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Bon Appétit

Bean and Vegetable Salad With Potlikker Vinaigrette

By Carla Hall
Bean and vegetable salad with potlikker vinaigrette on large platter
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by Stephanie Yeh

This cold-weather salad from chef Carla Hall hits all the notes: sweet, savory, spicy, and salty. Here Hall uses her Country Ham Potlikker as an umami-rich base for a spicy vinaigrette that gets its silky texture from blended cannellini beans. More beans are then mixed with roasted squash, apple, and fennel for a delightful mix of crunchy and creamy textures. Making the Country Ham Potlikker is a crucial first step, so be sure to read through that recipe before you get started.

What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    6 servings

Ingredients

¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup chilled Country Ham Potlikker 
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1 15-oz. can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed, divided
⅓ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium delicata squash, halved, seeds removed and reserved, sliced crosswise ½" thick
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 large sweet-tart apple (such as Honeycrisp), cored, quartered, sliced ¼" thick
1 large fennel bulb, quartered, thinly sliced
1 15-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed
¼ cup chopped parsley

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Blend vinegar, potlikker, mustard, and ¼ cup cannellini beans in a blender until smooth. With the motor running, stream in vegetable oil; blend until emulsified. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

    Step 2

    Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 400°. Divide sliced squash between 2 rimmed baking sheets; drizzle 2 Tbsp. olive oil over. Sprinkle with 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; season with pepper. Roast 15 minutes.

    Step 3

    Meanwhile, rinse squash seeds and pat dry. Toss seeds with cayenne and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a small bowl; season with salt.

    Step 4

    Sprinkle seeds over squash. Continue to roast until squash is golden brown and tender, 13–15 minutes more.

    Step 5

    Combine squash and seeds, apple, fennel, kidney beans, and remaining cannellini beans in a large bowl. Toss with ½ cup vinaigrette. Taste and add more vinaigrette if needed. Add parsley, season with salt, and toss again.

    Step 6

    Transfer salad to a platter; serve any remaining vinaigrette alongside.

TagsDinnerGluten FreeDairy FreeSaladCannellini BeanWhite BeanBean and LegumeVegetableKidney BeanDelicata SquashSquashFennelRoot VegetableAppleFruitSideWinterFallBon Appétit

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