Italian White Bean Salad with Salsa Verde and Parmesan Recipe
This Italian White Bean Salad is a vibrant and flavorful dish featuring creamy cannellini beans, fresh cherry tomatoes, olives, red onion, and a zesty homemade salsa verde. Enhanced with parmesan shavings and optional tuna, it makes a perfect light lunch or a refreshing side dish. The dressing is a bright mixture of herbs, capers, garlic, anchovy paste, and red wine vinegar, bringing an authentic Mediterranean taste that pairs beautifully with crusty bread.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 can (14 oz / ~400 g) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 6–8 tomatoes)
- ¼ cup Nocellara del Belice or Castelvetrano olives, torn
- ¼ cup red onion, sliced in quarter moons
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons parmesan shavings
Salsa Verde
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon chopped capers
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon anchovy paste (or substitute with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Optional Additions
- 225 g albacore tuna in olive oil, drained
- Crusty bread, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the salsa verde: In a small bowl, combine the chopped parsley, basil, capers, garlic, anchovy paste (or salt), red pepper flakes, black pepper, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Stir well until all the flavors are thoroughly blended.
- Mix the salad ingredients: In a medium bowl, add the drained cannellini beans, quartered cherry tomatoes, torn olives, and sliced red onion. Sprinkle the kosher salt over the mixture and toss gently to combine everything without mashing the beans.
- Add the dressing: Drizzle the prepared salsa verde over the salad mixture. Toss carefully and gently to coat all the ingredients evenly while preserving the texture of the beans and tomatoes.
- Incorporate the parmesan: Sprinkle the parmesan shavings on top and mix lightly, allowing the cheese to blend with the salad without overpowering it.
- Add optional tuna and serve: If using, top the salad with the drained albacore tuna. Serve immediately accompanied by crusty bread, or chill for 30 minutes to enhance the flavors before serving.
Notes
- For a vegan version, omit the parmesan and anchovy paste, or substitute anchovy paste with a pinch of salt or miso paste.
- This salad develops more depth of flavor after chilling for at least 30 minutes.
- Use high-quality extra virgin olive oil and ripe cherry tomatoes for the best taste and freshness.
- If preparing ahead, add the parmesan shavings and tuna just before serving to maintain their texture and freshness.
Keywords: Italian White Bean Salad, cannellini beans, salsa verde, Mediterranean salad, healthy salad, easy no-cook recipe, vegetarian salad
