High-Protein Lemon-Garlic Dense Bean Salad with Feta is a healthy salad. This is a very delicious dish that we can easily have as a lunch or side dish. This salad gets a tangy taste naturally from the lemon juice & zest. It provides a creamy texture with the white beans & feta cheese. It contains olive oil, white beans, celery slices, feta cheese, roasted almonds, fresh basil, Dijon mustard, garlic, red-wine vinegar, and lemon juice. This salad has almonds and feta cheese, so don’t have this bowl if you have a nut or dairy allergy; substitute them with seeds and dairy-free cheese if required. It is prepared in 15 minutes, perfect for a quick healthy meal during the day. This salad stores properly; it is good to prepare in advance for meal prep.
STATS:
- Calories: 355 kcal
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Serving Size: 1 & ¼ cups
- Course: Salad
- Servings: 6
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: High-Protein
EQUIPMENT:
- Colander
- Big mixing vessel
- Cutting board
- Small bowl
- Whisk
- Citrus zester
- Knife
- Citrus juicer
- Can opener
- Serving spoon
INGREDIENTS:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- ½ cup unsalted roasted almonds
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. red-wine vinegar
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cans white beans (no-salt-added)
- 1 cup celery slices
- Celery leaves
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbs
- ¼ cup fresh basil
- Extra basil leaves
INGREDIENT NOTES:
OLIVE OIL:
- Add olive oil to form the base of the dressing & provide a rich flavor. Fresh oil gives the best taste & supplies good fats.
LEMON ZEST:
- Add the grated lemon zest to offer a strong citrus aroma. Don’t grate the white pith, as it can make the dressing bitter.
LEMON JUICE:
- Add fresh lemon juice to give a refreshing, tangy flavor that will balance the creamy beans & feta.
RED-WINE VINEGAR:
- Add this vinegar to provide the light acidic taste & depth in dressing, and it stabilizes the Mediterranean flavors nicely.
DIJON MUSTARD:
- Add Dijon mustard to emulsify the dressing & provide a light, sharp taste. We have to use the smooth Dijon, which blends more evenly than coarse varieties.
GARLIC:
- Add freshly grated garlic to infuse the dressing with bold flavor. We have to use fine-grated garlic to ensure its equal distribution in the salad.
WHITE BEANS:
- Add Cannellini or Great Northern beans to provide a creamy texture and offer lots of protein & fiber.
CELERY:
- Add celery to add crispness and fresh taste, which will balance the creamy ingredients. Include some celery leaves for extra color & freshness.
FETA CHEESE:
- Add feta cheese crumbs to offer the indulgent and salty taste, which will pair nicely with the lemon dressing.
ROASTED ALMONDS:
- Add roasted almonds to provide good crunch, healthy fats, & additional protein. Chop them coarsely so they remain crunchy in every bite.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Add the lemon zest, olive oil, red wine vinegar, seasonings, & lemon juice to the vessel and whisk to make it smooth.
- Now rinse the beans and add them to the mixing vessel.
- Include the celery slices, feta cheese, almonds, and basil and mix.
- Now add the lemon & garlic dressing to the bean mixture and mix them softly to coat them equally.
- Now taste the salad and add more items when required.
- Sprinkle the additional basil and celery leaves and serve.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
MAIN DISHES:
- Grilled Lemon Chicken
- Grilled Salmon
- Baked Cod
BREAD:
- Whole Wheat Pita
- Garlic Toast
- Rustic Sourdough
SOUP:
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Lentil Soup
- Roasted Vegetable Soup
SIDE DISHES:
- Roasted Asparagus
- Grilled Zucchini
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
DRINKS:
- Unsweetened Iced Tea
- Mint Lemonade
- Cucumber Water
TIPS:
- Put the salad in the fridge for twenty minutes they serve to provide the bright taste.
- Rinse the beans, then dry them so the dressing will not become watery.
- We have to lightly toast the almonds to make them crunchier & richer.
- Add the feta cheese at the time of serving.
STORAGE INFORMATION:
Add the salad to a tight vessel and mix when serving.
FRIDGE:
- Store the salad for 3 to 4 days.
FREEZER:
- Don’t freeze the salad as the beans become mushy and the feta, basil, and celery texture will be ruined.
FAQs:
How to prepare the dairy-free salad?
- Add the vegan feta or eliminate it to make the non-dairy salad.
Will I include extra vegetables in the salad?
- Yes, include the tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, bell pepper, and spinach to include extra vegetables in the salad.
Can I add more vegetables?
- Yes. Cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, spinach, red onion, or bell peppers make excellent additions.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Calories: 355 kcal
Net Carbs: 19 g
Serving Size: 1¼ cups
Total Carbs: 25 g
Fiber: 6 g
Protein: 14 g
Total Fat: 22 g
Servings: 6
Calcium: 0.16 g
Iron: 0.003 g
Vitamin A: 0.00008 g
Sodium: 0.36 g
Potassium: 0.52 g
