chopped fresh chives
- 1 tbs chopped fresh dill
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tbs finely chopped red onion
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Place beans in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients. Pour over beans and toss to coat.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Toss well before serving.
- Will keep well for about 3 days so you can make this ahead.
