Tasty Bites: Bountiful Bean Salad

By Beth V

My next couple of recipes are going to be summer salads that are perfect for making ahead and keeping in the fridge to munch on at family meals or to bring to your next summer potluck picnic. Theses are tried and true recipes that have been raved over and requested again and again.

Today’s recipe is from my sister, Bonnie. It is super-nutritious with beans, corn, mozzarella, tomatoes, scallions, red onion and cilantro all bathed in a delicious homemade balsamic vinaigrette. It is fresh and healthy with a superb combination of flavors. 

First, we are going to make the deliciously simple balsamic vinaigrette. Grab a large jar with a tight-fitting lid and add 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar ( I like Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, inexpensive and found at Wal-Mart and most grocery stores), 2 tablespoons spicy brown or Dijon mustard, ¾ cups oil (more on this in a minute), ½ tsp salt, a couple of shakes of pepper and 1 tablespoon of sugar. The sugar is optional. I think a little extra sweetness adds to the dressing, but feel free to omit it or replace it with Splenda or another substitute. Put the lid on and shake well to combine. Now, a note on the oil - I prefer to use half extra virgin olive oil and half canola oil. The canola has the same types of unsaturated, omega-3 fats as the olive oil. The reason behind this is that the olive oil congeals under refrigeration, so the dressing needs to come to room temperature a bit before it can be shaken up. The addition of the canola oil keeps the dressing from congealing and also reduces the cost of the dressing as a side-benefit. You will use half the dressing in this recipe, use the rest on your favorite salad or store it in the refrigerator for 3 weeks or more for the next time you make this yummy salad.

Now, grab a large bowl and add drained and rinsed black beans and kidney beans, and a can of shoe peg corn. If you can’t find shoe peg corn, regular sweet corn works just as well. Chop and add the following: 2 tomatoes, 1 bunch of scallions, ½ cup red onion, and ½ bunch fresh cilantro. Now, cut ½ pound of mozzarella cheese (think the large, 1-lb blocks of mozzarella in the cheese aisle) into ¼-inch cubes and sprinkle over top.

Stir all of the ingredients well and pour on about half of the balsamic vinaigrette, stirring to distribute the dressing. Refrigerate the salad until your ready to take it to your picnic or enjoy it with your family! It tastes best of the salad is made several hours ahead or even the night before serving – the flavors have a chance to blend nicely. Add more or less dressing to taste. If you are feeding a really large crowd this recipe lends itself perfectly to doubling.

Bountiful Bean Salad

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 can shoe peg corn, drained

½ lb mozzarella, cut into ¼-inch cubes

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch scallions, chopped

½ cup chopped red onion

½ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and coat with balsamic vinaigrette dressing to taste. Prepare several hours ahead or the night before to allow the flavors to blend.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons spicy brown or Dijon mustard

¾ cup oil (I like half extra-virgin olive oil and half canola)

½ teaspoon salt

Black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon sugar or sugar-substitute (optional)

Combine ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to combine. Store in refrigerator for three weeks or more.

Beth is a stay-at-home mom of three wonderfully active children ages seven, four and one. She is married to Jason V (who also writes for us here at MAD21) and spends her days teaching, changing diapers, sweeping up Cheerios, stepping over Legos, keeping peace among the kids, and enjoying the creative outlet of cooking.

Comments

[Carla McNeil]

thanks Beth, this sounds like a great salad. I have printed out the recipe and will test it out myself. I love the idea of chunks of the cheese in the salad. I think it might be real tasty with Feta cheese also.

[Beth]

Great! I hope you enjoy it. The only hesitation about the feta would be that the dressing already adds quite a bit of "tang", so it might be extra tangy, but it would probably still taste great. Let me know if you try the feta! Thanks!