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This White Bean Lemon Parmesan Salad is the perfect side dish to any main dish! Simple to whip up in mere minutes, it is light, refreshing, and bursting with flavor.
The inspiration for this recipe came from Erin O’Brien’s Nana’s Viral Crunchy Lemon Parmesan Salad.
In case you haven’t heard of it or seen it, the recipe went viral for great reasons: it’s simply the perfect light side salad to include at any meal. It has Caesar Salad vibes without the excess calories from the heavy dressing, and it comes together in mere minutes.
I wanted to add something a little more substantial, like creamy white beans, to bring some heartiness to the light salad, and a little squish. I also wanted to provide more detailed ingredient quantities as the original recipe calls for more of an estimate approach.
Serve it alongside your Crispy Salmon, BBQ Tri Tip, Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs, and more!
The simple ingredients can be found at any grocery store.
Ingredients for Lemon Parmesan White Bean Salad:
Romaine Lettuce: The main ingredient here! Pick up 7 ounces of hearts of romaine so that you end up with the right ratio of parmesan cheese and dressing. Of course, you can go off script and use any amount of lettuce you’d like, but just be sure to adjust the parm and dressing to your personal taste.
Parmesan Cheese: Adding a tremendous amount of savory flavor to the salad, freshly grated parmesan cheese is the reason we’re all here, no? I recommend sticking with fresh parmesan as opposed to pre-shredded parmesan for the best results.
White Beans: My addition to the viral recipe for a little heartiness and protein. I love the texture and smooth flavor the beans bring. You can also use navy beans, cannellini beans, or great northern beans.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The base of the simple dressing begins with olive oil. If you love rich olive flavor, use extra virgin olive oil for that rustic depth.
Fresh Lemon Juice: A kick of acidity from fresh lemon juice. Apple cider vinegar also works, but I prefer the lemon juice version.
Black Pepper: Some fresh cracked pepper adds a lovely subtle spice. Adjust the amount to your personal preference.
Optional Additions
- Lemon zest
- Add croutons for additional crunch.
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onions
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/3 cup sliced pitted kalamata olives
- Fresh herbs
How to Make Lemon Parmesan White Bean Salad
Open the can of beans, drain it into a colander, and give it a good rinse. Give the colander several shakes to remove the excess water and set the beans aside while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
Mix the olive oil and lemon juice together in a measuring cup or a small bowl until well combined.
Chop the hearts of romaine into thin shreds and transfer them to a large mixing bowl or a serving bowl.
Transfer the white beans to the salad bowl along with the parmesan cheese and all of the salad dressing.
Toss everything together until the ingredients are coated with dressing. Taste the salad for flavor and add sea salt and black pepper to your personal taste. You can also add more dressing or more parmesan cheese.
Serve alongside your main dish with crusty bread, and enjoy. If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 hours.
After a few hours, the salad won’t taste as fresh and the crunch will disappear, so I encourage you to serve the salad soon after fixing it.
Recipe Tips
- Weigh your romaine lettuce before proceeding. This ensures the correct ratio of dressing-to-lettuce. I bought a 7-oz container of romaine lettuce, but when I weighed the romaine hearts with a kitchen scale, they weighed closer to 10 ounces.
- Adjust the dressing to your personal taste. If you know you like a lot of dressing, double the recipe for the dressing. If you prefer lighter dressing, adjust as needed.
The perfect salad to go with any weeknight meal, this simple green salad is everything I look for in a side dish. It has no doubt become a family staple!
If you enjoy making side salads to go with dinner, try some of these great recipes!
More Side Salad Recipes:
- Strawberry Spinach Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
- Blueberry Avocado Sunflower Seed Chopped Salad
- The Best Broccoli Salad
- Italian Salad
- Crunchy Kale Salad with Sunflower Seeds
- Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad
White Bean Parmesan Lemon Salad
Ingredients
- 7 ounces hearts of romaine, chopped
- 1 (15-oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Open the can of beans, drain it into a colander, and give it a good rinse. Give the colander several shakes to remove the excess water and set the beans aside while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
- Mix the olive oil and lemon juice together in a measuring cup or a small bowl until well combined.
- Chop the hearts of romaine into thin shreds and transfer them to a large mixing bowl or a serving bowl.
- Transfer the white beans to the salad bowl along with the parmesan cheese and all of the salad dressing. Toss everything together until the ingredients are coated with dressing. Taste the salad for flavor and add sea salt and black pepper to your personal taste. You can also add more dressing or more parmesan cheese.
- Serve alongside your main dish with crusty bread, and enjoy. If you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 hours.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
I CAN’T WAIT TO TRY THIS AS I LOVE SALADS THAT ADD PROTIEN AND FLAVOR. SINCE I HAVE NON-BEAN EATERS IN THE FAMILY IT WILL DONE AS REGULAR SALAD NO BEANS AND MINE WITH THE BEANS. I ALSO HAVE VEGAN FRIEND WHO WILL LOVE IT!