Tasty Two-Bean Salad
2020 Update: This is a recipe that my mom took to potlucks a lot when we were kids; I’ve made a couple of small changes from her recipe – mostly switching out the sugar for maple syrup, and reducing the sweetness overall. It travels well, and is even better when it’s been in the fridge overnight to allow the flavours to blend.
To me, this recipe feels like Summer – like a Summer road trip to a family reunion, or a baby shower in someone’s back yard, or a picnic in the park. Coupled with egg salad sandwiches on fresh poppyseed buns from Bunsmaster, it’s The Summer meal of my childhood.
If you’re saving portions for lunches, you may want to leave out the fresh things – green beans, cherry tomatoes, and herbs – and add them in on the day you’ll be eating them; it lasts much longer that way, and the other ingredients will have time to marinate and absorb the flavours.
2009: I love artichoke hearts, and cold salads, and green beans. This is a good one to take to potlucks!
Tasty Two-Bean Salad
Serves 8-12, 20-30 minutes working time, 0 minutes cooking time
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
Salad
- 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1″ pieces (about 2 cups)
- 1 15-oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 6-oz jar of artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped Italian parsley
Instructions
- Blend dressing ingredients, combine well, and set aside.
- Mix salad ingredients in a large bowl.
- Pour dressing over salad, toss to coat.
- Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate to allow flavours to meld. Keeps 2-3 days in tightly-sealed container.
Serves 8
Approx 161 calories per serving.
