Warm Bean Salad with Miso Dressing

While my Instagram suggests I have a wildly cool and lavish New York City diet (Roberta’s! Ramen galore!), the truth is, I’ve sort of fallen into a weeknight dinner rut. Most nights, dinner consists of quinoa or brown rice with beans (usually these), and some sort of vegetable. It’s fast, easy and nutritious, but also a major snoozefest.

This recipe is an attempt to diversify my dinner routine, but still feel good about what I’m eating. A warm bean salad is all about varying textures: creamy beans, crispy red onions and crunchy bell pepper. Combining the beans with the other ingredients while they’re still warm accomplishes two things. One, they help wilt the greens, and two, they absorb the dressing instead of just being coated in it. This salad is best served warm, but is also great at room temperature, which makes it a contender for summertime picnics or potlucks.

Warm Bean Salad with Miso Dressing
Active time: 25 minutes; Total time: 50 minutes
(Yield: 6 servings)
Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried red kidney beans, soaked for 8 hours or overnight
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/2 medium red onion, sliced
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar, divided
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons miso
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons organic canola oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 4 cups arugula (about half of 5-ounce box)
• 1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, seeded, finely diced

Procedure:
1. Drain and rinse soaked beans, and place in a medium pot. Add enough cold water to cover beans by 2 inches and add salt. Cover, bring to a boil, turn heat down to low, and simmer with the lid ajar until beans are cooked through and creamy, 40-50 minutes.
2. Place onions in a shallow dish and douse with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, miso, black pepper and remaining 3 tablespoons rice vinegar. While continually whisking, stream in canola and sesame oils.
4. Drain beans and let cool for a few minutes.
5. Drain off remaining vinegar from onions and transfer onions to a large bowl. Add arugula, bell pepper and beans, and toss with miso dressing. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately.