RECIPE

Bean Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

• Recipe by Mario Batali

"I love all beans," says Mario Batali. "Especially in dishes like this one, with a couple of different beans that make a great textural combination." The recipe here calls for tossing the beans with a sweet basil dressing, though Batali also suggests a "cool" way to serve them: "Make a row of green beans and spoon the white beans on top with the vinaigrette."

• Fast
• Healthy
• Vegetarian

Ingredients

1. 1 pound green beans or Romano beans, trimmed
2. 1 pound yellow wax beans, trimmed
3. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4. 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
5. 3 tablespoons shredded basil leaves
6. 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
7. 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
8. Two 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained
9. Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and yellow wax beans and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Drain, pat dry and let cool. Cut the beans into 2-inch lengths.
2. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, garlic and crushed red pepper. Fold in the cannellini beans and green and yellow beans. Season with salt and pepper, toss well and serve.

Make Ahead

The cooked green and yellow beans can be refrigerated overnight.