Greek Butter Bean Salad
Butter beans are creamy enough to make a salad satisfying without needing meat or grains. Their mild flavor gives tomatoes, cucumber, olives, feta, parsley and lemon plenty of room to stand out, creating a lunch that is both fresh and substantial.
Rinse the beans gently so they do not break apart, and fold the salad rather than stirring aggressively. A short rest before serving lets the vinaigrette soak into the beans.
Butter Beans Make a Greek-Style Salad Feel Like Lunch
- Butter beans are soft and creamy, which contrasts well with crisp cucumber and juicy tomatoes.
- Feta and Kalamata olives provide enough salt and richness that the dressing can stay simple.
- Lemon, olive oil and oregano keep the flavor bright rather than covering the beans with a heavy sauce.
- A short rest before serving lets the beans absorb some of the dressing.
Greek Butter Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cans butter beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cucumber chopped
- 1/3 cup Kalamata olives
- 1/4 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Add butter beans, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, feta and parsley to a large bowl.
- Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently.
- Let stand 10 minutes for the flavors to develop, then serve.
Notes
Butter Beans Need Gentle Tossing
Butter beans are creamy and softer than chickpeas, so use a large bowl and fold rather than aggressively stirring. That keeps more of the beans whole while still coating them in dressing.
Let Lemon and Oregano Do the Heavy Lifting
Olives and feta already bring plenty of salt and character. A simple dressing of olive oil, lemon and oregano keeps the salad bright without masking the beans and vegetables.
Ten Minutes of Rest Helps
A short rest gives the beans time to pick up the dressing and softens the bite of the red onion. There is no need to marinate for hours.
Keep Cucumber Fresh
If you are making the salad well ahead, add the cucumber closer to serving. It stays crisper and releases less water into the dressing.
