Warm Cannellini Bean and Quinoa Salad with Spinach and Sundried Tomatoes

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< 1 min read
Summary

If you haven’t enjoyed a warm salad, this is the one to try! Bursting with flavor, nutrition, and texture, it gets extra stars for spanning the seasons. You can eat it year-round, whether you want a light, refreshing meal in the summertime or a soothing, comforting warm salad in the winter.

Yields2 ServingsPrep Time15 minsCook Time10 minsTotal Time25 mins

Warm Cannellini Bean and Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

 ¼ cup vegetable broth (unsalted, preferably homemade)
 2 tbsp shallots (minced)
 4 garlic cloves (minced)
 ¼ cup organic sun-dried tomatoes (chopped, sulfite-free)
 ¼ cup artichokes (frozen, or jarred in water chopped)
 2 tbsp kalamata olives (or green olives, chopped)
 1 ½ cups cannellini beans (homemade or BPA-free can)
 1 cup quinoa (cooked)
 1 ½ cups organic spinach (chopped, packed)
 1 large lemon (juiced)
 ½ tsp dried oregano
 ¼ tsp ground black pepper (optional)
 ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
 2 tbsp basil (optional, chopped)

Directions

1

Warm a medium stovetop pan over medium heat.

2

Add the vegetable broth and shallots. Cook for 1–2 minutes.

3

Add the garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds.

4

Toss in the sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and olives. Stir and cook for another 30–60 seconds.

5

Stir in the cannellini beans and quinoa. Add more vegetable broth if needed, to prevent sticking to the pan.

6

Toss and cook for another 30–60 seconds.

7

Stir in the spinach until wilted. Remove from the heat.

8

Add the squeeze of lemon juice and oregano, and black pepper and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir well.

9

Divide between two dishes as a side or on top of spring greens. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and chopped basil, if desired.

Chef's Notes

Substitutions
In place of shallots, use chopped red, yellow, or white onion.

In place of fresh garlic, use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder.

Substitute your favorite bean or any bean you have on hand for cannellini beans (chickpeas, northern beans, and fava beans would all work really well).

Substitute fresh tomatoes for sun-dried. Just note that you may need to add a little salt or additional seasoning (lemon, oregano, or nutritional yeast) as the sundried tomatoes add a little salty flavor because they’re concentrated.

Instead of quinoa, consider an organic grain such as farro (not gluten-free), brown rice, or Kamut (not gluten-free).

Instead of basil, use parsley or chives.

How to enjoy
Top on a bed of mixed greens.

Stuff into a whole-grain wrap and enjoy as a sandwich.

Enjoy it as a side to the main meal.

Enjoy it as a warm salad on a summer picnic.

Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to one month.

Ingredients

 ¼ cup vegetable broth (unsalted, preferably homemade)
 2 tbsp shallots (minced)
 4 garlic cloves (minced)
 ¼ cup organic sun-dried tomatoes (chopped, sulfite-free)
 ¼ cup artichokes (frozen, or jarred in water chopped)
 2 tbsp kalamata olives (or green olives, chopped)
 1 ½ cups cannellini beans (homemade or BPA-free can)
 1 cup quinoa (cooked)
 1 ½ cups organic spinach (chopped, packed)
 1 large lemon (juiced)
 ½ tsp dried oregano
 ¼ tsp ground black pepper (optional)
 ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
 2 tbsp basil (optional, chopped)

Directions

1

Warm a medium stovetop pan over medium heat.

2

Add the vegetable broth and shallots. Cook for 1–2 minutes.

3

Add the garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds.

4

Toss in the sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and olives. Stir and cook for another 30–60 seconds.

5

Stir in the cannellini beans and quinoa. Add more vegetable broth if needed, to prevent sticking to the pan.

6

Toss and cook for another 30–60 seconds.

7

Stir in the spinach until wilted. Remove from the heat.

8

Add the squeeze of lemon juice and oregano, and black pepper and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir well.

9

Divide between two dishes as a side or on top of spring greens. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast and chopped basil, if desired.

Notes

Warm Cannellini Bean and Quinoa Salad with Spinach and Sundried Tomatoes