I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get around to making this Butter Bean Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette. I had something similar to it last Spring at the Fremont Diner and I absolutely loved it. I’ve bought the various ingredients many times in the past year or so, but it seems like I can never keep them all in the house at the same time. First I buy the fennel and then use it up roasting it with tomatoes and garlic for a quick pasta dish. Then I buy beets but use them up for salad or bruschetta. Then I buy beans but end up making them into basil bean spread. What can I say? Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of why something is in your fridge. But I finally made this Butter Bean Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette and I’m so glad that I did. Since I finally held the initial salad together, we’ve had it multiple times. And each time I make it, I’m as grateful for the leftovers and I am for the salad itself, which is saying something, because too many salads make terrible leftovers. I grilled some sweet Italian chicken sausages and tossed them with the leftover Butter Bean Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette and fusilli. I served the salad with grilled squid and crusty bread, and I served it with toast, fresh shaved parm and a poached egg for a quick guests-just-stopped-by brunch, of course. And I think it would be a great picnic side with pulled pork. I think that’s coming up soon. No matter why you make this Butter Bean Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette, if there’s any leftover, you’re going to have fun figuring out what to do with it.
- 2 small yellow beets; scrubbed and stems removed
- 1 small bulb fennel
- 1 can butter beans
- 2 tablespoons meyer lemon juice
- zest of meyer lemon 1 tablespoon
- 2 tablespoons really good olive oil (I like a fruity one for this)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- fennel fronds for garnish
- Drain and rinse the butter beans and add them to a large salad bowl. Add salt, olive oil, zest, and lemon juice. Toss to coat.
Using a mandoline, slice the fennel very thin. Pile them in a salad bowl. Slice the beets as well. If the beets are larger, you may want to halve the rounds. Pile these in the same bowl. Rough chop the parsley and fennel fronds. Let sit until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, toss well. Garnish with a few extra fennel fronds on top.
This salad is gorgeous! What a creative combination that I am anxious to try. I think it it is the perfect way to serve up other wise plain beans.
Thanks, and it’s nice to have some cheap healthy and beautiful salads that favor winter ingredients.
VERY refreshing to know that I am not the only one who buys an ingredient then sort of forgets why… we get around to these things eventually, right?
so happy you did finally make this – it sounds so light and fresh, I cannot wait to try it! thank you!
I hope you enjoy it, when you finally have all the ingredients in the right place at the right time. HA!
I am a recent convert to butter beans. I love their meaty texture, and that they hold up when cooked unlike some other beans. I’ll have to add this one to my list of “to try”! Thanks!
I agree with you on butter beans. Good stuff.
Such a pretty and inventive salad. Really into beans these day. so versatile and tasty.
Thanks!
You said the magic words…Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette!
I love meyers so much. I used to have a meyer lemon tree outside my window in CA. I miss it so much.