Four Bean Salad for #SundaySupper

This month, the Sunday Supper crew requested that we provide recipes that will help our readers get ready for the last hurrah of the season, Labor Day.

Labor Day is often the last big grill out event of the year.  Then kids start back to school, sports commence and fall starts to creep into the air. Grills, picnic tables and pools are replaced with Fire pits, lawn chairs and hot tubs.  I'm not ready for summer to end yet but autumn has almost gotten me entranced with the thought of cool, crisp air and long walks with the leaves crunching under my feet.

I decided to share a side dish that is perfect with whatever you decide to throw on the grill, from hotdogs to steaks.  I served mine up with the best barbecued Baby Back Ribs ever.

It helps you use up some of the beans that are prolific right now in your gardens or at roadside stands and farmer's markets.  I used a combination of yellow and green beans but you can use any fresh beans that you like and/or have on hand.  I have made this with soy beans, purple beans and fava beans.

You can also use whatever canned beans you happen to have in your cupboard, including green and yellow beans if you don't have fresh.  I happened to have kidney and garbanzo beans this time but I often use cannellini, northern, pinto and black beans.  You can have more than 4 kinds of beans as well, it just happened that these were what I had available.

There is not a lot of work involved.  Trim, halve and blanch the fresh beans.  Rinse the canned beans and chop your fresh herbs and veggies.

Toss it all together in a vinaigrette and chill until ready to serve or to take with you to your potluck. It is a great side salad when eating outdoors as there is nothing that needs to be kept cold and it can sit out without worry.

Four Bean Salad

1/2 lb each fresh green and yellow beans or 1 lb of either

1 (16 oz) can garbanzo beans

1 (16 oz) can kidney beans

1 stalk celery, diced

1/2 c. diced sweet onion

chopped fresh parsley, to taste

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. red wine vinegar

2 T. sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Trim and halve the fresh beans.  Drop into boiling water for about 3 minutes.  Remove and immediately immerse into an ice bath.

Rinse the canned beans well and place into a large bowl.  Drain the fresh beans and add to the bowl with the canned beans.  Add the celery, onion and parsley to the bowl.

Place the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in a small jar with a lid and shake until well combined. 

Pour over the beans and vegetables.  Toss to coat and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Print Recipe

Labor Day Menu Ideas

Scrumptious Labor Day Sides and Starters

• Foil Pack Grilled Potatoes by Hardly A Goddess
• Four Bean Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Jalapeno Popper Deviled Eggs by Sunday Supper Movement
• Pasta Salad with Baby Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomatoes by Simple and Savory
• Sausage and Peppers Salad by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Shelly’s Pasta Salad by Soulfully Made
• Sour Cream and Onion Potatoes by Cricket’s Confections
• Thai Spiced Shrimp Cabbage Coleslaw by Food Lust People Love
• Zucchini Parmesan Foil Packets by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Delicious Labor Day Entrees

• Malaysian Chicken Satay by Sprinkles and Sprouts
• Grilled Hasselback Fajita Chicken by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Maple Turkey Burger with Cheddar, Bacon and Apple by Caroline’s Cooking
• Pork Spiedini Hoagies by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Sous Vide Sirloin Steak with asparagus by Our Good Life
• Sriracha Deviled Crab Sandwich with Key Lime-Bacon Slaw by Gourmet Everyday
• Tom’s BBQ Spare Ribs with North Carolina BBQ Sauce by Recipes Food and Cooking
• Vietnamese Grilled Steak Salad by Palatable Pastime

Luscious Labor Day Desserts

• Blueberry Crisp Bars by Pies and Plots
• Fudgy Brownie Trifle with Chocolate Mousse by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Watermelon Treats by The Freshman Cook

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