What's Your best Bean Salad Recipe?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Chief Longwind Of The North

Certified/Certifiable
Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Messages
12,454
Location
USA,Michigan
My best bean salad is an expanded version of three-bean salad. Here's how you make it.

All canned beans are added with the can juices.
12 oz each:
black beans
dark red kidney beans
green beans
wax beans
chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
12 oz, drained, whole kernel corn
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
1 stalk (rib) celery, sliced
3 tbs. sugar
1/2 cup water
Apple cider vinegar to taste
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1/4 cup halved grape tomatoes

Lace all ingredients into a non-reactive bowl. over with tight fitting lid. Refrigerate for at least three hours before serving.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
My favorite bean salad is actually a lentil salad, that I make countless times every summer, once the cherry tomatoes start ripening. One time recently I was having withdrawal, brought on by counting all those tomato seeds, and drawing up plans for the garden! It wasn't the same with frozen cherry tomatoes, as it got a little watery, but it was still good!

The original recipe called for regular brown/green lentils, but I found out early on that it was hard to get the texture just right, and it was easy for them to get mushy, even if it seemed they were al dente when drained. Later I discovered channa dal, which, even when what seems like they are overcooked, got firm when chilled, so I use those in the salad. The original recipe had a half cup of cooked wild rice, which is good in it, but I usually use freekeh - a cracked wheat, with a roasted flavor, which is delicious in this. It also called for pine nuts, but given the price, I use toasted, slivered almonds, which are crunchier, with a better flavor. The habanero is a unique and distinguishing flavor - it wouldn't be the same without it, but sometimes I use aji dulce - a habanero type pepper with almost no heat, for someone who can't take the heat. The feta is also a delicious flavor here - one time, I was out of it, and diced up some extra sharp cheddar instead, but even that was lacking in flavor. Finally, the original recipe had a half cup of chopped scallions - good, but the leftovers got that bad raw onion taste. So I use chives, or even better, garlic chives - these were popping up outside when I made that last batch!

It's actually faster than it looks, especially if I have someone to put to work halving all the tomatoes, while I'm prepping the rest! The original recipe calls for a pint, I guess because that's how they are sold, but I usually use 3-4 cups - hard to have to many fresh tomatoes in the summer! This is why I have 12 varieties of cherry/grape tomatoes, in 4 different colors this year.

Lentil Salad

For cooking the lentils:

1 lb channa dal
1/3 c dry freekeh, or use wild rice, spelt, kamut, or similar grain
1 medium onion, stuck with 6 cloves (or use 1/2 tsp asafoetida, and put cloves in tea ball, with other spices)
Option: 1 large or 2 small black cardamom pods
1 tsp Mexican oregano
8 cups water
2 tsp salt

Rinse the dal several times, until not very cloudy, and place in 4 qt saucepan, or the instant pot (the way I always do it now), with the water, bring it to a simmer, and skim the foam for a few minutes, then add the onion (or asafoetida - the cheap and easy way I give onion flavor to these types of foods), the tea ball with the spices, and the salt. On the stove, simmer for about 35 minutes, adding the freekeh after 10 minutes (same for wild rice; spelt and kamut can be added in the beginning).
In the IP bring to a simmer on sauté/high, then switch to the slow cook regular mode - best way to cook these without overcooking. After 40 minutes, add the freekeh, and after about 1:50 start checking for doneness. I usually get it at around 2 or 2:10.

When the dal are cooked, but not mushy, drain in a colander with small holes. When well drained, toss in a 4 qt bowl with:

1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1/3 c red wine or balsamic vinegar

While cooking, prepare the following, to toss with the lentils, when cooled:

3 c (or more!) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3/4 c chopped garlic or regular chives
1/2 c chopped cilantro
1/3 c toasted slivered almonds
4 oz brined feta cheese, diced about 3/8" (better than the "crumbled", and it crumbles up some after dicing)
1 large, or 2 small ripe habaneros, minced (can be seeded, to reduce heat some, but it doesn't help much)

I always mix the habanero in first, to thoroughly distribute it, then the nuts and herbs, and the tomatoes and cheese last, to crush them up the least.

When eating this cold from the fridge, I put a bowl in the MW for 10 sec, just to take the chill off. Sometimes, some vinegar has to added, as it seems to loose strength when refrigerated.
 
Last edited:
Mm, the salads sound delicious. Both of them.
Pepper, have you tried to halve the tomatoes this way? Put 6-10 on the breadboard, put a disk like a sour cream or cottage cheese container lid on top, press firmly, then using a serrated knife, cut/saw halfway between the lid and the breadboard. It goes pretty quickly. This works well with grapes too.
 
blissful I have used that method, but as quickly as it can be done that way, I slice them individually, though a friend that often does that for me likes that method better (she's almost afraid of my knives!:LOL:). It's easier to slice the round ones through the stems one at a time, and I often have larger varieties, which I quarter. I always hone my knife before cutting the tomatoes - don't even need a serrated knife for tomato or pepper skins - something I can always test a knife on!
 
blissful I have used that method, but as quickly as it can be done that way, I slice them individually, though a friend that often does that for me likes that method better (she's almost afraid of my knives!:LOL:). It's easier to slice the round ones through the stems one at a time, and I often have larger varieties, which I quarter. I always hone my knife before cutting the tomatoes - don't even need a serrated knife for tomato or pepper skins - something I can always test a knife on!


