Serve it alone as a salad or on top of thick-sliced crusty bread topped with goat cheese. Don’t have cannelloni beans on hand? Switch them out for any other white bean like butter beans. Basil can also be substituted with any leafy green such as arugula. I like to keep this recipe simple by using store-bought pesto.

This easy to make recipe by Milk & Marigolds is spring inspired and full of freshness and flavour.  Follow my instagram account & recipes at: @milkandmarigolds 

Pesto Cannellini Bean Salad with Fresh Basil & Watermelon Radish

Author: Polly Hawkes of Milk & Marigolds   Prep Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 (easily scalable)             

Salad Ingredients 
1 can of cannellini beans (or sub in whatever you’ve got on hand), drained and rinsed 
3 heaping tbsp (60 mL) of store-bought basil pesto 
1 watermelon radish (optional), thinly sliced
2-3 small red radishes (optional), thinly sliced
1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil or avocado oil
sea salt & pepper to taste
thick-sliced crusty bread
1/2 cup (125 mL) goat cheese, crumbled

1. Drain and rinse the cannellini beans with cool water and pat dry. In a bowl, gently combine the beans with the pesto. Add more pesto if a bolder taste is desired. Set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, wash and dry the whole radishes. Then very thinly slice the radishes perpendicular to the stem. Set aside.

3.  Trim and wash the basil. Set aside.

4.  To assemble, arrange the sliced radishes on a serving plate or platter and gently spoon the pesto cannelloni beans on top or in the center.

5.  Garnish with fresh basil leaves and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with crumbled goat cheese if desired. Serve on top or alongside fresh bread.

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