Citrus Three Bean Salad

The wife loves the Three Bean Salad. Fortunately, so do I. This recipe is really quick, so you can make a enough salad for 4-5 people in about 15 minutes.

Citrus Three Bean Salad

1 lb fresh green beans

8 oz. Garbanzo beans

8 oz. black beans

3 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced

1/2 sweet onion, julienne

10 grape tomatoes, thinly sliced

5 sun-dried tomatoes, julienne

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium lemon, juiced and zested

1 medium lime, juiced and zested

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp oregano

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Blanch grean beans in salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes and then shock in an ice bath.

2. Strain and dry green bean.

3. Combine green, black, and Garbanzo beans in a large mixing bowl.

4. Add garlic, onions, and tomatoes to bean mixture.

5. Prepare dressing by combining olive oil, lemon juice, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper, and 1/8 tsp of both lemon and lime zest in a small mixing bowl.

6. Toss salad in dressing and allow to rest, covered, for at least one hour.

7. Toss salad again just before serving.

As you can see, this is a relatively simple bean salad recipe. I like to mix it up a little, so maybe I will bring you another bean salad in the future. I love this salad because it has the snap and crunch of the green beans, the soft texture of the black beans, and the slightly firm and mildly starchy texture of the Garbanzo beans. All of these textures play nicely with the sweet and tart backdrop provided by the dressing. Enjoy!