Spring Butter Bean Salad with Carrot Ribbons and Carrot Pesto

Welcome warmer weather with this fresh and delicious butter bean salad.  Creamy butter beans are enrobed in a pesto of carrot tops and basil for a no-waste salad that screams of spring. It is hearty enough to be a lunch main dish or a hearty side for dinner.  

Organic Butter Beans From Blue House Farm

Experience the farm-fresh flavor and delicious taste of organic, Non-GMO butter beans, grown on a small family-owned farm in Central California. From velvety spreads to hearty dips, vibrant salads to comforting soups, these butter beans elevate every dish they touch.  These creamy delights carry with them a rich history deeply rooted in tradition and sustainability. Grown with sustainable, organic farming practices and a commitment to delivering pure, wholesome goodness to your table. 

CARROT TOP PESTO IS THE SAUCE YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR

This recipe makes way more pesto than you need, which is a great thing. It keeps in the fridge for a week and it's excellent drizzled over sandwiches, eggs, pasta or used as a dipping sauce for veggies or toasted bread. You can mash leftover butter beans from this recipe on toast and drizzle with the pesto for a fast lunch or appetizer the next day. 

Makes 4 side salads or 2 entree salads

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry butter beans
• 6 large carrots washed and peeled
• butter lettuce or baby spinach washed and dried

 Carrot Top Pesto (makes extra)

• 1 cup of carrot tops (washed and hard stems removed)
• A small handful of basil leaves (you want more carrot than basil)
• 1/3 cup pistachios or cashews
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil 

Directions:

Cool the butter beans using the method of your choice up to 2 days ahead and store in their cooking liquid in the refrigerator. You want the beans to hold their shape so monitor them during cooking. I like these to be simply cooked with just salt and maybe a bay leaf, no other flavorings. I cooked mine in the instant pot for 25 minutes.

Use a mandolin or a vegetable peeler make ribbons of the carrots. I like using a mandolin better for this because you have more control over the thickness of the ribbons. Place the ribbons in cold water and set aside.

Put all of the ingredients of the pesto in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste. If it's a bit too thick add a bit more olive oil or a drizzle of water to get the right consistency.

Assemble the salad by first tossing the greens and beans in 2-4 tablespoons of the pesto, piling the carrots and beans on top of the greens and then drizzling with more pesto. Serve with a crusty bread to soak up extra pesto.