Creamy white beans and smokey bacon come together in this bold and tangy white bean salad. This easy and hearty recipe takes just 5 minutes of cooking time and is ready start to finish in 25 minutes.
Place a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, then dice the bacon into ½” pieces. Add the bacon to the hot skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat is completely rendered and the bacon pieces are golden brown and crisp, 5-6 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon, and place onto a paper towel lined plate to drain.
Place the white beans into a mesh strainer and rinse with cool running water. Give them a good shake to release as much moisture as possible, then transfer to a bowl.
Add the shallot, garlic, radishes, parsley, and thyme to the bowl.
Zest and juice a lemon, and add each to the bowl, then add the red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Gently toss the ingredients until combined.
At this point, you can either serve immediately, or transfer the the white bean salad to the fridge to marinate.
When you are ready to serve, toss the marinated white beans with the arugula. Divide the salad between four plates, top with shaved parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.
The white bean salad keeps well in the fridge, without the arugula and parmesan cheese, for up to 4 days. This salad can be served chilled, straight from the fridge, or at room temperature.