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Cannellini Bean Salad with Pesto

Cannellini Bean Salad with Pesto brings together smoky grilled vegetables, toasty sourdough croutons, and tender beans, all tied together with a parsley-walnut pesto brightened by grilled lemon. It’s fresh yet satisfying, with charred edges, nutty depth, and a lively herb finish. Serve it for a summer lunch, picnic, or as a vibrant side at a cookout.

  • Prep30 mins
  • Cook10 mins
  • Serves8
  • DifficultyMedium
Cannellini Bean Salad with Pesto

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Cannellini Bean Salad with Pesto, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

42 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
58 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
4 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityFair
58 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
1 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

43
Heart Health
76
Metabolic
27
Digestive
34
Inflammatory
30
Performance
37
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat (350 to 375 degrees F (175 to 190 degrees C)). Brush bread slices generously with 2 tablespoons oil. Oil the grill grates. Place bread slices, bell pepper, onion, zucchini, lemon, and garlic, cut sides down, on the grill grate over direct heat; cover the grill.

  2. 2

    Grill the bread, turning halfway through, until toasted, about 4 minutes. Grill the lemon and garlic until the cut sides are lightly charred, 4 to 6 minutes. Grill the zucchini, bell pepper, and onion, turning halfway through, until tender and lightly charred, 5 to 6 minutes for the zucchini and 8 to 10 minutes for the pepper and onion.

  3. 3

    When cool enough to handle, squeeze the cloves from the garlic halves. Rub a few garlic cloves over both sides of the toast. Reserve about 3 cloves of the garlic for the pesto (save the remaining garlic for another use). Cut or tear the toast into bite-size pieces.

  4. 4

    For the pesto, pulse the parsley, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, salt, the reserved 3 cloves garlic, and the juice of the grilled lemon in a food processor or blender until chopped. With the machine running, slowly pour in the remaining 1/2 cup oil in a thin stream until the mixture is smooth.

  5. 5

    Cut the bell pepper, onion, and zucchini into bite-size pieces; add to a large bowl along with the croutons, cannellini beans, and tomatoes. Toss to combine. Arrange the salad on a serving platter. Drizzle with the pesto; toss to coat before serving.

About This Recipe

Cannellini Bean Salad with Pesto is an Italian side dish recipe made with 13 ingredients. It takes about 40 mins, serves 8, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Cannellini Beans, Cherry Tomato, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Fresh Parsley. Each serving provides about 270.6 kcal.

Recipe Questions

What is Cannellini Bean Salad with Pesto?
It is an Italian salad recipe made with 13 ingredients, usually served for side dish or dinner or lunch or salad.
What is Cannellini Bean Salad with Pesto made of?
The main ingredients are Cannellini Beans, Cherry Tomato, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Parsley, Garlic. The full list of 13 is above.
How long does it take to make Cannellini Bean Salad with Pesto?
About 40 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 10 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 270.6 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Cannellini Bean Salad with Pesto easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 13 ingredients and 5 steps.
Is Cannellini Bean Salad with Pesto healthy?
Cannellini Bean Salad with Pesto has an easyChef Pro health score of 42/100. Per serving, it provides 270.6 calories and 7.11 g of protein, or 14% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 141.46 mg (6% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 3.37 g (17% of the Daily Value). It contains Citrus, Tree Nuts, Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

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