10 Minutes Summer Butter Beans Salad

This post on butter beans salad was first published on the 21st of July 2022.

It’s officially summer in the UK as well. Or, at the very least, that’s how it feels like. Seems like for a few days we’ll be locked into an oven. And even the most die-hard summer fans will be begging for this to be over soon, me included. And what do you do when it gets unbearable to do anything, eating included? You make simple salads! This summer butter beans salad is the solution to all your problems right now.

First off, you can think of this recipe as a fix for any quick meals on the go or a great side dish for your next barbecue. The summer butter beans salad is fresh, quick to whip up and also extremely tasty. We have added boiled eggs for protein and some tomatoes for extra crunch, but you can also avoid the egg to make this salad fully vegan.

There is a funny thing about beans and me. Since I was a kid, I am unable to eat them. I was honestly made to eat them, but with no success. Whether it was in a bean soup or a salad. And you know how it is, as soon as you grow up and try the food you were forcefully fed, you’ll end up loving it. Or at the very least this is what happened with beans.

What’s the story, you ask?

Well, I now love beans. But beans don’t seem to love me back! Which I find slightly heartbreaking because one of my favourite sandwiches ever from my old job had black beans. And this summer butter beans salad recipe it’s also pretty delish to add to your meal plan. But whatever, I guess, there is nothing I can really do right? The girls do get to enjoy this one for me as well, and we shall leave it at that.

What are beans?

Of course you and I both know what beans are. At the very least in the food department. But a bean is the seed of a multitude of flowering plants from the Fabaceae family. Beans are, of course, legumes, and while botanically are considered a fruit, they are then classified as vegetables in the culinary world. Mind-blowing, am I right? How can they be fruit, I hear you ask. Well, considering beans are the seeds in the fruit pods, yes my friend: they are a fruit.

As mentioned, they belong to the legume family together with peas and lentils. Legumes are among the most versatile and nutritious food available:

• they are low in fat;
• contain no cholesterol;
• are high in folate, potassium, iron and magnesium;
• they contain beneficial fast and insoluble fibres.

So, one of those ingredients to start including in your diet right now! There are also plenty of beans available, including: cannellini beans (perfect even in soup and stews), black-eyed peas (great for hummus and soup), red kidney beans (perfect for salads and pastas), adzuki (perfect in stews and hummus), lima beans (great in stews and salads) and mung beans (great for bowls and curry) among others. One thing for sure is that this summer butter beans salad is one not to miss.

Are butter beans good in a salad?

I know, I hear you: why would I put beans in a salad? Well, aside from their nutritious benefits, if you have canned beans on hand, these are ready to eat. Costing a little more than dried beans, they are a fast and convenient option when in a rush. So why not add them to a salad, really? Butter beans are great for:

• source of protein;
• keep you satisfied for longer;
• great for energy;
• great source of antioxidants;
• packed full of nutrients;
• can help control blood sugar;
• can help lower cholesterol;
• can help reduce the risk of anaemia.

The secret here is to make sure you rinse your canned beans so that you can wash away some of the sodium from the brine they are in. Or, next time you are roaming the supermarket, why not check for canned beans with no added salt? I had no idea that was a thing, so I’ll make sure to check that one out too! You could also use fresh ones during the butter bean season, which is summer.

What ingredients do I need to make this salad?

To make this summer butter bean salad recipe you’ll need very basic ingredients, most of which will hopefully be in your pantry and fridge already. First off, the canned beans, butter beans, in this case, the star ingredient of this dish.

Then you will need a small red onion, some fresh chopped parsley, some fresh beef tomatoes and some dried oregano. Nothing is easier than that and you won’t have to stay in the kitchen for too long either. We have added hard-boiled eggs, but you don’t have to. If you fancy, you could also make it a bean potato salad or bean corn salad adding potatoes and corn.

And what ingredients do I need to make the dressing?

For the dressing of this summer butter beans salad, you will need extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and the usual suspects, sea salt and black pepper. If you feel fancy, fresh cloves garlic too for good measure: it will turn this salad around completely and give it a good kick!

Can I substitute anything in this simple salad recipe?

Absolutely! Starting off with the creamy butter beans, you can change for any other type of beans you have on hand. For example, cannellini beans, red kidney beans and lima beans could work well or even green beans if you fancy.

If you can’t find beef tomatoes, any grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes can work well with the beans and still give that juiciness to the recipe. Instead of parsley, you could opt for fresh basil and chili flakes to add a kick to your dressing ingredients. 

​We added boiled eggs, but you could also add olives, anything like kalamata olives or black olives. Also feta cheese sprinkled on top, a spring onion or za’atar (a spice mixture) could make this healthy recipe even more delicious! 

How do I make the butter beans salad?

Of all the salad recipes we have tried, this one of the summer butter beans salad strikes me for ease of putting it together. First of all, you will take your canned butter beans and you’ll rinse them properly in a colander. You will then drain them, then place them in a large bowl with the fresh chopped parsley and the oregano.

Chop the red onion very finely and set it aside, then your cloves of garlic (one or two, depending on taste too) need to be peeled and chopped finely too. You will cut the tomatoes and prepare the hard-boiled eggs (we followed this tutorial for the perfect eggs!) and cut those too.

The dressing will be a matter of mixing all the ingredients together, including the garlic you have previously chopped. You will add the dressing to the beans together with the juicy tomatoes and mix well. Once ready, make sure you adjust the salt and pepper (freshly ground pepper we always find best) and place in a serving dish, scatter some extra parsley leaves and place the eggs on. Nothing is easier than this simple summer butter beans salad, perfect to add to your meal prep!  

Any other salads and easy meals to recommend for summer?

If you loved this gluten free and dairy free butter bean salad recipe, you can’t miss other fresh and simple salad recipes to add to your meal planning. This easy watermelon feta salad is the perfect juicy and best side dish for your BBQ. If you love another cold salad, this orzo pesto salad was a hit with the whole family last week and this onigirazu is what goes on repeat around here!

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Terracotta dish, £10.20 / Grey waffle napkins, £10.99 / Mandoline, £16.00 / Club Backdrops photo background in Sandstone, £22.00

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We are madly in love with this summer butter beans salad, and we hope you will enjoy it too. If you fancy finding some more summer meals and salads, why not try:

• Baked Avocado Fries Recipe
• Asian Brussel Sprouts Satay Roast
• Miso Aubergine Chicken Recipe
• Orzo Pesto Salad Recipe
• Cucumber Gazpacho Recipe
• Vegan Fall Salad Recipe
• Watermelon & Feta Salad

Have you ever tried making a butter beans salad? Do you like having refreshing salads during summer? What are your favourite summer meals? Let us know in the comments!

PIN THIS ITALIAN BUTTER BEANS SALAD RECIPE FOR LATER!