Description
A light summer salad of chargrilled zucchini and creamy white beans dressed with fresh lemon, herbs, and toasted pine nuts—best served at room temperature, making it ideal for entertaining.
Ingredients
Equipment
- Grill or grill pan
- Small skillet for toasting nuts
- Chopping board and knife
- Large serving bowl
- Small bowl for dressing
- Small whisk
- Zester
Ingredients
- 12.35 oz / 350g zucchini (about 2 medium), sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds
- ¼ cup / 35g pine nuts
- ¼ cup / 47ml olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
- 1½ cups / 255g cooked white beans* (mix of cannellini and butter beans), drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup / 10g basil leaves, torn or roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons dill, finely chopped
Instructions
Tip: For step-by-step images, please check earlier in the post.
- Grill the zucchini: Heat your grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, grill the zucchini rounds for 3-4 minutes per side, until they have nice grill marks and are tender but still hold their shape. Transfer to a large serving bowl as they finish cooking.
- Toast the pine nuts: While the zucchini is grilling, toast the pine nuts (¼ cup) in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan frequently and watch them closely – they go from golden to burnt in about 30 seconds. This should take 3-4 minutes total. Set aside.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil (¼ cup), minced garlic (2 cloves), lemon zest, lemon juice (3 tablespoons), salt (1 teaspoon), and black pepper (½ teaspoon).
- Assemble the salad: Add the white beans (1½ cups) to the bowl with the warm grilled zucchini. Pour the dressing over and toss gently. Add the basil (¼ cup), mint (2 tablespoons), dill (2 tablespoons), and toasted pine nuts. Toss gently and taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed.
Notes
White beans: For the best texture and flavor, use a mix of cannellini and butter beans rather than just one variety. Butter beans are firmer and hold their shape well when tossed with the warm zucchini, while cannellini beans are creamier and break down slightly, adding a lovely richness to the dressing. Together, they create a more balanced salad with different textures in every bite.
