A Use-It-Up Summer Salad

THE INNER KITCHEN

Summer Lamb & White Bean Salad

Leftover lamb, white beans, vegetables, and a simple herb dressing turned into a hearty summer supper.

Summer lamb and white bean salad with peas, carrots, herbs, and tender pieces of lamb in a rustic bowl

Some recipes begin with a plan. Others begin with a bowl of leftovers, a few pantry ingredients, and the quiet hope of making one more good meal from what is already there.

This Summer Lamb & White Bean Salad came together after a roast leg of lamb supper. Rather than letting the remaining lamb sit forgotten in the refrigerator, I paired it with white beans, peas, carrots, onion, herbs, and a simple dressing for a cold salad substantial enough to become supper.

Some of the best homemaking begins with the question: “what do I already have?”

What I Had on Hand

Leftover cooked lamb, cut into small pieces
White beans
Peas
Parmesan
Carrots
Onion or scallions
Fresh or dried herbs
Olive oil or simple vinaigrette
Salt, pepper, and seasoning to taste

View Recipe: Herbed Dijon Vinaigrette

A simple, bright vinaigrette for dressing white beans, cold lamb, vegetables, and summer salads.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, minced or grated
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon or thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: a pinch of sugar or honey

Method

Whisk the vinegar or lemon juice with Dijon mustard, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is smooth and lightly thickened. Taste and adjust as needed.

Toss gently with the lamb and white bean salad, adding just enough vinaigrette to coat everything without making the salad heavy. Chill before serving, or serve at room temperature.

Close-up of white beans, peas, carrots, herbs, and lamb in a summer salad

A rustic bowl of summer lamb and white bean salad served with toasted bread

Kitchen Shelf Notes

This is the kind of recipe that belongs to the practical side of summer cooking. It is cool, filling, and flexible — the sort of dish that can be served for lunch, carried to a picnic table, or brought out for a simple supper when the day has been warm.

The lamb gives the salad richness, the beans make it nourishing, and the vegetables bring color and freshness. It is not fussy food. It is useful food, made with care.

Simple Method

In a large bowl, combine cooked lamb, white beans, peas, carrots, onion, and herbs. Dress lightly with olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, salt, pepper, and any seasonings you enjoy. Toss gently, then chill until ready to serve.

Serve cold or at room temperature with toasted bread, crackers, or a simple green salad on the side.

Do you have a favorite summer “use-it-up” meal in your kitchen? A cold salad, pantry supper, or leftover dish that somehow becomes more than the sum of its parts?

THE INNER KITCHEN

Home isn’t perfection.

Home is making something good from what you have.