How to Make Summer Garden Bean Salad

Make a delicious and summer garden bean salad with fresh and canned beans. The garden fresh beans and a light vinaigrette dressing make this salad so refreshing during the summer. But this is a great year round salad, because it's packed full of vitamins and it's a great source of high fiber and protein. Here are a few tips to make a summer garden bean salad.

Instructions

1. Remove the ends of a half-pound each of fresh green beans and yellow wax beans. Slice the beans in half, on the diagonal. If summer is long gone and fresh beans aren't available, buy whole frozen beans that are not fully cooked, only blanched.

2. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling. Blanch the fresh beans by boiling them for only a minute or two and removing them immediately from the boiling water. Immerse the blanched beans in ice cold water to retain the color. Drain the fresh beans well. If you are using whole frozen beans, let them thaw but do not blanch again.

3. Slice 3 or 4 scallions, including the firm part of the greens, into fine slices. If you don't have scallions, a finely sliced leek is a good substitute in this summer salad. Wash the leek thoroughly to remove fine dirt particles.

4. Drain 1 cup each of kidney beans, garbanzo beans and black beans. Any canned beans will do, but try to vary the colors of the canned beans. If you don't have garbanzo beans, you can substitute lima beans or great northern beans.

5. Mix all the ingredients for the summer garden bean salad together in a large salad bowl. Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste. Add the vinaigrette and toss lightly. Allow the bean salad to marinate at least an hour in the vinaigrette; the longer the salad marinates the better the flavor.

6. Make a quick and easy raspberry vinaigrette by mixing vinegar with raspberry syrup to taste; use raspberry syrup found in the syrup section or ice cream toppings aisle. Raspberry vinaigrette is a delicious option for the summer bean salad. Red wine vinaigrette or a light balsamic vinaigrette is also delicious.

Tips & Warnings

• Garnish with baby spinach leaves or flat leaf parsley.

• Add fresh corn, right off the cob for more color and taste.

• Sugar snap peas or pea pods are a great addition if they are fresh.

Resources

• Visit Epicurious for more summer garden recipes.