Cannellini Bean Salad
Cannellini Bean Salad is a fresh, hearty salad featuring large, creamy white cannellini beans as the star ingredient, often tossed with crisp vegetables like celery, red onion, and tomatoes, and dressed in a bright vinaigrette. This dish is a staple in Italian cuisine, particularly in Tuscany, where it's celebrated as a simple, satisfying component of a rustic meal.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This salad is a balanced source of plant-based nutrition, offering a good mix of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber from the beans, with minimal fat if a light dressing is used. A typical serving provides around 200-250 calories and is an excellent source of protein, folate, iron, and magnesium.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 220 kcal |
| Protein | 12 g |
| Carbs | 38 g |
| Fat | 3 g |
| Fiber | 11 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 350 mg |
| Potassium | 500 mg |
| Iron | 5 mg |
| Magnesium | 80 mg |
| Folate | 120 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 150 mg |
| Zinc | 2 mg |
| Vitamin K | 15 mcg |
| Manganese | 1.5 mg |
Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, this salad embodies the Italian principle of 'cucina povera' (peasant cooking), transforming humble, inexpensive ingredients into a nourishing and flavorful dish. Nutritionally, the combination of beans and a simple vinaigrette can help enhance the absorption of iron from the beans, making it a particularly smart choice for plant-based diets.
