I love cold salads made with navy beans (very small white bean) or cannelini beans (a bigger white bean favored in Italian food) because they have a mild bean flavor which pairs perfectly with many summery herbs and vegetables.

This salad is best made in early spring when you can pick very young dandelion greens which are the most tender and least bitter.  If you’re interested in making it now, look for brand new dandelion plants amongst the bigger ones or simply limit yourself to the smallest inner leaves.  You only need a handful.

I cook my beans from dried, rather than canned, but either will do perfectly well.  Because I make my own I always add a chopped onion and some thyme while the beans are cooking (you can see a bit of cooked onion in the picture).

Navy Bean and Dandelion Greens Salad Recipe
serves 6

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked navy beans (or 2 16oz cans)
1/4 red onion diced very small
1 handful of minced dandelion greens
1/4 cup prepared mustard vinaigrette*
1 tsp salt

Method:

Mix all of the ingredients together well.  That’s it.  It’s more of an assemblage than a method. 

May be served room temperature or cold.

*Use your own favorite home made vinaigrette or use my recipe for mustard vinaigrette.

Variation:  when in season you can add one whole chopped cucumber or a large tomato.  Other herbs can be added as well such as parsley (I’d use a tablespoon of minced fresh parsley) or fresh chopped thyme (I’d use a teaspoon) or basil (I’d use a 1/4 cup julienned).

This recipe is gluten free: provided the vinegar you use in the dressing is gluten free.

This recipe is vegan.

Here are some other articles you might be interested in:

Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale): Plant Profile

Mushrooms, Dandelion Greens, and Pasta in a Cheese Sauce

Mustard Vinaigrette Recipe