White Bean Parsley Salad
Naturally, I didn’t cook much. The thought of switching on a lamp seemed like it would radiate too much heat let alone turning on the oven or the stove. I visited the sushi restaurant down the street twice in two days and was tempted to have nothing but Ben and Jerry’s for dinner.
This salad is a common standby at my house. When it’s hot, I serve it with a loaf of bread and call it dinner. The beans add quite a bit of substance to the salad. When I am more inclined to make a multi-course meal, this works nicely as a first course.
The recipe in incredibly easy, yet there’s quite a bit of contrast in flavor and texture. The creamy beans and juicy tomatoes are tossed with a bed of crisp lettuce. Parsley, which is normally thought of as a garnish herb, is the key here. They add a refreshing citrusy flavor and brings everything together.
I stopped using bottled dressings a long time ago. I prefer the freshness of a homemade vinaigrette. I used lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil here for a pretty basic dressing. You can use red wine vinegar if you don’t have any lemons on hand.
We are leaving for a short trip to southern Utah tomorrow to see the pretty fall foliage (and get out of the heat!). Will come back to pictures and more recipes. Until then.
White Bean Parsley Salad
- Lettuce (Romaine, Oak Leaf, or other sturdy leafy varieties), 1 small head, chopped
- Tomato (I used a beefsteak), 1 large, diced small
- White beans (I like to cook my own, or use low-sodium canned, rinse well if you are using canned beans), 1 15-oz can or 1 1/2 cups
- Parsley, chopped, 1/2 cup
- Lemon juice, 1/4 cup (from about 2 large juicy lemons)
- Extra-virgin olive oil, 1/3 cup
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Combine lettuce, tomato, beans and parsley in a large salad bowl.
Whisk lemon juice and olive oil until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste. Dressing can be made up to three days ahead and stored in the fridge.
Right before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.
Serves 6 as a side.