A bed of arugula topped with roasted asparagus, white beans, olives, capers, and shaved Parmesan cheese. The salad is drizzled with a lemony vinaigrette and garnished with fresh herbs.

Mediterranean Asparagus and White Bean Salad

Name: Mediterranean Asparagus and White Bean Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: asparagus, 1 pound trimmed; cannellini beans, 1 can (15.5 oz) drained and rinsed; Kalamata olives, 1/2 cup pitted and roughly chopped; capers, 2 tablespoons drained; arugula, 4 cups none; Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup shaved; olive oil, 2 tablespoons none; lemon juice, 1 tablespoon none; garlic, 1 clove minced; fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped; salt, to taste none; pepper, to taste none

Category Main Course

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 12 minutes

Style Mediterranean

Technique Roasting

Diet Friendly Mediterranean

Daily Recipe: February 26, 2023

This Italian-inspired Mediterranean dish brings together seasonal ingredients such as asparagus and arugula with flavorful ingredients like olives and capers. It's a light yet satisfying recipe perfect for the pleasant weather in New York City today!

Ingredients (for 4)

Asparagus - 1 pound - trimmed
Cannellini beans - 1 can (15.5 oz) - drained and rinsed
Kalamata olives - 1/2 cup - pitted and roughly chopped
Capers - 2 tablespoons - drained
Arugula - 4 cups - none
Parmesan cheese - 1/4 cup - shaved
Olive oil - 2 tablespoons - none
Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon - none
Garlic - 1 clove - minced
Fresh parsley - 1 tablespoon - chopped
Salt - to taste - none
Pepper - to taste - none

Preparation

Step 1 - 🌡️🔥👉

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Step 2 - 🌿🍴💥

Toss the trimmed asparagus with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10-12 minutes or until tender.
Step 3 - 🍴🥄💥

In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to make the vinaigrette.
Step 4 - 🥫🫒🧄

Add the drained and rinsed cannellini beans, chopped Kalamata olives, and capers to the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss to combine.
Step 5 - 🍲🥬🧀

To assemble the salad, divide the arugula among four plates. Top each plate with roasted asparagus spears and a generous spoonful of the bean and olive mixture. Drizzle with any remaining vinaigrette and top with shaved Parmesan cheese and additional fresh herbs, if desired.

Additional

This salad is great as is, but can easily be modified to include other Mediterranean ingredients such as roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, or cherry tomatoes. Enjoy as a main course or serve as a side dish to grilled chicken or fish. This recipe is also kid-friendly and can be modified to include their favorite vegetables and toppings.