Salad with Grilled Zucchini, Beans & Pesto Dressing
Warm char marks over cold crumbled feta. Creamy cannellini beans next to peppery raw radishes. The pesto dressing gets an unexpected edge from yellow mustard and a squeeze of lemon, pulling the whole plate together.
718 calories and 30g of protein from a 15-minute salad that never asks for meat.
Warm char marks over cold crumbled feta. Creamy cannellini beans next to peppery raw radishes. The pesto dressing gets an unexpected edge from yellow mustard and a squeeze of lemon, pulling the whole plate together.
718 calories and 30g of protein from a 15-minute salad that never asks for meat.
Ingredients
- zucchini 1 piece
- olive oil 1.5 tablespoon
- cannellini beans 5 ounces
- radishes 5 pieces
- pesto 2 teaspoons
- lemon juice 1 squeeze
- yellow mustard 0.5 teaspoon
- mixed salad 1 handful
- feta cheese, crumbled 2 ounces
- bread, whole wheat 2 slices
Method
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Slice the zucchini into rounds and toss them in a bowl with half of the oil, pepper, and salt.
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Heat a grill pan and grill the zucchini rounds for 4 minutes on each side.
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Meanwhile, rinse the beans in a colander with water and let them drain well. Quarter the radishes.
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Prepare a dressing with the green pesto, the remaining oil, lemon juice, and mustard.
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Arrange the lettuce, beans, radishes, grilled zucchini, and feta on a plate. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Season with pepper and salt to taste and serve with the (toasted) bread.
Pat the zucchini rounds dry before tossing them in oil. Surface moisture creates steam instead of char in a grill pan, so drying them first is the difference between golden-brown grill marks and pale, soft rounds.
Behind this recipe
Can I make this salad ahead?
The components hold well separately. Grilled zucchini, beans, radishes, and feta can sit in the fridge for up to a day. Toss the dressing and assemble just before eating — the mixed greens wilt quickly once dressed.
How does a meatless salad hit 30g of protein?
Three sources split the load: cannellini beans deliver the largest share, feta cheese adds another portion, and two slices of whole wheat bread contribute the rest. Combined, the meal hits 30g of protein. Dose-response research has found no practical per-meal ceiling on how much protein your body can use for muscle building.
Read the full evidence reviewIs the olive oil still good for you after grilling?
Normal cooking temperatures in a grill pan don't break down olive oil's beneficial compounds. Research on domestic cooking found that polyphenols, the compounds behind olive oil's health reputation, survive standard sautéing and pan temperatures. This recipe actually uses the oil two ways — half for grilling, half raw in the pesto dressing.
Read the full evidence reviewWhat's a good swap for feta?
Parmesan works well — it adds a sharper, nuttier flavor and melts slightly on the warm zucchini. Goat cheese crumbles are another solid option. The macros will shift slightly depending on the swap.
