Tuscan White Bean Salad with Arugula

Tuscan White Bean Salad - A meaty meatless white beans, peppery arugula, flat zucchini noodles, and radicchio salad with a zesty sun-dried tomato dressing. I call this a salad but actually it is a complete low-carb and filling meal which is also very versatile. You can pack it for a healthy lunch, serve as-is for dinner, or serve on side of grilled/roasted main course. Gluten free, vegan, and loaded with fresh crunchy vegetables.

This summer Tuscan Bean Salad is my favorite for lunch or dinner when I want break from complex carbs and still want to eat filling. Creamy meaty white beans with scallions and flat zucchini noodles coated in flavorful tomato dressing does not let me feel for a second that I'm eating healthy, and meatless.

So, let's make White Bean Salad today!

Classic Tuscan bean salad does not have radicchio or zucchini.. This is my take on this classic white bean salad. It brings in more crunch of veggies to the table and is healthier and loaded with summer colors. I had hard time naming this recipe because you can even call it Tuscan Bean and Radicchio Salad,  Tuscan Bean and Zucchini Salad, or Tuscan Bean and Arugula Salad which I decided to use after thinking for a long time.. :) 

Honestly, no matter what you call this... Result is a delicious and versatile meaty beans and greens salad which can work many ways - lunch, dinner or even a potluck favorite. This salad can be ALL. Just try it! Thank you for listening :)

I don't want to go all nerdy but just in few lines. Arugula and radicchio are good blood purifying vegetables. Plus are also good source of iron, potassium and vitamin K. Beans are good source of vegetarian protein. And zucchini! It such a delicious zero-carb alternative to any pasta. Plus it is in season. So so sweet and flavorful...

Dressing is also clean and has big punch of flavor from red wine vinegar, sun-dried tomato oil, agave, oregano, and capers.

..this week had tone of zucchini recipes. We started week with easy ratatouille stew loaded with zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant. Today's, bean salad is the delicious way to try something new with zucchini. In this recipe, I have marinated the zucchini noodles in sun-dried tomato caper dressing. Raw zucchini absorbs flavors very quickly so this simple step made it very flavorful. Trust me, it is not just a side on plate but a delicious crunch element.

Recipe for white bean salad comes together in just 10 minutes. I decided to use canned beans which makes this salad a mix-and-go kinda salad. By all means, you can even use fresh cooked beans for this recipe.

To prepare this bean salad, first of all, I prepare the sun-dried tomato dressing. This dressing is heart and soul of bean salad. It's sweet and tangy flavor with briny capers and little hint of chili flakes is my favorite. White beans and zucchini both absorb the dressing very well. So, I like to prepare this salad a day before and refrigerate overnight. As it sits in fridge, flavor gets better and better. Next day, meaty, sweet, sour beans taste amazing with peppery arugula. A complete home run.

Optional, you can also add some feta cheese or goat cheese on top for extra creaminess. I, however, love enjoying a bowl as-is. Healthy, fit and scrumptious.

Friends, enjoy your share of fresh greens - arugula, zucchini, scallions... while these are in season, fresh, and loaded with nutrients.

This Tuscan White Bean Salad is gluten free, clean, filling, and vegan. I hope it will make to your weekend dinner table. Don't forget to save some for lunch. It tastes even better the next day.

Enjoy! Have a wonderful weekend!

-Savita