Mixed Bean Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette

Name: Mixed Bean Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette
Yield: 8 Servings
Ingredients: 5 plum tomatoes, cored; ½ medium white onion; 2 serrano chiles; ½ cup (packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems; 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided; 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 3 tablespoons if using fresh beans, plus more; 4 pounds fresh shell beans (such as cranberry or butter), shelled, or three 15-ounce cans beans (such as black, cannellini, and/or kidney), rinsed; ½ pound snap beans (such as Romano, wax, or green beans), thinly sliced on a diagonal; ¼ cup olive oil; 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

Gabriela Cámara8 ServingsSource

salad plum tomato black bean kidney bean cannellini bean green bean summer fall side dairy-free gluten-free nut-free vegan vegetarian healthyish dinner

Mixed Bean Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette

Ingredients

5 plum tomatoes, cored

½ medium white onion

2 serrano chiles

½ cup (packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 3 tablespoons if using fresh beans, plus more

4 pounds fresh shell beans (such as cranberry or butter), shelled, or three 15-ounce cans beans (such as black, cannellini, and/or kidney), rinsed

½ pound snap beans (such as Romano, wax, or green beans), thinly sliced on a diagonal

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

Method

Purée tomatoes, onion, chiles, cilantro, 1 Tbsp. lime juice, and 1 tsp. salt in a food processor until almost completely smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Reserve solids for another use (like soffritto). Cover pico de gallo broth and chill until ready to use.

If using fresh beans, bring beans, 3 Tbsp. salt, and 6 cups water to a boil in a medium pot over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, 15–45 minutes (fresher beans will cook faster; drier beans will take longer). Taste and season with salt as needed; let beans cool in cooking liquid, about 2 hours.

Drain beans and place in a large bowl. Add snap beans, oil, chia seeds, if using, pico de gallo broth, and remaining 2 Tbsp. lime juice; toss to combine. Let sit 1 hour to allow flavors to meld (chia seeds will bloom and thicken dressing slightly). Taste and season with salt as needed just before serving.

Do Ahead: Salad can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.