20140704

Go Green: It's a Seven-Bean Salad Recipe

While three-bean salads are fine and five-bean salads are swell, there's nothing as spectacularly simple and delicious as this (Lucky) Seven-Bean Salad. This quick, easy, and healthy salad—a combination of tasty beans tossed in a tangy Lemon Dijon dressing—is guaranteed to become a staple at your table.

INGREDIENTS:

Lemon Dijon Dressing

6 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp champagne vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp lemon zest
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Seven Bean Salad

2 cups fresh green beans, ends snipped
1½ cups frozen edamame, thawed
2 cups snow peas
1 cup fresh green peas
1½ cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1½ cups baby lima beans, rinsed and drained
1½ cups white (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp lemon zest
¼ tsp kosher salt, or more to taste

DIRECTIONS:

For the Lemon Dijon dressing, in a food processor or blender, combine olive oil, champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, mustard seeds, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Pulse 2-3 times, until well combined. Set aside.

For the salad, bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add green beans and edamame. Turn heat to low and cook 1 minute. Add snow peas and fresh green peas and continue cooking 1 minute more. Drain and immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Once cold, drain again and dry out completely. Place in a large bowl along with chickpeas, lima beans, white beans, parsley, thyme, lemon zest, and salt. Pour dressing over salad, toss well, and refrigerate covered until ready to serve.