Black soybeans are all the rage, and even Dr. Oz says the bean is a powerhouse of nutrients. But how do you prepare black soybeans?
I bought a few cans at my local grocery store and thought I’d give them a whirl. But after a month, they were still sitting in my pantry next to a lone can of garbanzo beans. Then it came to me: bean salad. If a bean salad can make canned green beans palatable, then those crazy black soybeans would have to be pretty yucky not to fit in, right?
To my great satisfaction, I actually really like the black soybean’s taste and texture. It is milder in flavor than a regular soybean, a little less earthy and is similar in texture to a firm black bean. Paired with the garbanzos and a lemony garlic dressing, they make a delightful side salad that I know I’ll return to again.
You can find black soybeans at multiple online and retail stores. But if they haven’t made it to your neck of the woods quite yet, you can substitute plain black beans for a similar taste result.
Black Soybean and
Garbanzo Salad
1 can (15 oz.) organic black soybeans, drained and rinsed well
1 can (15 oz.) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed well
½ cup frozen yellow corn kernels, rinsed (see note)
¼ cup carrot, finely chopped
1 tbsp. grated onion
1 tbsp. finely chopped flatleaf parsley
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. coarse ground black pepper
In a medium bowl, combine both cans of beans, corn, carrot, onion and parsley. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing: lemon juice, oil, sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour over the bean mixture and toss well to coat. Serve, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Makes eight (½ cup) servings.
Note: You can rinse the corn in the same colander with the two cans of beans. Rinsing the corn kernels helps thaw it quickly.
Each serving has about 471 calories, 18 grams fat (3 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 29 grams protein, 50 grams carbohydrates, 14 grams dietary fiber, 95 milligrams sodium.
Alicia Ross is the co-author of three cookbooks. Contact her c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106, email tellus@kitchenscoop.com, or visit http://kitchenscoop.com.