Tuscan Spring Salad Recipe

Tuscan spring salad is a vibrant filling salad with flavors of Tuscany and a freshness that is hard to resist. 

Every year about this time, I am dreaming about the garden and planning it out as best I can. There is nothing like an abundance of produce to fully enjoy in the warmer seasons ahead. Something I love to make is vibrant salads that are simple to throw together but complex enough to need a recipe. This is one of those salads.

Sure making a salad isn’t really cooking, but the added grilled veggies to this salad add some meatiness you might find that is missing from standard cold salads. So yes, there is a tiny bit of cooking involved here. But I promise it is worth it. You wind up with a very satisfying, filling salad with the tastes and flavors of one of the most incredible regions in the world. 

This is a great salad to make that will yield four small salads or two large lunch or dinner salads. 

Tuscan Spring Salad Is…

• Made with fresh herbs and white beans. 
• A great recipe with Tuscan flavors.
• A delicious recipe with vibrant colors.
• One of my favorite things to make for a light dinner.
• Can be a side dish for four or a meal for two.
• An easy way to get some whole foods into your diet.

Ingredients

Lettuce- I like to use butterleaf lettuce for the soft delicate texture but romaine or red leaf lettuce will also for this. 

Zucchini- use a fairly good sized zucchini for this.

Bell Pepper- I like to use red bell pepper for their sweet flavor but you can also use yellow bell pepper or orange bell pepper for this too. 

Onion- for best results use a red onion. It gives a slightly sweet but nice onion flavor to the salad without it being overpowering.

Beans- I use cannellini beans for this but you can also use Great Northern Beans also work and give a nice creamy texture to the salad.

Oil- use olive oil. I like extra virgin olive oil best but you can use pure olive oil if you prefer.

Garlic- I use medium sized garlic cloves for this. Always use fresh. 

Olives- Kalamata or Gaeta olives work perfect for this salad. I suggest using black olives not green for this. 

Lemon- a fresh lemon and its zest adds a bit of freshness to the dressing for this salad. Don’t skip it. 

Oregano- I like to use fresh oregano for this salad but you can substitute a 1/2 tsp of dried Italian seasoning in a pinch.

Salt and Pepper- I use sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper. You can also use Kosher salt, or Himalayan salt.

Directions

Start with making the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, oregano, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Allow the dressing to sit for a few minutes if possible. The longer it sits the more flavorful it becomes as the garlic begins to infuse nicely inside the oil.

Cut the zucchini into bite-sized pieces lengthwise. Chop the bell pepper into thin strips. Heat a cast iron grill pan or pan over medium heat. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. of olive oil and cook the zucchini and bell pepper together. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of sea salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Cook until the vegetables are softened but not overly cooked. Remove the vegetables from the pan and allow them to cool slightly. Rough chop the salad and add it to a large bowl.

Drain the beans of their excess water and pour them over. Dice the red onion into small pieces and sprinkle them in. Add the cooked vegetables and olives.

Pour the dressing over and toss until all the salad is coated with the dressing.

Serve immediately. 

Assembly Notes

• Allowing the dressing to sit for a few minutes helps the flavors to develop.
• Tuscan Spring Salad is best enjoyed fresh.
• Using a cast iron pan or grill pan will give nice charred marks to the vegetables. 

Serving Suggestions 

This salad is great on it’s own for a quick lunch or light dinner but it pairs well with a piece of meat. Try my Sirloin Steak with Herb Butter or my Grilled Spatchcock Chicken. Both go so well with a lightly seasoned spring salad. 

For a great vegetarian option. Pair this with Best Eggplant Parmesan for a flavor packed meal that everyone will love. Vegetarian or not. 

*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no cost to you).

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If you try this recipe and love it, I would appreciate you coming back to give it 5 stars!