Lifestyle
Meat-free Monday: Bean and roasted mushroom salad
This colourful salad made with cannellini beans, fresh fennel, tart green apple, and meaty roasted mushrooms is the perfect meat-free meal.
![Meat-free Monday: Bean and roasted mushroom salad](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/112/2023/02/meat-free-monday-bean-and-roasted-mushroom-salad-780x470.jpg)
Meat-free Mondays are a great opportunity to explore delicious plant-based meals that are healthy, sustainable, and satisfying. This cannellini bean, fennel, apple, and roasted mushroom salad is a great example of a dish that is both flavourful and nutritious.
The base of the salad is made with cannellini beans, which are an excellent source of plant-based protein and fibre, and fennel, which adds a crunchy texture and a subtle anise flavour.
The salad is then topped with slices of tart green apple, which adds a refreshing burst of sweetness and acidity, and meaty roasted mushrooms that are packed with umami flavour.
Recipe compliments of The South African Mushroom farmers’ Association.
Ingredients
- 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 bulb fennel, sliced very thinly
- 1 large stalk celery, sliced
- 400g medium portabello mushrooms, quartered
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 150g mixed baby lettuce leaves
- 2 green apples, sliced thinly
- 50g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- Fennel fronds, for serving
- Olive oil, for dressing
- Sherry vinegar, for dressing
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
- Place the cannellini beans, fennel and celery in a small bowl.
- Drizzle with a little olive oil and sherry vinegar.
- Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 200˚C, fan on.
- Place mushrooms on a baking tray.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
- Roast for ± 7 minutes until tender and juicy, but retain some bite.
- Allow the mushrooms to rest.
- Once the mushrooms have rested, assemble the salad.
- Layer the baby leaves and apples on a serving platter.
- Spoon over the marinated bean mixture.
- Top with the roasted mushrooms.
- Sprinkle with walnuts and fennel fronds. Season lightly.
- Drizzle everything with a little extra sherry vinegar and olive oil and serve.