White Bean Avocado Panzanella Salad
Author -Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 small boule peasant or sourdough bread, cubed (loaf should be about 1 pound / 455g)
- avocado oil spray (optional, for toasting bread)
- 2 Hass avocados, pitted and halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 1/4 cup loosely packed, fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 medium radishes, very thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 1/2 cups cooked cannellini or great Northern beans (1 15-ounce / 425g can, drained)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C. Spread the bread cubes onto a large, rimmed baking sheet. Spray the cubes lightly with avocado oil spray, if desired. Toast the cubes in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges of the bread cubes are golden. Remove the bread from the oven.
- Cut both avocados in half and remove their pits. Add one half avocado, along with the olive oil, water, lemon juice or vinegar, shallot, basil, salt, and pepper into a blender and blend until smooth. Set this dressing aside.
- To prepare the salad, combine the toasted bread cubes, cucumber, romaine, radishes, and white beans together in a very large mixing bowl. Cut the remaining one and a half avocados into cubes and add them to the bowl. Pour all of the dressing over these ingredients. Toss the salad well, taking care to mix all of the ingredients with the dressing. Serve right away.