Bean Salad with Bell Pepper
Two kinds of beans, a grilled bell pepper, and a lemon vinaigrette on a bed of arugula. The whole thing takes 10 minutes. Green beans are boiled al dente and cooled, cannellini beans go straight from the can, and wide bell pepper strips get charred in a grill pan until they soften and turn sweet.
The plate lands at 570 calories with 18 grams of fiber and 21 grams of protein, all from plants. Toasted whole wheat bread on the side.
Two kinds of beans, a grilled bell pepper, and a lemon vinaigrette on a bed of arugula. The whole thing takes 10 minutes. Green beans are boiled al dente and cooled, cannellini beans go straight from the can, and wide bell pepper strips get charred in a grill pan until they soften and turn sweet.
The plate lands at 570 calories with 18 grams of fiber and 21 grams of protein, all from plants. Toasted whole wheat bread on the side.
Ingredients
- green beans, frozen 6 ounces
- cannellini beans 6 ounces
- bell pepper 1 piece
- olive oil 1.5 tablespoon
- lemon juice 1 squeeze
- arugula 1 handful
- bread, whole wheat 2 slices
Method
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Cook the green beans for 6-8 minutes until they are al dente. Then, rinse them in a colander with cold water and allow them to drain well. Rinse the cannellini beans in a colander with cold water as well.
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Meanwhile, slice the bell pepper into wide strips lengthwise, lightly brush them with half of the oil and grill them in a hot grill pan until they develop brown stripes and become tender.
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In a bowl, prepare the dressing by mixing the lemon juice, the remaining oil, salt and freshly ground pepper.
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Combine the green beans, cannellini beans and grilled bell pepper strips with the dressing in the bowl.
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Place the arugula on a plate and top it with the bean salad. Serve with the (toasted) bread.
Let the green beans drain in the colander for a full minute after the cold rinse. Excess water clings to the surface and dilutes the lemon vinaigrette, turning a crisp dressed salad into a watery bowl.
Behind this recipe
Can I use canned green beans instead of frozen?
Frozen green beans have a snap that canned versions lost long ago. Canned green beans are already fully cooked, so boiling them for another 6-8 minutes turns them mushy. If you only have canned, skip the boiling step entirely. Just drain, rinse with cold water, and toss them in with the cannellini beans.
Where does all the fiber come from?
Both beans carry the load. Cannellini beans and green beans are each naturally high in fiber, and doubling up in the same bowl pushes the total to 18 grams per plate. The two slices of whole wheat bread add a few more grams on top.
Is this recipe vegan?
Yes. Every ingredient is plant-based. The protein comes from cannellini beans, green beans, and whole wheat bread. No dairy, no eggs, no animal products.
