Microgreen & White Bean Salad

When I’m in a hurry to make a simple side dish for a picnic or barbecue, I love to throw together a bowl of Microgreen & White Bean Salad! This is a healthy Italian salad featuring bright microgreens and soft skinned white cannellini beans. The dressing is flavorful without overpowering the delicate ingredients. It’s a simple yet elegant recipe to keep on hand!

Keep reading to learn how to make this salad ahead of time for grab-and-go meals, discover substitutions to keep the flavors exciting and find resources for growing microgreens at home!

Why this is the perfect modern bean salad

All summer get-togethers NEED a bean salad!  When you have a big scoop of a tasty salad on your plate, it makes us feel like we are balancing the other heavier feeling foods and desserts.  

It’s basically cookout math: a salad + a sugar filled dessert = perfect balance.  Wouldn’t you agree?

While traditional bean salad is a potluck must-have, this upgraded version is fresh and packed full of nutrients.  The fresh herbs are a bright contrast to the canned beans. Toss is all in a balsamic dressing and you’ve got a bean salad that everyone will be excited to eat!

Can this salad be made ahead?

When I am meal prepping for a party or even just weekday lunches, I love recipes that get better with time. Some salads will wilt and become soggy when stored in the refrigerator for a few days, but not this one! This salad will continue to marinate and the flavors will become even better as it sits.  

To make this salad ahead of time, simply toss it together and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

One of my favorite tricks for storing personal sized salads like this one is to store them in mason jars. I fasten a fork and a napkin to the jar using a rubber band so that I have everything I need as I walk out the door. The mason jar keeps the humidity perfect to allow the tiny microgreens to remain at peak freshness. The best part? It’s so convenient to take on the go and fits perfectly in a cup holder!

 Helpful kitchen tools for making this salad

It doesn’t take any fancy equipment or kitchen tools to make this microgreens salad!  You will need a way to wash and dry the microgreens, like a salad spinner. Greens that have been washed and fully dried will last days longer in the refrigerator. Store them in a glass mason jar in the crisper drawer or the fridge.

This salad requires minimal prep and no fancy cooking skills. Use a chef's knife and cutting board to thinly slice the onion. You will also need a medium sized serving bowl and a spoon.

How to serve this Microgreen & White Bean Salad

I love bringing this micro green salad to potluck style gatherings. If I am preparing this as a main dish, I will serve it over a bed of salad greens or microgreens and add crusty sourdough croutons.  It goes well with most barbecue main dishes, such as grilled chicken or steaks.

The acidity of this salad dressing pairs well with a crisp white wine such as a Riesling or Pinot Grigio. For a casual cookout, serve it with something simple like an ice tea or craft beer!

Variations for Microgreen & White Bean Salad

When I am trying to boost the amount of greens in my diet, one easy way is to serve salads like this White Bean & Microgreen Salad OVER a bed of salad greens! Add a sliced tomato and some croutons, and this salad will fill you up with all the good stuff.

Add artichoke hearts or kalamata olives to give this Italian dish a Mediterranean twist. Other delicious add-ins include roasted red peppers, sliced cucumber or a cup of cooked pasta.

About the ingredients 

• EVOO | When it comes to a modern take on a classic bean salad, one of the first ways to update this recipe was by swapping the canola oil for high quality olive oil.
• Balsamic Vinegar | It may be bold, but this flavor marries the herbs and the beans with the perfect level of acidity.
• Salt | My favorite salt for cold salads like this one is coarse sea salt or Himalayan salt.  It adds an eye-catching bit of oomf to the dish. (Yes, ‘oomf’ is a word in my kitchen)
• Oregano & Parsley | When the garden is bursting with herbs, fresh oregano and parsley really brighten up the flavor profile. During the cooler months or when fresh herbs are hard to come by, dried herbs are perfectly fine.
• Sun-dried tomatoes | The sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes really adds depth to this salad. Substituting fresh tomatoes is an option, but it will definitely change the flavor of the salad.
• Roasted red peppers | Do the peppers HAVE to be roasted? No.  But if you have the time, a quick little sauté in olive oil will break down their flesh and bring out a sweeter flavor.
• Cannellini beans | These white beans have a soft texture and mildly sweet flavor. Substitute another white bean like Great Northern beans if you are having trouble finding these.

Ingredients for Microgreen & White Bean Salad

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh or dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh or dried parsley

1 15 ounce can cannellini beans

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes 

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced and roasted

1 cup microgreens

How to Make Microgreen & White Bean Salad

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, oregano and parsley.
2. Add the beans, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and microgreens to the bowl. Toss to combine.
3. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Notes:  Feel free to substitute ingredients.  Find seasonal produce that sounds good to you!  Thinly sliced cucumbers or halved cherry tomatoes would be a delicious addition!  Other pantry favorites of mine include Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts or even sourdough croutons.

Notes:  Rainbow blend microgreens have a mild and earthy flavor profile.  Radish or broccoli microgreens have a similar texture and spicier flavor and would be an easy substitution for the microgreens in this recipe.

Helpful resources for growing microgreens for a salad

Learning a new skill, such as growing microgreens, can feel intimidating at first.  Here is a list of resources that will help you to learn how to successfully grow and harvest microgreens in your own home!  

• Learn How to Grow Microgreens at Home: a step-by-step guide | Unsure what materials you need to get started growing microgreens at home or what variety is best for you? This is the perfect place to start your research.
• The Ultimate Microgreen Cheat Sheet | Bookmark this guide and refer back to it when starting new varieties of microgreens!  This comprehensive guide will walk you through exactly how to grow over thirty popular varieties of microgreens.
• Love this recipe? Check out 10 of the Tastiest Ways to Enjoy Microgreens for more delicious and simple ideas!

For reference, the microgreens used in this salad were a rainbow mix of seeds that includes lentils, radishes and peas. I soaked 1 1/2 ounces of seeds for six hours and then spread them in a 1020 microgreens tray using a potting soil medium. The blackout time was four days and they were harvested on day fourteen. The yield was four quarts of loosely packed microgreens.

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Serves: 6 people

Prep time: 10 minutes

Microgreen & White Bean Salad

When I’m in a hurry to make a simple side dish for a picnic or barbecue, I love to throw together a bowl of Microgreen & White Bean Salad!  This is a healthy Italian salad featuring bright microgreens and soft skinned white cannellini beans.  The dressing is flavorful without overpowering the delicate ingredients. It’s a simple yet elegant recipe to keep on hand!

Ingredients for Microgreen & White Bean Salad

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh or dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh or dried parsley

1 15 ounce can cannellini beans

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes 

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced and roasted

1 cup microgreens

How to Make Microgreen & White Bean Salad

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, oregano and parsley.
2. Add the beans, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers and microgreens to the bowl. Toss to combine.
3. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Notes:  Feel free to substitute ingredients.  Find seasonal produce that sounds good to you!  Thinly sliced cucumbers or halved cherry tomatoes would be a delicious addition!  Other pantry favorites of mine include Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts or even sourdough croutons.

Notes:  Rainbow blend microgreens have a mild and earthy flavor profile.  Radish or broccoli microgreens have a similar texture and spicier flavor and would be an easy substitution for the microgreens in this recipe.

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