This Italian inspired white bean salad is simple to prepare and a welcome picnic dish.

A few years ago, I ran a Mediterranean Monday recipe series on my old blog. Each week I posted some Mediterranean-inspired dish. I still follow the cooking practice, but no longer write about most of them! This post is the updated version of one of those Monday experiments.

Mediterranean Dreaming

As I look out the window right now it is grey, windy, and there is a thunderstorm brewing. Yes, I know they most likely have thunderstorms in the Mediterranean too, but in my mind, it is always bathed in golden sunlight sparkling off of cerulean waters. Don’t mess with my fantasy!

Summertime Bean Salads

Anyway, I spend most summers trying to have a bean salad of some sort nearly every day. Maybe someday I will pull them all together into a recipe booklet. If that’s a booklet that interests you, let me know – I might move it up on the list!

This recipe made a much larger bowl than the photo above, but everyone was so hungry it disappeared before I could take a picture. One of the best things about this recipe – it can be prepared and eaten right away. It also is easily adapted to whatever ingredients and amounts you have on hand. This makes it a great side dish to take to a picnic, or when you have more visitors for dinner than you planned, or for a potluck.

Mediterranean White Bean Salad

This Italian inspired white bean salad is simple to prepare and a welcome picnic dish.

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Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 2 cans cannellini beans or other white beans drained and rinsed
• 1-2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup small black olives
• 1 medium avocado
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Rinse tomatoes and spinach leaves.
• Halve tomatoes if desired, and cut leaves into ribbons.
• Slice or halve black olives.
• Chop avocado.
• Combine beans and vegetables in a large bowl.
• Whisk lemon juice, olive oil and honey together. Pour over vegetables.
• Stir gently to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately or chill. Bring back to room temperature before serving.

Serve this salad with a pasta or other grain salad, and steamed asparagus or broccoli for a cool, summertime dinner.