Red Bean and Green Bean Salad

Red Bean and Green Bean Salad
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
1 hour 45 minutes
Rating
4(82)
Comments
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The first time I made this, I used some delicious small red beans that my housekeeper, Ana, brought from El Salvador. I also tested it with canned beans; of course I liked the Salvadoran red beans better, but not having them shouldn’t deter you from making this substantial salad.

Featured in: Bean Salads for Summer

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Ingredients

Yield:4 generous servings
  • 1cup small red beans or red kidney beans, washed, picked over and soaked for 6 hours or overnight
  • ½onion
  • 3garlic cloves, 2 of them unpeeled and crushed, 1 of them minced or puréed
  • 1bay leaf
  • Salt to taste
  • ¾pound green beans, stem ends trimmed
  • 1tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
  • 2tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1tablespoon chopped chives
  • 1teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2tablespoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
  • 2teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 3tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt or broth from the beans
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1 to 2ounces crumbled feta
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

284 calories; 13 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 31 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 13 grams protein; 436 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Drain the beans, rinse and place in a heavy saucepan with the onion, the crushed whole cloves of garlic, the bay leaf and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add salt to taste and continue to simmer for an hour to an hour and a half more, until the beans are tender but intact. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the onion, garlic cloves and bay leaf. Place a strainer over a bowl and drain the beans. Transfer the beans to a salad bowl.

  2. Step 2

    While the beans are simmering, blanch the green beans in salted boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, or steam them. They should be tender but still have some snap to them. Cut into 2- or 3-inch pieces.

  3. Step 3

    Toss together the red beans and the herbs. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, olive oil and 3 tablespoons broth from the beans (or yogurt, if you used canned beans). If you have time, allow the mixture to marinate, in or out of the refrigerator, for 30 minutes before adding the green beans and serving. Add the green beans and toss again just before serving.

Tips
  • You can substitute canned beans, but make sure to rinse them and to season them well. You will need 2⅓ cups beans.
  • Advanced preparation: This will keep for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator, but the green beans will lose their bright color.

Ratings

4 out of 5
82 user ratings
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Comments

I double up on the dressing!

Made with some leftover Rancho Gordo's Eye of the Goat beans -- technically not red, but still delicious. The grocer was (weirdly) out of parsley, so we went a little heavier on the tarragon and chives. This was a lovely side dish for our Mother's Day cookout.

We used - and enjoyed - a lot of dill in place of some of the other herbs.

I double up on the dressing!

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