Posted On: March 14, 2023

Healthy Recipes: White Bean Salad

Recipe courtesy of our nutritionist, Mary Hunt, MS, RDN. Mary grew up in a home with a wonderful Armenian grandmother who loved to cook, and this is a family favorite! 

 

White Bean Salad (Plaki) 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1 sweet onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 

2 teaspoons garlic, minced 

1 cup diced carrots: 2 carrots, peeled and diced or about 1 cup baby carrots 

1 stalk celery, diced (about ½ cup) 

1 large tomato, diced (about 1¼ cup) or 1 cup canned tomatoes, diced 

2 tablespoons tomato paste 

2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini (white kidney) beans or Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed 

1 tablespoon fresh dill (or 1 teaspoon dried dill) 

¼ cup fresh parsley, or cilantro, diced 

¼ teaspoon salt 

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until lightly brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the carrots, celery, tomato, tomato paste, beans, and 3/4 cup water. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add additional water, if needed.
3. Stir in the dill, parsley or cilantro, salt and pepper. Season to taste.

Serve cold or even warmed. I think it tastes even better the second day! 

Healthy Tip 

Traditional Plaki recipes are prepared with a lot more olive oil. Adding fresh herbs and garlic can add a lot of flavor without a lot of extra fat and calories (for those of us who are trying to be mindful of them). 🙂 

Makes approximately 9 servings. 

 

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Members of Eileen West, MD and Associates receive a complimentary nutrition consult with Mary. Simply schedule your appointment on her website.