By Gretchen McKay / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Salad greens are loaded with vitamins and minerals and relatively easy to throw together, with a minimum of fuss or effort.
The Everything Bagel Salad pairs creamy cannellini beans with tender greens, shaved Parmesan and crunchy, buttery homemade everything bagel croutons. But the real star is the zesty lemon-basil pesto that binds everything together. It’s like a much-needed burst of sunshine. It’s so good, you might want to double the recipe and use the extra as a sauce for pasta.
I used a mix of baby spinach and arugula, but you also could opt for a simple spring mix or even butter lettuce.
If you can’t find everything bagel seasoning at your local grocery store (it flies off the shelf at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s) make your own. Combine 2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons poppy seeds and 2 teaspoons each granulated onion, granulated garlic and flaky sea salt.
Everything bagel salad
For the pesto:
2 cups packed basil leaves
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup olive oil, or more to taste
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
For the salad:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 everything bagel, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt
Crushed red pepper flakes
6 cups baby spinach or arugula, or a mix of both
¼ cup freshly shaved Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon everything bagel spice blend
Make the pesto: In blender or food processor, combine all ingredients except salt and pulse until smooth but still a bit chunky, about 1 minute. Add a little more olive oil if it seems too thick. Taste and add salt as needed. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Make the salad: In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add bagel pieces and cook, tossing occasionally, until crispy and toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
In medium bowl, toss together beans, ⅓ cup pesto, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and red pepper flakes.
Add salad greens, shaved Parmesan and Everything Bagel spice and toss to combine.
Divide salad among four bowls and top with bagel croutons.
Serves 4.
— Adapted from “Half Baked Harvest Super Simple” by Tieghan Gerard (Clarkson Potter; October 2019)
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