I taught this dish at a webinar on muscle and protein; it’s a great example of the way in which Mediterranean recipes often combine animal protein (a scarce and precious commodity “back in the day”) with beans (a cheaper and more easily available source of plant protein).
You can rustle this dish up in a matter of minutes, so add it to your weeknight rotation.
Quick Bean & Salmon Salad
Servings:
Calories: 445kcal
A delicious plant & animal protein combo for busy weeknights
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Ingredients
- 3½ cups cannellini beans (unsalted) drained & rinsed. Canned beans are fine (3 cups = 2 cans' worth), but IMHO, beans that have been soaked & cooked from scratch have a more satisfying texture, and may be easier to digest
- 1 large shallot finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 12 oz (drained) roasted red peppers I like Trader Joe's Fire Roasted Red Peppers; drain (don't rinse), halve and thinly slice
- 1 cup fresh parsley coarsely chopped
- 10.7 oz canned salmon drained; my favorite salmon for this recipe is Trader Joe's lightly smoked salmon in olive oil (3 cans = 10.7 oz salmon). If you don't live near Trader Joe's, use a different brand of canned salmon. Or poach/roast fresh salmon, chill it, and flake it into the salad. (Leftover salmon works, too!)
- 2 oz feta cheese or fresh goat cheese coarsely crumbled
Instructions
- In a large salad bowl, combine the chopped shallot, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and white balsamic vinegar. Let these macerate for a few minutes to mellow the flavor of the onions.
- Whisk in the olive oil. You should have a well-emulsified, slightly thick dressing.
- Add the drained beans, sliced peppers, and parsley to the bowl and toss gently to combine.
- Break the canned or cooked fish into large chunks and fold them in gently -- we don't want them to get crushed and lost in the salad.
- Chill for an hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld.
- Just before serving, scatter the crumbled cheese on top.
- This keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days. I often serve it over a bed of arugula.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 1093mg | Potassium: 512mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1831IU | Vitamin C: 62mg | Calcium: 444mg | Iron: 6mg