The ability to arrive home from work and throw together a salad or two to go with the main meal – or as a meal in itself – is something that we strive for with our modern “on the go” lifestyles. Using either canned beans or precooked beans that you have kept in the freezer, this salad is ready in minutes. Grab some cherry tomatoes and rocket (arugula) from the corner shop as you walk home from the bus stop, and you are good to go.

PS It is flavoursome too.

Are you looking for other White Bean dishes? Try White Bean and Tahini Salad, White Bean Soup, and Glorious Five Bean Salad.

Try other Salads also. You might particularly like Horse Gram Salad with Feta and Tomatoes, Carrot and Blueberry Salad, Grown up Potato Salad, and a Simple Celery Salad.

We have a wealth of salad recipes. You can browse them here. Have a look at our recipes for Cannellini Beans and explore all of the Bittman Salads. Or take some time to explore our Early Autumn dishes.

Easy White Bean Salad | Easy Cannellini Bean Salad

This is how you do it. Take a can of white beans – cannellini, for example – or some soaked and cooked white beans.

Gently toast some sliced garlic in olive oil with rosemary and some chilli flakes. Pour it over the beans and mix well.

Next, mix in some chopped cherry tomatoes, rocket or baby spinach, chopped mint or parsley, and some lemon zest and juice. Drizzle with some more extra virgin olive oil if needed. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve in a beautiful dish.

recipe notes

You can leave out the tomatoes and rocket/spinach and it still makes a great salad.

If I am cooking the beans just before making the salad, I will use warm beans as they tend to take on the dressing rather readily. I will also add some of the cooking liquid to the salad – about a tablespoon, maybe a little more. It keeps the salad very moist.

Enjoy!

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