Italian Bean Salad
Servings 6
Equipment
- Glass Jar with Lid
- Sharp Knife
Ingredients
Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar to taste
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese finely grated
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 clove garlic finely grated
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to taste
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Salad:
- 1 (15-oz) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained, remove as many skins as possible
- 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup Persian cucumber diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes diced
- 1 cup orange bell pepper diced
- ½ cup pepperoncini chopped
- ¼ cup red onion diced ***Soak the diced onion in ice-water for 10 minutes if the flavor is too strong
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese finely grated
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves hand torn
- 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the vinaigrette by combining the olive oil, red wine vinegar, parmesan, Dijon, honey, garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste in a small glass jar. Seal with an airtight lid and shake very well. Set aside to let flavors mingle.
- Remove the chickpea skins by placing the drained & rinsed chickpeas in a large bowl filled with water. Gently rub and pinch the beans together between your hands and fingers, which will allow the skins to slide off the beans and float to the surface. Side Note: This step is optional.
- Prepare the salad by combining the rinsed chickpeas, cannellini beans, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, pepperoncini, red onion, parmesan cheese, basil, and parsley.
- Dress the salad by pouring the well-shaken vinaigrette over it and tossing until everything is evenly coated.
- Serve, or chill for 30–60 minutes to let the flavors mingle for the best flavor.