Name: French Bean Salad with Lovage Pesto
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 200 g french beans; 200 g baby mozzarella balls; 1/2 lemon (wedges); 1 clove garlic (sliced); 1 tsp rapeseed oil; 20 g lovage leaves; 100 g rapeseed oil (cold pressed); 20 g pumpkin seeds; 15 g parmesan (grated); 2 garlic cloves; zest and juice from half of lemon; salt

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French Bean Salad

I cook variations of this French Bean Salad at least once a month, but this is by far my favourite recipe. I usually prepare the pesto and the french beans a day or two in advance, to have everything on hand during busy weekdays. In this way, it only takes me a couple of minutes to put together a tasty and healthy dinner. As a variation, you can use the classic mozzarella instead of the baby balls, or even labneh. If you can’t find fresh lovage, just substitute it with fresh basil – it will make a great variation of the classic basil pesto.A light, warm salad of french beans, lovage pesto and mozzarella. Ideal for a quick, healthy lunch or dinner.

A light, warm salad of french beans, lovage pesto and mozzarella. Ideal for a quick, healthy lunch or dinner.

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French Bean Salad with Lovage Pesto

Andra Constantinescu

A light, warm salad of french beans, lovage pesto and mozzarella. Ideal for a quick, healthy lunch or dinner.

Course: Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Prep 5 mins

Cook 10 mins

Total 15 mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients

For the salad:

200 g french beans
200 g baby mozzarella balls
1/2 lemon wedges
1 clove garlic sliced
1 tsp rapeseed oil

For the lovage pesto:

20 g lovage leaves
100 g rapeseed oil cold pressed
20 g pumpkin seeds
15 g parmesan grated
2 garlic cloves
zest and juice from half of lemon
salt

Instructions

To make the pesto, put lovage leaves, garlic, parmesan and pumpkin seeds in a food processor and pulse several times until a coarse paste is formed. Add lemon zest and juice as well as the oil and continue processing. Season with salt.
The recipe will only asks for a teaspoon of pesto, so you can put the remaining lovage pesto in a jar and store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Blanch the french beans in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then remove into a bowl of ice to preserve the vibrant green colour.
To make the salad, gently fry the sliced garlic in a non stick pan drizzled with rapeseed oil. Add the french beans and a teaspoon of pesto and stir until just warm. Transfer the salad to a plate, add the baby mozzarella balls on top and serve immediately.
Serve with a wedge of lemon on the side.

Notes

If you can’t find fresh lovage, you can replace it with basil, to make a variation of the classic basil pesto.

The salad can be made in advance for your lunch box, as it stores well in the fridge.

Special equipment needed for this recipe:

Food processor

This recipe is part of the Low Calorie Fine Dining project, which I timidly started last year. My aim is to elevate low calorie dinners to a new level, and not only to make them look pretty but also to make them taste super delicious. So please let me know what you think about it. And if you like what you’re seeing, follow the hashtag #lowcalfinedining on Instagram.

To find out more about the Low Calorie Fine Dining project, please read the Low Calorie Fine Dining manifesto here.

For more recipes and foodie inspiration follow me on Instagram at @mintandrosemary.

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