Arugula Salad with White Beans

Why you'll love this recipe

1. White bean with Arugula salad is a nutritious meal that's high in protein and fiber, keeping you fuller for longer.
2. The peppery arugula adds a bold and vibrant flavor to the dish.
3. The lemon dressing adds a refreshing tangy taste to the salad.
4. It's an easy-to-make, budget-friendly recipe that's perfect for a quick and healthy meal on a busy weeknight.

If you love to have salads as part of your meal, be sure to check out the following salad recipes - sweet and savory tropical salad, crunchy and healthy apple salad, Thai-style salad with cashew dressing, etc.

Ingredients

White Beans, like most legumes, are a good source of protein and fiber that helps you keep full for a longer time. Also, they are rich in iron, and potassium. Overall, they can help promote healthy digestion, lower cholesterol levels, and improve blood sugar control.

Arugula with its a peppery flavor makes it a popular leafy green in salads or used as a garnish on pizzas and sandwiches. It is high in vitamin K, and contains compounds that may have anti-cancer properties.

Salad veggies can include a variety of fresh, colorful vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, and bell peppers, which provide nutrients, fiber, and flavor to a salad.

Dressing enhances the taste of a salad, and can include ingredients such as olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, herbs, and spices. When olive oil is used, the dressing becomes rich in healthy fats and antioxidants, and help increase the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins from the vegetables.

Crunchy garnish can provide texture and visual appeal to a salad, and may include ingredients such as nuts, seeds, croutons, or fried onions. I like to add nuts and seeds for my salad dressings as they add healthy fats and protein to the meal.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions and Variations

• Use any variety of onions - red, yellow, or white. You can also substitute onions with chopped scallions or chives.
• Arugula can be substituted with kale, baby spinach, salad greens, lettuce, etc.
• Tomatoes and Carrots can be substituted with cucumbers, roasted peppers, radish, steamed broccoli, etc.
• Lemon juice can be substituted with your preferred vinegar. Dijon mustard can be substituted with mayonnaise.

Variations to this Salad

• Make this a Greek salad by substituting parmesan with feta cheese, and adding some chopped cucumber, kalamata olives, etc. See my easy greek salad and customize it to your liking.
• For an Italian/Tuscan salad, add a protein such as grilled chicken or tuna, add some Italian seasoning, and garnish with croutons instead of nuts/seeds.
• For an Indian version, substitute dressing with yogurt, add some garam masala powder and chaat masala as seasoning. See black plum salad in yogurt and chickpea potato salad for inspiration.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 - Mix together cooked white beans, salad vegetables, and arugula in a large bowl.

Step 2 - In a separate bowl whisk together lemon juice, dijon mustard, and olive oil until everything is smooth and emulsified.

Step 3 - Add the dressing to the bowl containing salad mix, and toss gently.

Step 4 - Garnish with nuts, seeds, or croutons, and enjoy!

Expert Tips

• To enhance the flavor and texture of the white beans, add a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil and let it sit for 15 minutes. If you are cooking white beans from scratch, add salt and olive oil while cooking the beans.
• When making the lemon dressing, whisk the dijon mustard and lemon juice together before adding the oil to create a smooth emulsion.
• Toss the salad gently to avoid crushing the delicate arugula leaves.
• Roast the nuts in a dry pan for a few minutes until golden brown to add an extra nutty flavor to the salad.

Storage and Make Ahead Instructions

• The salad can be made up to 24 hours in advance, but it's best to add the arugula and roasted nuts just before serving to prevent wilting.
• If you're planning to make the salad ahead of time, keep the three main components of this dish separately. Store the cooked white beans and dressing separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. To prevent the arugula from getting soggy, keep it in a separate container or a sealed plastic bag with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.
• Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but remember that the arugula may wilt and the roasted nuts may lose their crunch over time.

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