Butter Bean, Feta and Olive Salad
Butter beans or their Greek cousin, Fasolia Gigantes, are all-rounders in Greek cooking, and this salad shows why. They soak up olive oil and lemon while olives, feta and tomatoes are in charge of the flavors. It comes together in twenty minutes with no cooking required, making it an easy warm-weather favorite. Serve it as a light lunch or alongside grilled meats for a taste of Northern Greece at your table.
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes, halved, seeded and cut into 3/8 inch (1 cm) slices
- 1 lb (450 g) canned butter beans aka Fasolia Gigantes
- 4 Tbsp black olives in oil
- 1 small onion, peeled, cut in half and sliced thinly
- 1 cup (115 g) feta cheese, cut into 1 inch (2,5 cm) squares
- 1/2 cup (14 g) chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) or flat-leaf parsley
- 1/2-1 cup (120-240 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Drain canned beans in a colander and rinse them briefly under cold water.
Place beans in a bowl. Add sliced onion, olives, chopped cilantro (coriander leaves) or parsley. Mix olive oil and lemon juice and taste for salt and pepper. Add feta cheese and tomatoes. Mix it well and adjust the taste again.
If you are preparing this salad hours in advance or the day before, add the tomatoes only before serving. They get soggy if added too early. You might have to add more olive oil and lemon juice as beans absorb a lot of liquid. Beans should not clump together.
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