I love beans so much that I decided to share the recipe for this delicious big bean salad with broccolini and Dijon-dill dressing I whipped up last week. I call it the big bean salad because I don’t want to single out a specific bean, but for salads I prefer the big beans you can easily spear to the tiny ones you end up chasing around the plate with your fork. Top this beautiful salad with my Dijon-dill dressing, and you veggie lovers will be in heaven! You may even find yourself dipping the beans in the leftover dressing for a quick snack!
Heirloom Beans
For this big bean salad, I used Christmas limas, which I ordered from Rancho Gordo in Napa, California. Their heirloom beans are gorgeous and make great gifts (happy Valentine’s Day to me!). After trying these gems, it’s going to be difficult for me to go back to canned beans.
I had just finished cooking these beans when a friend stopped by, and I had her try one. She said she thought it tasted like steak! I wouldn’t go quite that far, but I will say that these Christmas limas keep their umami flavor and firm shape way better than mushy, canned beans. But don’t worry — I won’t reject any beans. I love them all!
Also, I’d like to point out that these Christmas lima beans are (Trump voice) YUUUUUUGE!
Here is one on a lemon half, if you’d like some perspective:
YUUUUUUGE! Sorry. I’ll stop now.
You don’t have to put my Dijon-dill dressing on this big bean salad if you’d prefer another dressing, but boy is it delicious! While I typically just use straight vinegar on my salads, this dressing was an exciting change. It would also be a great option if you’re making a salad for someone else and wanted to make it a little more special than placing a bottle of vinegar in front of them. Just saying.
If you know me at all, you know I don’t put oil in my dressings. It’s a waste of calories and frankly, a waste of oil. I’d rather get my fats from nuts, seeds, and avocados. So here you go, a creamy, flavorful dressing made of cashews, dijon, lemon juice, fresh dill, and capers. Use this nutritious dressing, and you won’t even have to add nuts/seeds to your salad!
Ah, the classic blender shot!
- 2 large handfuls salad greens of choice
- 1 cup large beans, cooked in veg. broth (I used Christmas limas, but cannellinis, kidneys, gigantes, etc. would work well.)
- 1 bunch broccolini (or broccoli sliced into thin spears), roasted or steamed
- Fresh dill for garnishing
- Dijon-dill Dressing:
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked 1-2 hrs in warm water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 T. Dijon mustard
- 2 T. chopped fresh dill
- 1 t. capers, drained & chopped
- A few grinds of black pepper
- Plate your greens, beans (warm or cold), and broccolini on 2 large plates. Sprinkle with fresh dill, as desired.
- In a blender, combine all dressing ingredients except dill and capers until smooth. Add water to thin to desired consistency. Add dill and capers and blend for 3 seconds or so to combine. Taste and add salt or pepper if needed.
- Drizzle dressing on salads and top with more black pepper and dill. Squeeze extra lemon juice over salad for an extra punch of flavor. Enjoy!
This dressing recipe makes just enough for 2 people, so you may want to double the recipe so you can keep some in your fridge to use the rest of the week.
If you’re a bean lover like me, be sure to try some of my other bean recipes!
What brand of vegetable bullion do you use? I cannot find one that doesn’t contain msg.
I use Rapunzel Vegetable Bullion with sea salt (from Whole Foods). I don’t love that it has palm oil in it, but you don’t ingest very much when all is said and done.