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Jack Monroe's broad bean salad
Jack Monroe's broad bean salad. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian
Jack Monroe's broad bean salad. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian

Jack Monroe's broad bean salad recipe

This simple spring salad combines broad beans with mint, garlic, lemon and cheese for a bright and fresh dish

Frozen broad beans tend to be much cheaper than their fresh counterparts – and there is no prising them from fiddly little pods either. This salad uses a lot of my store cupboard basics: lemon, garlic, herbs and cheese. It takes just minutes to put together, and tastes like summer is coming.

(Serves 2) £1 a portion
140g broad beans, 28p
Zest and juice of half a lemon, 15p
1 fat clove of garlic, 3p
1 tbsp oil, 20p
50g spinach, rocket and watercress, 75p
A fistful of mint, leaves picked 13p
Salt and pepper, 1p
40g strong, hard cheese, shaved, 46p

Bring a pan of water to the boil. Drop in the broad beans and simmer for two to three minutes, until they are tender.

Drain, transfer to a bowl and add the lemon zest.

Roughly chop and crush the garlic clove, using the flat blade of a chunky, sharp knife.

Scoop the smashed-up garlic into a jar, add the lemon juice and oil, then screw the lid on and shake well to make the dressing.

Toss the beans with the spinach, rocket and watercress, and the whole mint leaves. Dress, season with salt and pepper, and top with the cheese shavings.

Jack's tips

For a more substantial salad, top with crispy bacon – delicious!

Use any green leaves you like, but the peppery watercress and rocket work really well here.

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