I agree, with honing your knives, tomatoes make a great test for them. I started sharpening knives last year, really learning all the ins and outs on 3 sharpening stones. I did all mine in the kitchen, then husband thought I was good enough to sharpen his 20 garage knives he uses for trapping season. Those are all more like filet knives. Then we moved on to sharpening pathetic jack knives of his and my son's that hadn't been sharpened in years and years. It was a big project when all was said and done. It's such a satisfying pleasure to use sharp knives.
 
Made it the other day.
1/2 - 1 onion chopped
1 -2 carrots chopped
2 stalks celery Chopped
1/2 to 1 pepper chopped ( we used and orange pepper)
1 can of corn
3 cans (drained and rinsed ) of beans (We used Garbanzo, pinto and black beans)

***I prefer the veggies small chopped so they dont compete with the beans***

- Dress with good seasons Italian dressing ( to taste, depends on how much of the other ingredients you decide to use)

- Let sit for a few hours
- Sometimes have to boost the flavor with a little more vinegar, lemon juice and/ or salt as the beans absorb and dilute it over time.

- Serves/ looks great in a clear glass bowl cause its so colorful
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2021-09-01 at 7.03.11 PM.jpg
    Screen Shot 2021-09-01 at 7.03.11 PM.jpg
    78.7 KB · Views: 68
I remember making a salad very similar to that after Hurricane Isabel went through here (it had dropped to tropical storm strength by then). Most of the ingredients are shelf-stable, so it's a good thing to make when you don't have power [emoji16]
 
Some great recipes there! I particularly like chana dal and lentils, and I always ave the ingredientes for pepperhead/Dave's recipe on hand. I've saved it, thank you!
 
I remember making a salad very similar to that after Hurricane Isabel went through here (it had dropped to tropical storm strength by then). Most of the ingredients are shelf-stable, so it's a good thing to make when you don't have power [emoji16]

First time I made it was before. was married. My uncle had just passed away and we ( me and my wife ( then girlfriend) were going to pay the family a visit and needed something to bring. I was still living with my parents and my mom always had ( and still has) a whole pantry of everything and anything. its like going to the grocery store. So, we picked the beans we wanted from the multiple varieties she had in sock, the corn, the dressing. and then raided th produce drawer in her fridge. Through it all together and hoped for the best. When we got there, every one tried it, raved about it and was asking for the recipe. We were kids, had no idea what the were doing but apparently it was a triumph, so have been making it the same way ever since ( 30 + years).

To this day we still laugh about how we didnt know what we were doing and just through it together, yet everyone loved it.
 
I called this one Greek Bean Salad - probably because I put Feta in it! I must tell you that I don´t use tinned beans. A bit of a faff, but I either use fresh (if I can get hold of them) or dried.

125 gms cooked chickpeas
100 gms Navy beans ( or cranberry/borlotti beans)
50 gms cucumber, seeded and diced
50 gms red onion, diced
1 medium yellow pepper, grilled, skinned and julienned
1-2 tomatoes, de-seeded and diced
50 gms Greek Feta cheese, crumbled
1 clove garlic, minced
Olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Fresh herbs ( parsley, thyme, oregano, marjoram)

The method is really easy. You cook the chickpeas and beans until they´re tender, then mix in all the other ingredients. You can play around with the herbs a bit, add more oil
if you like, and maybe a squeeze of lemon juice for some acid. Then all you have to do is to leave it to marinate for about an hour before eating.
 
I make a Balela salad every once in a while. Bought a half-pint container at Trader Joe's once and liked it, but TJ's is over 20 miles from me. Besides, it's cheaper to make it at home.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/218648/balela-salad/

That looks yummy, except for the mint. I don't like the flavor of spearmint, peppermint, any mint with menthol. Take away the mint, and I'm all over it.:LOL:

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
I start with this recipe:

https://preservedhome.com/home-canned-three-bean-salad/

and make a few tweaks to it.
I use Mini Sweet Bell Peppers, canned Beans-other than the Green Beans.
And like you Larry, I like smaller bites of Veg.

IMG_0836.jpg

DH has informed me that I am never to make this recipe again!
The fumes from the simmering Vinegar gases him out - he's chokin' and gagging :rolleyes: doesn't bother me :)

I have one jar in the `fridge and 4 in the pantry for Mom.
We had it the other day for lunch.
I put together a small Garden Salad, topped with some of the
Three Bean Salad and the leftover bite sized morsels of Japanese-Style Fried Chicken :yum:
 
Back
Top Bottom