Cacio e Pepe Sugar Snap Pea and White Bean Salad – Recipe!

Savor a Cacio e Pepe Salad combining sugar snap peas and white beans for a fresh, flavorful twist on a classic dish.

Cacio e Pepe means cheese and pepper in Italian and this dish is traditionally tossed together with pasta, but here I decided to use these ingredients to create Cacio e Pepe Snap Pea and White Bean Salad for a fresh twist on a popular recipe.

I enjoy the flavors of Pecorino cheese – it’s an intense sheep’s milk cheese with a salty dry finish and makes an outstanding addition to salad, along with freshly ground black pepper.  Snap peas are topping my list of vegetables to enjoy this spring season, and when tossed with creamy white beans in a simple vinaigrette, it’s the perfect side dish or entree at any meal.

Snap peas are here for a short period of time, and when ripe off the vine, they are almost as sweet as candy.  Slicing them into bite sized pieces makes them easy to enjoy in this Cacio e Pepe Sugar Snap Pea and White Bean Salad Recipe. There are only a handful of ingredients to create such a lovely salad and the entire recipe can be made in one bowl, including the dressing for easy clean-up.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound sugar snap peas – washed, ends trimmed and cut in half
• 3 sprigs of fresh dill, minced
• 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese
• 1/4 cup rice wine, apple cider or white balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 14 ounces cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

Tips

• always wash and drain beans before adding to salad
• you can substitute Parmesan cheese, but it won’t be officially Cacio e Pepe without Pecorino
• use fresh dill instead of dried for a cleaner herbal flavor

• Calories per serving: ~429 kcal

• Fat: ~30g

• Carbohydrates: ~25g

• Protein: ~16g

(Serves 4)

To Prepare:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together rice wine vinegar, pepper and salt.  Drizzle in oil and continue to whisk until thickened.
2. Add snap peas, dill, Pecorino and white beans.  Fold into vinaigrette until completely coated.
3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.  Enjoy!

I served this Cacio e Pepe Sugar Snap Pea and White Bean Salad with pan seared fish, but it’s great with roast chicken, and can hold up in a cooler for picnics this summer.