Made this for lunches this week and I'm already thinking about making a second batch. Simple, bright, and it holds up well over a few days in the fridge, which is exactly what I need from a weekday lunch.
A Note on Peruano Beans
These came from Primary Beans, though I ordered them through Foodocracy, a shop I've been loving lately. Peruano beans have this creamy texture and delicate, almost buttery flavor that makes them a great base for a marinated salad like this one. I only marinated half of what I cooked this week and reserved the rest for other dishes down the line. Between the texture and the flavor, these are quickly becoming a favorite in my bean rotation.
Cooking Tips
If you're working with dried Peruano beans, a good soak beforehand goes a long way toward even cooking. Give them a rinse, pick out any debris, and soak overnight if you can manage it. When it's time to cook, simmer gently rather than boiling hard, since a rolling boil can cause the skins to split and the beans to break down before the inside is fully tender. Salt the cooking water partway through rather than at the very start, and let the beans cool completely before marinating. Warm beans will absorb marinade unevenly and can turn a little mushy, so patience here really pays off.
Salad Ingredients
Cooked Peruano beans
Chopped pickled onions
Radishes
English cucumber
Chives
Cilantro
Salt and pepper
The Marinade
Pickling liquid from a jar of Mezzetta's Red Pickled Onions
Roasted garlic olive oil
Trader Joe's garlic salt
The Closest to Instructions That You're Going to Get:
I started by marinating the cooked beans in the pickling liquid along with the roasted garlic olive oil. Once they'd soaked up some of that tang, I folded in the chopped pickled onions, radishes, English cucumber, and chives. I used cilantro this time, though I would have reached for parsley instead if I'd had it on hand. A little salt and pepper rounded it out.
To serve, I laid down a bed of pea tendrils (you could use any green, my go-to favorites are baby arugula or pea tendrils) and spooned the marinated bean salad right on top. The tendrils add a nice fresh, slightly grassy note that balances the tang from the pickled onions. Also, pea tendrils are in the bean family and pack an extra layer of protein to the dish.
What We're Eating It With
This one is mostly living in my lunch containers this week, but it would work just as well alongside grilled chicken or fish for dinner, or piled onto a slice of crusty bread for something a little more substantial.
