Description
This White Bean Salad with Summer Vegetables combines creamy cannellini beans with charred zucchini, sweet corn, juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp celery, and green olives. A fresh lemon-basil dressing brings everything together for an easy, colorful summer lunch, side dish, or light dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad
- 2 small zucchinis
- 1 ear fresh corn
- 14 oz (400 g) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 7 oz (200 g) cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 3 celery stalks, finely sliced
- 12 large pitted green olives, chopped
- Olive oil, for brushing
For the Lemon-Basil Dressing
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 0.5 oz (15 g) fresh basil leaves
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat a griddle pan over medium-high heat.
- Cut the zucchini diagonally into slices about ¼-inch thick. Lightly brush the zucchini slices and corn with olive oil.
- Place the zucchini and corn on the hot griddle. Cook the zucchini undisturbed until nicely charred, then turn and cook the other side. Rotate the corn about every 3 minutes until charred on all sides.
- Remove the vegetables from the heat and allow them to cool slightly. Cut the zucchini into bite-size pieces and carefully slice the corn kernels from the cob.
- Add the zucchini, corn, drained cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, celery, and green olives to a large bowl.
- For the dressing, combine the grated garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl. Let it rest for a few minutes to mellow the raw garlic.
- Add the garlic-lemon mixture, basil, lemon zest, and 3 tablespoons olive oil to a mini food processor. Blend until well combined. Season with salt and black pepper. Alternatively, finely chop the basil and whisk all the dressing ingredients together by hand.
- Pour the lemon-basil dressing over the salad and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Notes
- Drain the cannellini beans thoroughly so excess liquid doesn’t water down the dressing.
- Let the griddle get properly hot before adding the vegetables for better caramelization and char marks.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan. Grill the zucchini in batches if necessary.
- The salad can be prepared ahead, but for the freshest texture, add the dressing closer to serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Great northern beans can replace cannellini beans if needed.
- For a heartier variation, add feta cheese or serve with grilled chicken, shrimp, or fish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Grilling / Griddle
- Cuisine: Mediterranean-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: ~330 kcal
- Sugar: ~6 g
- Sodium: ~500 mg
- Fat: ~16 g
- Saturated Fat: ~2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: ~39 g
- Fiber: ~10 g
- Protein: ~11 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg