Description
This marinated green olive bean salad is dressed in a creamy chive basil dressing that gets absorbed by the beans for a delicious and refreshing bite. No cooking required and perfect for meal prep!
Ingredients
Bean Salad
- 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- Zest and juice of half lemon
- 1 tsp maple syrup or sweetener of choice
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt
- 1, 15 oz can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1, 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup castelvetrano olives, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup jarred marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
- 8 peperoncini peppers, stems removed and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves, minced
- Handful of basil leaves (about 10 small leaves)
Chive Basil Dressing
- 1-2 cloves garlic
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon (3 tbsp lemon juice)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup basil leaves
- 1/4 cup chives
Mezze Serving Suggestions: cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumbers, baby gherkins, sliced pita, hummus or bean spread
Instructions
- Add the onions, lemon zest and juice, syrup, oil, red pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of salt to a large mixing bowl. With clean hands, massage the ingredients into the onions to until softened, then set aside for 5-10 minutes to chop up the remainder of your salad ingredients.
- When ready, add the beans, bell pepper, olives, artichoke hearts, peppers, parsley and basil to the mixing bowl.
- To a blender cup, add the garlic, lemon, oil, maple syrup, mustard, and a generous pinch of salt. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the basil and chives, then blend again until the herbs are minced and the dressing is smooth.
- Pour the dressing over the bean salad and give everything a good mix to combine. Cover and allow the salad to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to give the beans time to absorb the flavor.
- Give the salad a good mix before serving. To assemble a mezze plate, cut or prepare the suggested ingredients. Arrange the vegetables on a plate with a spread for dipping, a generous portion of the bean salad, and pita. Then enjoy!
Notes
Let the beans marinate. This is the type of salad that builds flavor as it sits in the dressing. For good flavor, consider letting the salad sit in the dressing for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Add more veggies. You can add cherry tomatoes, arugula, kale, diced cucumber, or more bell peppers to add extra antioxidants to your meal.
Mellow out the flavors of the onion. Onions naturally have a sharp taste to them. To help mellow out that flavor, consider rinsing your sliced onions under cold water and draining well before serving.
