Herby White Bean + Pepper Salad

I have always been a huge fan of beans, but my affection has grown even stronger since March when I had to really start coming up with “pantry meals” as it was VERY difficult to get fresh produce from the grocery store. 

A variation of this bean dish has been a staple in my house for years, but I added a few new twists, and I think it is even better. Regarding white beans, you can use cannellini beans, great northern beans, or white navy beans. They all work well.

This salad is great on its own, as a jar lunch to bring to a BYOB picnic, or over greens of your choice. I use canned beans so this recipe comes together easily. The one-step that I take the extra time for is to roast my own peppers. I find that homemade roasted peppers taste far superior to those from the jar.

Herbs are also the star of this dish. For those of us who have gardens, we have such an abundance of herbs, so it is important to come up with tasty ways to put them to good use. You can swap out the herbs to what you have in the house, that is the beauty of this recipe. I typically add basil, mint, oregano and/or parsley. Dill works well too though! So would fresh rosemary! 

If you are eating it on the spot and you don’t have to worry about keeping it for leftovers, I love adding avocado to the mix. If I am going to keep it in the fridge for a few days though, I skip the avocado and the basil and use heartier herbs like parsley and mint in this dish. Play around and see what works!

Herby White Bean + Pepper Salad:

Ingredients:

2 large bell peppers (I prefer red and my second choice would be yellow)

2 can white beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 clove garlic, minced

4 fresh mint leaves, chopped (optional)

4 fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 TBS fresh leaf parsley chopped (optional)

1/3 cup crumbled organic feta cheese (optional)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat your broiler on high. Put your peppers on a tin foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet and broil, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides, about 10 minutes. Set the peppers aside to cool until you can handle them.

2. In a big bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and feta (if you are using) in a bowl and gently toss. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, break the peppers open over the sink and let the peppers’ juices run out. Pull the charred skin and seeds from the peppers and discard. If it is hard to remove the seeds or the clinging skin, you can run them under cool water a little to help you out. Rip the peppers into thin strips with your hands and add to the bean bowl concoction.

3. Drizzle the oil and add the lemon juice over the salad. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

This salad is hearty and will keep in the fridge for around 5 days.