photo: kingrecipes.com Pumpkin and Kidney Bean Salad with an Exotic Twist

Pumpkin and Kidney Bean Salad with an Exotic Twist

This pumpkin and kidney bean salad celebrates all four seasons! Summery, flavorful, and at the same time satisfying and filling - this pumpkin and kidney bean salad makes mealtime a little more tasty while being light on the waistline. It is warm enough to still eat salads as a main meal but cool enough to enjoy beans and pumpkin.

There are many ways to make pumpkin and kidney bean salad, and this slightly unusual combination of classic winter ingredients and fruity summer vibes is one of the most nontraditional ways to make it. Feel free to use your imagination and make your own combination, using your favorite ingredients.

This salad is good as a side dish and as a filling lunch salad for any day of the week.

15 min

2 servings

Steps

1. Peel and cut pumpkin into small cubes.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a skillet, add pumpkin, paprika, thyme salt and pepper and fry for about 15 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. In the meantime strain the beans from the can and rinse under cold water. Peel and divide tangerines, dice pineapple and spring onion.
3. To make the dressing combine the lime juice, avocado oil (or another oil of your choice), Dijon mustard, and crushed garlic clove, and mix together. Combine the ingredients for the salad and serve family-style or transfer to individual bowls. Sprinkle the dressing over the salad, and stir until evenly distributed with the ingredients. Check for seasonings, add additional salt and pepper if desired.

Chef’s tips:
Rinse the beans before adding them to the salad, it removes that starchy water they sit in. It will improve both their look and taste immensely.

You can make this pumpkin and kidney bean salad a few days ahead of time and store it in the fridge. In this case we recommend to add the onions when you are ready to serve.

Want a more crunchy salad? Add diced red onion! Don’t be afraid to experiment, should you want something sharper, crunchier, more acidic, etc.