If you have a perfectly ripe avocado, there is nothing better to do with it than this easy marinated 2-bean and green salad. This dish combines their nutty smoothness with other seasonal ingredients. Cucumbers are refreshing and cherry tomatoes lend their sweet-tart flavors. Then I dress it all with my lemony garlic-mustard vinaigrette or even my baba ghanoush dressing.
This can be a clean-out-the-fridge light meal when I have a few of everything left over: some leftover beans, tomatoes, cucumber and an avocado. Make it for a quick lunch or a Meatless Monday dinner.
Rather than stack these ingredients in a bowl where they can all be buried with each other, I set up a layer of very fresh leaves of lettuce on a salad plate. Romaine or butter lettuce are perfect choices because they will lie flat and showcase your other ingredients. Leaf or head lettuce are just as tasty but don’t lend themselves to as smooth a presentation.
Then I scatter the other ingredients on top. The look of this salad depends a lot on how you slice your vegetables. If you cut the cherry tomatoes in quarters rather than in half and thin-slice the cucumbers, it makes a more attractive salad than when ingredients are in chunks.
The same goes for the avocado. Once I've thin-sliced each avocado half, I fan the slices out on a small plate, then use a thin spatula to transfer them to the top of the salad.
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Top with sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Costco sells a delicious mixture of seeds that are seasoned with tamari.
Then, the dressing: lemon to keep the avocado from browning, mustard and white vinegar for flavor and garlic for taste and health; extra freshly ground pepper!
Of course this recipe is gluten-free and vegan.
If you make this simple recipe, please let me know in the comments how it went, and share your creation!
Beth
Other recipes you may enjoy
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Capers and Feta GF and Vegan
Beet-Feta Salad with Garlicky Crispy Walnuts
Mediterranean Quinoa Vegetable Salad
Roasted Heirloom Tomato Tart with Chickpea-Walnut Filling GF and vegan
Shop Marinated 2-Bean and Green Salad
GERBS Lightly Sea Salted Ro...Shop on Amazon 365 by Whole Foods Market, ...Shop on Amazon Chickpeas | Garbanzo Beans ...Shop on Amazon
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Marinated 2-Bean and Green Salad
Ingredients
- 5-6 small leaves of romaine or butter lettuce per salad
- ½ cup beans per salad garbanzo and white beans shown here, marinated for at least 30 minutes in the dressing
- ¼ small sweet or white onion thinly sliced, optional
- 1 small cucumber thinly sliced by hand or using a mandolin
- 1 ripe avocado preferably Hass, halved, peeled, and thin-sliced
- 10 heirloom cherry tomatoes cut into wedges
- ¼ to ⅓ cup mixed seasoned sunflower and pumpkin seeds see note
- lemony garlic-mustard dressing 2-3 tablespoons per salad
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the beans in enough salad dressing to coat them; let marinate for at least 30 minutes and preferably an hour.
- On a large salad plate, arrange the greens.
- Distribute the beans, tomatoes and cucumber slices onto the greens.
- Fan out the avocado slices, then place them in the center.
- Pour the salad dressing, including the marinade you used for the beans, over the vegetables to taste.
- Sprinkle the seed mixture and black pepper over the dish, and enjoy!
Notes
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Fred
First if all, I had never thought about cutting cherry tomatoes into quarters. I almost always cut them in two. This salad is so loaded that it'll make a perfect dinner. Thanks for shring!
Beth
Hi Fred, we found that cutting the cherry tomatoes in quarters makes the flavor go farther! I'm glad you like the look of the salad, and thanks for the comment.
Taleen | Just As Tasty
This salad looks delicious! I love that you incorporated the two different types of beans, and that avocado looks like the perfect finishing touch. Can't wait to try!
Beth
Hi Taleen, one of the best things about this salad is that you can make it plain or fancy, and the avocado is always the best part!
Lesli Schwartz
That is a beautiful, vibrant summer salad! Love the beans, so good for you!
Beth
Thanks, this is one our Meatless Monday standbys.
Stine Mari
I love the sound of that lemony mustard vinaigrette with all these wonderful vegetables! Perfect blend of sweet and tart!
Beth
I will tell my son you like the sound of the vinaigrette - that's his pride and joy recipe.
Amy Liu Dong
This is such a pretty salad and I love everything on it, it's loaded with delicious and nutritious ingredients.
Beth
We do too, it's our perfect go-to salad that everybody likes.
Maria
The plating of this salad is such a beautiful presentation! This salad has such a lovely balance of flavors and textures.
Beth
Thank you! I think the sliced avocado really makes it special.
Sarah James
I love a bean salad and I can't wait to try yours. I regularly make a bean salad for my lunch and I've got stuck in a rut having the same one. The seeds are a great idea and healthy too.
Beth
Thanks, Sarah, we love this for lunch, too, with such a tasty mix of textures.
Leslie
What a perfect salad recipe! This salad has everything going for it! I love the flavor and texture combinations!
Beth
Thank you! It's got all our favorite ingredients!
Jayashree T.Rao
I love this one, it is awesome and something that I will relish anytime. Looks so good and colourful.
Beth
I hope you will enjoy this salad as much as we do!
Emily
I really don't eat beans enough, but was inspired by your recipe! Loved this refreshing bean and greens salad and will be making it again!
Beth
Thanks, Emily, I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it and plan to make it again!
Marta
Surprisingly enough, I've never made bean salad before, but I have all of the ingredients to make this, so I'lm going to change that.
Beth
Thanks, Marta, it's a great combination of flavors and I hope you'll enjoy it.
Gail Montero
This is a delicious dish to add to my salad collection. Looks so filling and satisfying, too!
Beth
We also enjoy that this salad is so easily customizable and truly delicious.
Jen | Jen's Food Lab
Omg I've been so unhealthy lately, so this would be a welcome change in my diet. It seems like it has all the nutrients to keep me going.
Beth
Hi Jen, this is so refreshing and nourishing, I think you will enjoy it.
Alexis
I recently made this for a dinner party, it was a huge hit. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Beth
Thanks for letting me know, Alexis, I so appreciate it.
Ramona
I love making these salads and i cant wait to try out a new one as well! The colours looks amazing and i also love the shots you took. This is a plate of happiness for me! This will always be my favourite type of salads and i cant wait to try this one as well. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Beth
Thanks, Ramona, I love that you are calling this a "plate of happiness" - that's how we feel about it too!
sapana
This salad is packed with all things good. Such an wholesome, light and filling meal, this salad would make.Beautiful pictures Beth.
Beth
Thanks so much, Sapana - I am glad the photos show how good this salad is.
Alena
This is definitely not a boring old bean salad! I love all the layers you added to this to make it extra crunchy and tasty!
Beth
You are so right, the layers are the key to this salad being so good.