Heart of the Matter: Party Food

It was in Rome that I first tasted cannellini beans tossed with thinly sliced red onion, herbs and olive oil. I fell in love with the earthy flavor and made a point of trying the many, many variations on this dish whenever possible.

It's a dish that travels well and can be eaten at room temperature, making it perfect for potlucks and picnics. I don't think I've ever ended up with the same end result, though I always start with the same basic recipe. The salad pictured here has less tomato than called for, white onions instead or red, and the addition of radishes and baby spinach. That's the beauty of this recipe-- once you've got the basic salad made you can add whatever appeals to you. Chopped pitted Greek olives, sliced pepperoncini (small Italian peppers),  and bits of feta or smoked cheese also work very well.

You can, of course, cook your own beans, but I tend not to plan ahead that far. I always have a few cans of cannellini beans in my cupboard so that I can make this salad at a moment's notice.

Cannellini Bean Salad
adapted from The American Cancer Society's Healthy Eating Cookbook
serves 4

1 16-ounce can white beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
Splash of red wine vinegar, to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh oregano

Place beans into a small bowl. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper, mixing gently. Add tomatoes, onion, and oregano and toss to mix. Add the vinegar, to taste.

This is my entry for The Heart of The Matter event 13, hosted by Ilva of Lucullian Delights.

Comments

[mimi]

i love radishes and i'm always trying to think of new ways to eat them besides in a typical green salad. i love the idea of spicy radishes with the meaty beans! will try this once they show up at the farmer's market.

[Rosa]

I too love this salad, particularly with tuna and lots of Italian parsley!

[ilva]

I love beans served like this, thanks for this perfect HotM entry

[Deborah]

I love cannellini beans and this salad sounds wonderful!

[Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)]

I love white bean salads, with tuna and some chopped olives added.

[Adele]

Mmm. If you have any leftovers, you can put them into a blender, and they instantly become a delicious white bean dip. :)

[Aran]

I just read another post with white beans. I can't get enough and I just made lentils yesterday! I'm a huge lover of legumes, hot, cold, soups, salads... Fantastic!

[Bellini Valli]

I love this versatile salad with all it's tempting flavours:D I am breaking out the BBQ:D

[giz]

My favourite kind of food, as a main, as a side, as a snack - it really doesn't matter. It's wholesome and totally satisfying. It also looks great.

[Zenchef]

Me too love beans! For once we can eat something satisfying that is not actually bad for you. Better take full advantage of it. :-)

[Susan from Food Blogga]

I love these types of salads--they're perfect for a main or side dish and they make great leftovers. This is a most delicious entry and heart-healthy entry.

[Anali]

Thanks for this recipe! Perfect timing. I have some tomatoes and cannellini beans and can make something quick for my lunch!

[LisaRene]

Adding beans makes a salad much more substantial. Great idea, and it looks lovely served atop baby spinach.

[Labelga]

Excellent! I really like beans, this is my cup of tea, a salad like this.

[Sophie]

Love this kind of thing - we always have stacks of cans of beans in ready for a quick lunch. Beans and radish go really well with a bit of chalky cheese crumbled on the top like Wensleydale or lancashire