Dilled Bean Salad with Zucchini and Quinoa
The perfect salad for your next cookout! Dilled Bean Salad with Zucchini and Quinoa!
Dilled Bean Salad with Zucchini and Quinoa
This post may or may not have been written as I watched my 700th episode today of Property Brothers while trying to convince myself that this is the last one I will watch before I actually do real work.
Why did HGTV have to come to Netflix? And why cannot I not stop ogling every property for sale in St. Louis and imagining that BL and I are going to DIY ourselves into a dream home? The relocation struggle is real.
In reality, our current home is covered head to toe in moving boxes and I cannot stop watching home design shows. Which isn’t getting us any closer to the fact that the moving pods come Friday and this house ain’t gonna pack itself. I’m freely trading brownies for anyone who wants to fill the boxes so I can continue my HGTV marathon.
This is also why this salad didn’t get posted on Friday- or Monday. Instead of spending Memorial Day Weekend packing up the rest of the house and being the responsible adults we pretend to be, we headed out on a 4-day road-trip for our ‘Peace Out West Coast, Hello Midwest’ farewell tour.
Beach, Sun, Tacos > Taping, filling and stacking boxes. #priorities
The good news (for you) is that I’m also in the mindset of fuss-free meals: Lots of salads, make- ahead dishes and cheese and crackers. And since 90% of my kitchen will be in storage for the next few months, I’m also going to be sharing lots of one-pot, one-bowl items as well. Minimalist cooks, let’s do this.
If I could put all my favorite things into one bowl, this bean salad might be it. Roasted vegetables, quinoa, beans, and dilly-dressing. So hearty, filling and just as good on day 2 and 3 as it was when I first made it. Since BL will be heading out to St. Louis weeks before I get there, I’m relying on meals that do double-duty to prevent me from calling for take-out too often. Try bean salad first as a side dish, then warmed and tucked into a pita for the next day’s lunch, then tossed with arugula and a little more dressing for dinner the next day. Versatility is the name of this salad’s game.
The inspiration for this salad came from one of my favorite childhood treats: Costco’s bean salad. Perfectly tangy, sweet and packed with three kinds of beans, I wanted to recreate a hearty dish that I could bring to potlucks and cook-outs over and over again this summer.
And while I love the tang of that Costco salad, I knew I wanted this one to have a little more punch- a salad hearty enough to double as a meal. So, I added in some quinoa and roasted vegetables for extra fiber, protein, and bulk. You know it’s good when I eat spoonful after spoonful as I am trying to photograph.
Plus, this salad is a nutrition powerhouse. The quinoa and the black beans contribute to 20g of protein per serving along with iron, calcium, and vitamin C.
So the next time your meat-lovin’ friend asks “but where do you get your protein?”
↓↓↓ this!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Dilled Bean & Quinoa Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 zucchini, thinly sliced, halved if large
- 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
- 1 cup quinoa
- 4 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 tbsp. dill
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- salt/pepper to season
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the zucchini with 1 tsp. olive oil and pinch salt/pepper.
- Place in a single layer on a baking or roasting sheet and cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes.
- While the zucchini is cooking, make the quinoa. Place the quinoa in a saucepan with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Place the quinoa, zucchini, onion, celery, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and black beans in a large bowl. Whisk together the dill, garlic, olive oil and pinch salt/pepper. Toss with the bean and zucchini mix. Cover and set aside for at least 30 minutes to let flavors soak in. Serve immediately.
Nutrition