If you love beans then you are going to love my 10 minute warm cannellini bean salad.

It’s quick to make! As in 10 minutes or less if you prep your veg in advance.

It’s healthy! Full of nutrients from the cannellini beans, cherry tomatoes, cavolo nero and avocado.

It’s so simple! You literally just throw everything into the pan, give a few stirs and a simmer and its all done.

And…..

It’s so tasty!

I mean jam packed full of flavour!

The Story Behind The Beans

When I was pregnant I wanted something quick and healthy to eat. I wanted to have some kind of protein in it to help with the babies development. Dairy and meat left me either feeling nauseous or with  a nasty taste in my mouth when I finished eating. My options were beans, eggs or quinoa. I had eaten quinoa bean wraps the night before and eggs for breakfast so I chose cannellini beans, the organic ones that can be eaten straight out of the pack or heated up for a few minutes.

I added some cherry tomatoes and cavolo nero to my pan first to caramelise.

Throughout this pregnancy I craved smoked paprika and cayenne pepper so I  covered everything in these two flavours which soaked into my beans perfectly. The last ingredient I added was an avocado for a good dose of healthy fats and everything was ready in 10 minutes. I had a tasty nutritious meal and 1 pan to wash up (“,)

This 10 minute warm cannellini bean salad satisfied me throughout my pregnancy and now whilst I’m breastfeeding. I will admit I do eat the whole dish, the 230g of cannellini beans, 2 handfuls of cherry tomatoes, 1/2 a bag of cavolo nero and a whole avocado all to myself, but hey I’m hungry and this warm bean cannellini bean salad is delicious.

What Does My 10 Minute Warm Cannellini Bean Salad Taste Like?

In one word, actually in 2 words ‘tasty’ and ‘delicious’ (“,) This 10 minute warm cannellini bean salad has 4 main ingredients:

Cherry Tomatoes

The cherry tomatoes are cooked first so their skins are blistered brining out their natural sweetness. I have kept them whole so their sweetness is contained so when you bite into one all the sweetness bursts in your mouth adding another element of texture to this delicious warm cannellini bean salad.

Alternatives

If you don’t have cherry tomatoes you can substitute them with whatever tomatoes you have.

Cavolo Nero – Kale

I use cavolo nero because I prefer it to curly kale. Cavolo nero also known as Tuscan kale or black cabbage is thicker than curly kale and has a texture similar to cabbage. This is perfect for my warm cannellini bean salad because when it is added to the olive oil it crisps up perfectly adding a fantastic crunch complementing the other elements which are smoother in texture.

Alternatives

You can substitute the cavolo nero for another type of kale. Make sure you cut it up into thin strips so it crisps up nicely.

Cannellini Beans

The cannellini beans are smoky and heated from the smoked paprika and cayenne pepper but balanced perfectly with the cool silky avocado. The avocado extinguishes the heat so you have a constant to and fro from hot to cold.

Alternatives

You can use any type of  bean you like. I’ve made this dish with red kidney beans and chickpeas which created a different end result but still 100% tasty.

Avocado

I have mentioned above that the avocado balances the heat in the dish, it also compliments the crunch of the cavolo nero. To make sure your avocado doesn’t turn to mush and ruin the texture of your dish add your avocado in for the last minute.

How To Make Warm Cannellini Salad in 10 Minutes

This 10 minute warm cannellini bean salad is so quick. All you need to do is throw all your ingredients in a pan. But you do need to do it in the order I mention below to achieve the contrasting textures and maximum flavour.

Add your cherry tomatoes and cavolo nero to your hot oil first because if  you add them in after the beans, no way will the oil be hot enough to blister your tomato skins and bring out their natural sweetness or crisp up your cavolo nero.

Add your smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and salt to achieve maximum flavour.

Then it is time for your beans. Don’t overcook your beans especially if you are using the pre-cooked ones. They generally need  a few minutes of reheating.

Lastly in with your avocado to heat up to the same temperature as the rest of your ingredients.

ggmix Tip #1

To save even more time I like to prep my veg the night before. I wash my veg the night before and cut my cavolo nero and put them in the fridge. So in the morning all I have to do is throw everything in my pan and my warm cannellini bean salad is ready in about 5-6 minutes.

ggmix Tip #2

Make sure your oil is hot before you add in your tomatoes so they can caramelise and

Serving Suggestions

Personally I like to eat my 10 minute warm cannellini bean salad for breakfast or lunch, but you can eat it for dinner and as a side dish aswell.

Here’s the video showing you how simple and tasty this dish is

10 minute warm cannellini bean salad

If you would like to try another bean recipe how about my Greek Posh Beans On Toast  which are ready in 30 minutes

If you make this recipe let me know what you thought in the comments below or tag me in your warm cannellini bean salad pictures on Instagram @gg_mix