Most summers, my sister and her husband have one blow-out bash at their house on a Saturday in July. It’s usually attended by at least 50 people and to feed everyone they barbecue beef, chicken and pork and the rest of the food is provided through a potluck. One of my favourite side dishes to make for any potluck is German Potato Salad (I will post this recipe at a later date) but my brother-in-law’s mom also makes it, and it’s really good. So, at the first summer bash I attended, I left it to his mom to provide her German Potato Salad to the hungry masses. Meanwhile, I needed an alternative, so I brought another favourite of mine, Chickpea Salad.
As guests were mingling at the potluck table and filling their plates, my sister’s friend turned to her and commented: “Who brings a chick pea salad to a party?” She smirked and replied: “My sister.”
It has now become a running joke, with her friends and mine, that their yearly bash is not really a party if there’s no chickpea salad.
Since then, I’ve modified the recipe, using mixed beans instead of just chickpeas – it’s actually tastier and has less calories – but this recipe will work with either. Enjoy.
Marvelous Mixed Bean Salad
High fiber, low calorie, vegan salad.
Ingredients
- 540 ml can Unico Bean Medley
- 1/4 cup Unico White Wine Vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 carrot finely diced
- 1 stalk celery finely diced
- 1/2 medium onion finely diced
- 1 clove garlic finely diced
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Open a can of Unico Bean Medley, pour it into a strainer and rinse beans well with cold tap water.
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Dice all vegetables on a cutting board.
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Toss all ingredients in a large bowl, adding the olive oil and white wine vinegar (more or less than 1/4 cup can be used, according to taste) until they are well coated.
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While mixing the ingredients, add sea salt and freshly ground pepper, according to taste.
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Can be served immediately or refrigerated for later use. Refrigerate any unused portions for up to three days.
Recipe Notes
*If you replace the Mixed Bean Medley with a can of Chick Peas, the calorie count rises by 40 calories per serving.
I loved your bean salad recipe but also added a 340 ml of whole kernel corn. Delicious.
Can also add red or green pepper diced red onion diced or thinly sliced, this is how my son makes this salad.
Thanks Judy! And yum, corn sounds like a good addition – I may try that next time. I’m not a fan of green peppers but I bet green or red peppers would jazz it up a bit. I’ve used red onion if I don’t have white onion in my pantry and it works out just fine.