This is absolutely one of the easiest, fastest, and most versatile things I have ever made. It is definitely going in my have-it-in-the-pantry-for-emergencies recipe file. There are essentially 4 ingredients (3 if you decide to leave out the sausage). It will take you less than 5 minutes to make it and the ingredients can all be kept on hand in the pantry.

The other day I wanted something to go alongside a roasted chicken I purchased from the store for lunch. but wasn’t in the mood for a green salad. Fall seems to be the onslaught of white bean recipes at my place as evidenced in recent posts about Fast White Bean & Tomato Soup and White Beans with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Rosemary. So I decided to try a quick mix of white beans combined with marinated artichoke hearts and a tapenade of roasted peppers and green olives. I threw in a little sausage for the heck of it and voila! an essentially instant, and tasty side dish. It went well with the roasted chicken, could stand on its own as a meal-in-itself salad, be served over greens, or become and appetizer (if you chop up the artichoke hearts) on crostini. It’s best at room temperature or just heated through since the tapenade is packed in oil.

This was too easy to make, and too good to pass up posting. So buy the three jars/cans of key ingredients and rest assured that when you are stumped for a side dish, short on time, and can’t face another green salad, this is a great alternative. Enjoy!

White beans with tapenade and marinated artichokes
Serves 3-4 as a side dish

14 ounce (400g) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
10 ounce jar (285g) marinated artichoke hearts, drained
5 ounce jar (140g) roasted pepper and green olive tapenade (I used the Zeta brand)
cured sausage such as salami, cut into small cubes or strips (optional)

Dump the cannellini beans into a colander and rinse. Tap the colander to remove excess water and place the beans in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Dump the artichoke hearts into the colander to drain, and then add them to the beans. Dump the entire jar of tapenade in with the beans and artichoke hearts. Add the sausage if using. Mix well and serve at room temperature or slightly heated.