How long does this salad keep?

Once dressed store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

How can I make this recipe gluten-free?

The bean salad base is gluten-free and soy-free as written. You can snack on the bean salad or use as a side with meals to pack in more fiber. If you need some gluten-free serving ideas, consider enjoying this salad with a side of corn tortilla chips or gluten-free pita chips, corn tortillas, or in a gluten-free wrap of choice.

What can be added for additional protein?

For a boost in protein, consider adding any of the following: 1/4 cup hemp hearts, baked tofu or marinated tofu, or even crispy tempeh bits. When making the dressing opt for a higher protein yogurt like a soy yogurt or the Kite Hill Greek Style yogurt.

Grilled Veggie Bean Salad with Maple Dijon Dressing

Description

This Grilled Veggie Bean Salad is tossed with a creamy maple Dijon dressing and can be served in a delicious warm pita. Easy to make and packed with gut supporting fiber.

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 large zucchini, ends removed and sliced into strips
1 medium red onion, sliced into rings
1, 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
1, 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 bell pepper (any color), diced
1 jalapeno, diced
1/2 cup parsley leaves, minced
8 mint leaves, minced (optional)
Kosher salt
Fresh cracked black pepper

Creamy Maple Dijon Dressing

3 tbsp unsweetened plant-based yogurt
1 small clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp white wine vinegar
Juice and zest of 1 medium lemon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2–3 tbsp maple syrup (sweeten to your liking)

Serving Ideas: 3-4 warm pitas and choice of spread (hummus, white bean spread, or even mashed avocado)

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Instructions

Place a large grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Brush the pan with the oil then place the zucchini slabs in the pan and cook undisturbed for about 4-5 minutes or until grill marks start to appear. With tongs, flip the slab then cook undisturbed for another 4-5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and sprinkle the zucchini with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
To the same pan add the sliced onions. Allow to grill undisturbed for 4 minutes on both sides. Salt the onions with salt then transfer to the cooling rack with the zucchini. Once the vegetables are cool enough to handle, transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop them into bite sized pieces.
In a large mixing bowl add the beans, grilled vegetables, bell pepper, jalapeno, parsley, mint, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
To a blender cup add the yogurt, garlic, mustard, vinegar, lemon, oil, maple syrup and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Blend until smooth and adjust with more sweetener or salt based on your preference. Alternatively, you can grate the garlic in a bowl with the other ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until evenly coated. Cover the salad and place in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour. Stir well and taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Warm a pita or wrap then smear it with your favorite spread and top with a serving of the beans before enjoying.

Notes

If you don’t have a grill pan use a cast iron pan. Instead of the grill marks, look to make sure your zucchini is browning on the bottom similar in look to this.

Pat your zucchini dry after cutting. When zucchini is cut, you may see droplets of moisture appear on the surface. Just blot it dry before adding to your grill pan.

Change up the beans. I used white beans and chickpeas. Feel free to use all white beans or wall chickpeas. You can even swap 1 of these beans for a different bean like red kidney beans. Just base it off of your preference.

Adjust the sweetener to your liking. I personally like the contrast of the tang, so I tend to use around 2 or 3 tbsp of maple syrup to sweeten. You may find that you need more sweetener or less, so start with 2 tbsp and mix in more to taste.