Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables and Beans
- 500 g cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 400 g zucchini, diced into 1.5cm cubes
- 150 g yellow onion, finely chopped
Dressing and Aromatics
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 g lemon zest, finely grated
- 15 g fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Rinse the cannellini beans thoroughly under cold water, drain them well, and set them aside. Dice the zucchini and finely chop the yellow onion.
Heat 30ml of the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, targeting a pan temperature of roughly 190°C/375°F.
Add the finely chopped yellow onion to the hot skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent and softened.
Add the diced zucchini in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for the first few minutes to develop color, then stir occasionally until tender and golden brown.
Remove the skillet from the heat entirely. Gently stir in the drained cannellini beans, allowing the residual heat of the pan to warm them through without turning them to mush.
Drizzle the remaining 15ml of extra virgin olive oil over the mixture. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, kosher salt, and black pepper, stirring gently to coat the beans and vegetables evenly.
Fold in the chopped fresh mint leaves. Let the salad rest in the pan for a few minutes so the beans can absorb the citrus and oil dressing before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Pat the diced zucchini dry with a paper towel before adding it to the skillet. Removing surface moisture is crucial for achieving a proper golden sear rather than steaming the vegetable.
- Rinsing canned beans thoroughly removes the starchy aquafaba, which prevents the final salad from developing a gummy or overly thick texture.
- Always add fresh herbs like mint completely off the heat. Exposing tender herbs to direct cooking temperatures will cause them to turn black and lose their bright, volatile essential oils.
- If preparing this for meal prep, keep the chopped mint separate and fold it into your portion just before eating to maintain its vibrant green color.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The mint leaves will darken over time, and the zucchini will become softer.
