While searching for salads recently, I not only came across the idea for the Antipasto Salad, I also found a delicious recipe for Tuscan Bean Salad on the same Taste of Home website. Curiously, however, I also found a nearly identical recipe on Raley’s grocery store web site. Both the Taste of Home submitter and Raley’s grocery stores are in California. Hmmm…curious. I wonder which came first, and to whom I should give credit for the recipe.
The internet can be a tricky place for recipes and pictures. It’s a pleasure to find that most bloggers are very honest about giving credit for any recipes and photos on their blogs that may not be their own creation. It’s a code of ethics that keeps us all safe and in each others good graces. 🙂 Some of my own recipes and photos have been used on other sites and most of the bloggers have been gracious enough to give appropriate credit. However, once in a while I will come across a blogger who is patently unscrupulous and evidently without conscience when it comes to “borrowing” another blogger’s intellectual property. Tsk, tsk, tsk; somebody needs a spanking.
Alrighty then, now that I’ve settled that issue, let’s turn our attention to this Tuscan Bean Salad. Isn’t it interesting how one word can change one’s whole mental concept about a food? If I had said that this was a bean salad, you’d probably have moved on quickly to something more interesting. However, using the word “Tuscan” in front of ‘bean salad’ makes you want to stay around and find out more about this salad. Good for you! You have a sophisticated, inquiring mind!
The base for this salad is cannelini beans, a white bean similar to a kidney bean. I have mentioned in other beany posts how much I enjoy beans. This is an enjoyable way to incorporate beans into your diet, particularly for the summer. The flavor is rather mild, which would complement oh, say, hamburgers or slow cooker Pulled Pork Barbecue Sandwiches OR Italian Beef Sandwiches. Yum! Plus, this is a very easy salad to make, perfect for a lazy busy day.
By way of an FYI, here’s some food for thought. I’m thinking that quinoa would be an excellent substitution for the beans. That quinoa stuff is really fascinating.
Tuscan Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 2 (15 ounces) cans cannellini beans or white kidney beans
- 1 (6.5 ounces) jar marinated artichoke hearts, undrained
- 1 cup roasted sweet red peppers, cut into 1-inch strips
- 3/4 cup sliced ripe olives
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the beans, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, olives, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Cover bowl and refrigerate salad for about 30 minutes or more.
- When ready to serve, stir in the basil. Because of the moisture content, it is best to serve this salad with a slotted spoon.
Notes
Sadly, I’m sure my recipes and pictures are out there as well. There was a site that was literally mirror imaging my blog and I had them take it down…. but who knows how many others there are out there. It’s the sad part of the internet world.
I have been meaning to make a bean salad myself… but I really like the ingredients in this one with the artichokes and sun dried tomatoes. It looks great! Every time I see your recipes I think about how nice it must be to cook in your well organized kitchen. Ahhhh…. someday I’ll get there too. 🙂
Wow, that’s crazy about the blog that was mirror imaging your blog. Good for you that you made them take it down!
Yes, Ramona, you will get a new a kitchen because you are smart and careful with your resources. I have to admit that my old kitchen was so depressing that it was the last place in the whole house that I wanted to be. I’m still not quite used to being in the new kitchen. Sometimes I get kind of lost trying to remember where I put certain items. Yesterday I couldn’t remember where I had put the meat mallet. I found it in a really illogical place, so there are yet a few organizational kinks to work out!
This looks so delish! Hey, thanks for following Carole’s Chatter, Terri. Cheers
Hi Terri,
I made this Sunday with Salmon and saved half for the next night. I just added basil just before serving both times as there are just 2 of us and it was delish both nights. I’m definitely going to use this again.
Thanks, Nancy H
Nancy, thank you and I’m so glad that you liked the recipe. I hadn’t thought of serving it with salmon, but that’s a great idea. This definitely keeps well, too, so is good for leftovers. Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment. ~Terri