Two-Bean Salad with Mint and Lemon: A Fresh Take on Tradition

I just created a new recipe: green bean and cannellini salad with mint, lemon and toasted pine nuts.

Why? Well, we recently standardized our Wild Mushroom Lasagna recipe (recipe here), and I gave some thought to what it should be paired with on the plate. It needed a complementary flavor profile, but it couldn’t be heavy. It needed to be light and bright, and colorful.

It’s late summer here in Southeast Texas, and colorful locally grown veggies are still shining brightly at the farmers market, so at first, I leaned toward a simple green bean salad—fresh, crisp, and light. But then I thought: why not give it a little more substance? Something with extra fiber and a touch of creaminess to balance the crunch of the green beans.

That’s when cannellini beans came to mind. They are the silky, delicate white beans you see in so many Italian salads and soups. Paired with green beans cut into bite-sized pieces, tossed in a mint-lemon dressing, and finished with toasted nuts, they transform the dish into a Two-Bean Salad that’s refreshing and satisfying. It’s not the classic potluck staple 3-Bean Salad, but a is new classic you’ll want to make again and again.

Recipe: Two-Bean Salad with Mint and Lemon

Ingredients

• 1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into ¾-inch pieces
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp high-quality extra-virgin olive oil (I used lemon-infused)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (plus zest from ½ lemon)
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped (more for garnish), or 1 tsp dried mint
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup toasted nuts (almonds, pistachios, or pine nuts all work beautifully)

Instructions

1. Measure and prep everything as noted in the ingredients list.
2. Place 1 lb trimmed green beans in a microwave-safe dish. Add just enough water to cover. Microwave on high for about 90 seconds, until beans are tender-crisp. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking and preserve their bright green color. Drain well. (See Notes below if you prefer to blanch in boiling water.)
3. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, zest from ½ lemon, 1 tbsp finely chopped mint, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled green beans with 1 can (15 oz) drained and rinsed cannellini beans. Toss gently with the dressing until everything is coated.
5. Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with ¼ cup toasted nuts and a few extra mint leaves. Add more freshly cracked pepper, if desired. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.

Notes

• You can also blanch green beans the traditional way—by boiling them in salted water for 2–3 minutes—but I’ve found the microwave method faster, easier, and every bit as effective.
• Unflavored olive oil works perfectly well here, as long as it’s a high-quality one you enjoy on its own, but if you’re like me and have a pantry full of flavored olive oils, dig out a citrus-flavored one and use that. It’s a triple-down of the citrus flavor, when added to the lemon juice and zest, and you won’t be sorry.
• To that end, this dish will be just as good if you go with orange juice and zest or lime juice and zest. Use what you’ve got!
• Don’t skip the toasted nuts. If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to toast the nuts yourself or don’t have the nuts listed above, try substituting roasted peanuts, roughly chopped, or any roasted snack nuts. The crunch and deep roasted flavor of the nuts is the finishing touch that takes this dish over the top. Click here for quick instructions on toasting nuts (explained in our recipe for Beyond Banana Bread)
• You can add a protein to this salad and make it a main dish: think shrimp, rotisserie chicken or tofu.
• This would make a lovely lunch or brunch dish alongside a quiche, frittata, crepes or our smoked salmon egg cups, or paired with cauliflower soup.

The brightness of the lemon elevates the dish to a whole ‘nuther level. It’s Mediterranean in spirit, farm-fresh in flavor, and exactly the kind of side that balances a heavy main dish like our Wild Mushroom Lasagna. Or barbecue. Or roast chicken. Or shepherd’s pie. Or a big ham and cheese panini. Or… [name your fave heavy main dish]! 😎

Give it a try and let me know what you think! And also, what you served it with—I’d love to hear your ideas.

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