White Bean Salad with Red Pepper & Basil
Introduction
This salad is packed with flavour, and while it goes with everything, it’s particularly good with Mediterranean dishes. I also love it squished onto crusty bread. Yep, ideal for a picnic!
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Beans
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 Tbsp capers, drained
75ml (5 Tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 x 400g (14 oz) cans white beans, drained, rinsed and drained (or soak and cook 1 cup dried white beans)
Red Pepper Topping
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 large red pepper (bell pepper / capsicum), halved, cored, deseeded and chopped
½ cup black olives, halved and stoned
Sprig of basil leaves
1 tsp tomato paste (UK tomato purée)
¼ tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 Tbsp capers, drained
75ml (5 Tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 x 400g (14 oz) cans white beans, drained, rinsed and drained (or soak and cook 1 cup dried white beans)
Red Pepper Topping
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 large red pepper (bell pepper / capsicum), halved, cored, deseeded and chopped
½ cup black olives, halved and stoned
Sprig of basil leaves
1 tsp tomato paste (UK tomato purée)
¼ tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method
1 Start on the beans first so they have time to absorb the dressing. Put vinegar, garlic and capers in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk in oil and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add beans and mix with a rubber scraper until well coated with dressing (the scraper prevents crushing the beans). Set aside, or cover and chill.
2 For the red pepper topping, heat oil in a medium-sized frying pan (skillet), over a low-to medium heat. Add onion, garlic and red pepper. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is tender, stirring often.
2 Add olives, basil leaves, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 more minutes more. Spoon over the beans and mix gently together. Serve at room temperature.