This white bean and avocado salad makes a great filling for sandwiches, but we love the fresh crunch you get when serving it in lettuce cups. Serve this light main dish with a classic summer side dish of tomato, mozzarella and basil.
Vinegar, balsamic
- 1/3 cup
(any inexpensive brand)
Avocado and White Bean Salad Lettuce Cups:
Celery
- 2 stalks
, diced
Onions
- 1 Tbsp
, chopped
Avocados
- 1
, chopped
Beans, cannellini or butter (14 oz / 397 g)
- 1 can
, drained and rinsed
Oil, olive
- 1 Tbsp
Mustard, Dijon
- 1 tsp
Lemon juice
- 2 tsp
Lettuce, romaine (sub green leaf or iceberg)
- 8 leaves
Almonds, sliced
- 1/4 cup
Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad:
Cheese, fresh mozzarella
- 4 oz
, sliced
Tomatoes, medium (sub half a cup cherry or grape tomatoes for each medium tomato)
- 2
, wedges
Basil, fresh
- 10 leaves
Oil, olive
- 1 Tbsp
Prep
Make balsamic reduction - (If not already made from Monday’s meal.) Simmer balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan until it reduces by at least half and thickens to the texture of syrup. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Celery / Onions - Prep as directed and combine. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
Make lettuce cup filling - Combine avocado and beans with celery, onions, olive oil (the portion for the lettuce cups) mustard and lemon juice. Season with some salt and pepper.
Combine mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and olive oil (the portion for the salad). Season with some salt and pepper and transfer to a serving plate. Drizzle with balsamic reduction.
Assemble lettuce cups by filling lettuce leaves with white bean / avocado mixture and topping them with almond slices for crunch.