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Easy, healthy, and filling this warm white bean salad made with sweet tomatoes, arugula, and baby mozzarella is you next weeknight meal or weekend lunch with homemade bread. It also makes a perfect side dish to any meal. Ready in 15 minutes!
Why I love this recipe
This time of year I crave healthy foods that warm me up from the inside out. I love salads, but I need something warm when it feels like the arctic outside! This meal is perfectly comforting without leaving you feeling heavy.
Delicious bread options to accompany this meal: Fast Italian No Knead Ciabatta Bread, Softest No Knead Bread Italian Recipe, or Easy No-Knead Focaccia Bread Recipe (Italian).
Another warm salad recipe you’ll enjoy is this Warm Fregola Salad Recipe!
Table of Contents
- Simple Ingredients
- Health Benefits of White Beans
- Why Add Balsamic Vinegar to Sauces?
- What’s the Difference Between Balsamic Glaze and Balsamic Vinegar?
- Can I use Other Types of Mozzarella Cheese?
- How to Make Warm White Bean and Arugula Salad Video
- From my Cucina to Your Table. Mangia! Mangia! (Eat!)
- Made with Amore, Elena
- More Delicious Recipes for YOU
- Have you checked out my NEW CBE PRODUCTS? Take a look at the 2-in-1 cutting and charcuterie board, gorgeous apron, and unique pasta server that you that you absolutely need. The wood products are all handmade in Salt Lake City, Utah. They make great gifts as well!
- Warm White Bean Salad Tomatoes Arugula Baby Mozzarella Recipe
Simple Ingredients
- Canned plum tomatoes
- White beans (such as Italian cannellini)
- Oregano
- Basil
- Garlic
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Baby mozzarella balls – read about the Different Types of Mozzarella Cheese.
- Balsamic glaze for topping (optional)
Health Benefits of White Beans
Are white beans a Superfood? This magic food is the simple white bean, considered a superfood — like all beans — by the American Diabetes Association. White beans are packed with folate, vitamin B1 (thiamin), potassium, magnesium, and iron. It’s an easy bean to cook with and can be a healthy substitute for the type of starch in potatoes.
Why Add Balsamic Vinegar to Sauces?
Balsamic vinegar is a slightly sweet, dark, richly flavored vinegar used to enhance salad dressings, marinades, and sauces. The acid in tomatoes isn’t exaggerated by adding vinegars, it’s actually balanced. Make sure you use a high quality balsamic vinegar, it should have the words “Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena” written on it. That’s how you know it is authentic and good quality.
Here is a balsamic vinegar brand I recommend.
What’s the Difference Between Balsamic Glaze and Balsamic Vinegar?
As you notice this recipe calls for both balsamic glaze and balsamic vinegar. Let me explain the difference. Balsamic Vinegar is intense, sweet and sour, lingering, aromatic and when aged, it has complex flavors given by aging in barrels.You can use Balsamic Vinegar of Modena as a condiment for any kind of food. Meat, vegetables, salads, risotto, ice-cream, fruit salads and many others.
Balsamic Glaze is instead a topping for the dishes. It’s a decoration to make your dishes aesthetically more beautiful for the presentation. In fact, thanks to its viscosity, you’ll be able to decorate your plate with shapes, writings avoiding the liquid “slips away”.
Adapt THIS WHITE BEAN SALAD
This warm white bean salad is delicious on it’s own, but if you want a change, try these variations:
- Add your favorite salad leaves, such as spinach
- Try adding shredded zucchini, or carrots.
- Fresh or dried herbs such as fennel seeds, chili flakes, tarragon, parsley
- Add a poached or fried egg to turn it into a brunch
- Add protein such as chicken, salmon, bacon, or cooked/cured ham
Can I use Other Types of Mozzarella Cheese?
Yes! Absolutely, I love the small bite-size mozzarella for this recipe since they are easy to eat with the other components of the salad. You can try burrata or bigger mozzarella cut into pieces, or even shredded mozarella if you like. Pick your favorite and make it your own!
How to Make Warm White Bean and Arugula Salad Video
From my Cucina to Your Table. Mangia! Mangia! (Eat!)
Made with Amore, Elena
More Delicious Recipes for YOU
Orecchiette with Sausage, Peppers, and Arugula (video)
Italian Crumble Cake Pastry Cream Filling
Simple and Comforting Pasta e Ceci (Pasta and chickpeas)
Italian Salad Pears, Walnuts, and Gorgonzola
Arugula, Apple, and Pistachio Salad in Parmigiano Cups
Breaded Chicken Breast Pan Fried (Italian)
Have you checked out my NEW CBE PRODUCTS? Take a look at the 2-in-1 cutting and charcuterie board, gorgeous apron, and unique pasta server that you that you absolutely need. The wood products are all handmade in Salt Lake City, Utah. They make great gifts as well!
Warm White Bean Salad Tomatoes Arugula Baby Mozzarella
Easy, healthy, and filling this warm white bean salad made with sweet tomatoes, arugula, and baby mozzarella is you next weeknight meal or weekend lunch with homemade bread. It also makes a perfect side dish to any meal. Ready in 15 minutes!
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1– 14 oz can plum tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon, dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon, fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar good quality
- 1– 14 oz can cannellini beans, drained with 2 tablespoon liquid reserved
- 10 – 12 Baby mozzarella balls
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Fresh Basil leaves for garnish
- Balsamic glaze for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a medium skillet or pan with olive oil, chopped garlic, dried basil and oregano, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper. Let the herbs get fragrant about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook an additional 8 minutes or medium low heat.
- Add the cannellini beans, add 2 tablespoon of the cooking liquid from the can as well, and cook the beans for around 5 minutes.
- Once the beans have softened slightly turn off the heat and set aside for 2 minutes to cool. Add the arugula and mix well. Add baby mozzarella, a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic glaze, a few torn basil leaves, and serve!
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Savory
- Method: Italian
- Cuisine: Italian
The pictures have what looks like roasted cherry tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes. Thoughts?
Hi! These are actually canned cherry tomatoes. You can also use regular canned diced tomatoes. Enjoy!
Elena, you have one of the very best food Vlogs on the internet and this recipe is a very good example as to why, I say that. Your Italian recipes are spot on. I have made this recipe three times. I made it along side pasta, fish, and lamb chops, each time it added to the meal with rave reviews.
Amazing compliment! Thank you so much. I am so happy you love the recipes! Here’s to many more.
This was such a delicious recipe. I chose to use chickpeas because I had them on hand, but it made extra for brunches and dinner sides for me!
I love the use of chickpeas! Yes, it is delicious as leftovers. Enjoy.
Yum I love this! Sometimes I forget about how versatile beans are and this dish was so satisfying! Thanks 😉
So happy you loved it! I love that it still tastes fresh even though it is warm!
Warm and delicious!
This dish was so so so delicious. I love a vegetarian dish that is so deeply flavored. Definitely going into our weekly repertoire.
So happy you loved it! It is a great warm salad recipe that tastes great and healthy too!