Marinated Beans With Celery & Ricotta Salata
We spent the month of February in Florida, and I must admit that I thoroughly enjoyed the warm weather. Our new puppy arrived at the beginning of our stay, and he immediately settled in, sleeping through the night in his crate, walking on a leash, and eating everything served to him.
The only issues we still need to work on our potty training and getting along with his sister, our five-year-old Yorkie Zoe. I know with time, we’ll get everything worked out. He is an adorable little guy and is fitting into our family quite easily. With a new puppy in the house, I haven’t spent as much time as usual in the kitchen, but we still prepare most meals at home. They are just quick and easy meals right now!
There are times when you do not have a lot of time to get dinner on the table, and you are scrambling to put a few dishes together. If you have canned beans in your pantry, this is an easy side dish or light lunch you can pull together in minutes. Just open the cans, drain and rinse and once the beans are ready, toss them with some finely chopped onions, celery, and fresh herbs.
I like to add any celery leaves chopped into the mix, which adds a fresh flavor. Next, whisk together a quick red wine vinaigrette, toss it into the beans and vegetables and then dump it into a bowl or onto a platter. Grate some Ricotta Salata cheese on top or another cheese of choice, and you have a delicious dish in mere minutes.
If serving this for lunch, I often will add some halved cherry tomatoes, but it is great with or without them. I used one can of cannellini beans and one can of borlotti (or cranberry) beans because I had them in my pantry, but you can use whatever canned beans you prefer.
I serve this salad at room temperature for the best flavor, but it does store well in the refrigerator for up to three days. Just bring the salad back to room temperature before serving.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Marinated Beans With Celery & Ricotta Salata
An easy to assemble side dish from basic pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 Cans Beans (Cannellini, Borlotti, Pinto, etc.) Drained and Rinsed (See Notes Above)
- 4 Celery Stalks (Plus Any Leaves), Chopped
- 4 Green Onions, Chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Thyme
- 2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley
- 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- 2-3 Ounces Ricotta Salata, Grated
Instructions
- Dump, beans, celery, onions, and herbs into a bowl and toss to mix.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to blend, then pour over the bean mixture.
- Toss to coat the beans.
- Sprinkle the cheese on top and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 381Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 430mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 8g
