Legume Salads

Legume salads are a versatile and nutritious dish, perfect for a healthy and balanced meal. Below you will find a basic recipe for a legume salad that you can then customize to your liking.

Ingredients

• 400 g of mixed legumes (such as chickpeas, cannellini beans, lentils), already cooked or canned
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 cucumber
• 1 small red onion
• Fresh parsley to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Salt and black pepper

Preparation

1. If you are using dried legumes, remember to soak them the night before and cook them according to the package instructions. If you are using canned legumes, drain and rinse them well under running water.
2. Wash the bell pepper, remove the stem, seeds, and internal membranes, and cut it into cubes.
3. Wash the cucumber and cut it into rounds or half rounds, depending on your preference.
4. Peel the red onion and slice it thinly.
5. In a large bowl, mix the legumes with the bell pepper, cucumber, and onion.
6. Dress with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper to taste. Mix well.
7. Wash and chop the fresh parsley and add it to the salad.
8. Let the legume salad rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving, so the flavors blend nicely.

Curiosity

Legume salads are an integral part of the Mediterranean diet, renowned for its benefits to cardiovascular health. The beauty of legume salads is that they are extremely customizable: you can add other vegetables such as cherry tomatoes or carrots, aromatic herbs, cheeses like feta or Parmesan shavings, or enrich with tuna or hard-boiled eggs for an additional protein contribution.