2 cups dried Gigante Greek Beans (will make 4-5 cups cooked)2-3 large Heirloom Tomatoes, cut into chunky cuts 1/2 Purple Onion, cut into slivers2 large Green Bell Peppers, cut into chunky cutsOptional 1 Persian Cucumber, thick choppedabout 1/2 cup Parsley (Curly or Flat Leaf), choppedWater, to cook beans Herb Lemon Olive Oil Dressing:2 large Lemons/Limes, juiced1.5 tbsp White Wine Vinegar1.5 tbsp Red Wine VinegarExtra Virgin Olive Oil (equal parts to lemon/lime juice, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar) To do this - look level to the table as you pour in the olive oil and stop pouring when they look equal. The oil separates naturally from the acids - so it will be easy to tell (:1 tbsp Pepper1 tbsp Dried Herbs (I use oregano mostly, but thyme and rosemary are wonderful too)1/2-1 tbsp Salt¾ tbsp Garlic PowderThe goal here is to make about 3/4 - just shy of 1 cup of dressing

Begin by soaking beans overnight To properly soak the beans: pace your 2 cups of dried bean into a bowl that can hold about 3x it's size (the beans will soak up the water and grow 2-2.5 x in size)Then pour over about 6 cups of filtered water (drinking water). The general measure for bean : water ratio is 1 cup bean : 3 cup water.Allow to soak overnight on the countertop (12-18 hours). Changing the water once in between. To do this, just drain the water and fill it up again. The water should be sitting at least 2 inches above the beans The. next day, the beans are ready for use!Drain and rinse the beansThere are a few ways to cook the beans, I personally use an Instant PotIf using an Instant Pot: add the soaked beans to the pot and cover with filtered water to the fill line. The cook settings are High Pressure for 20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, without intrfereing with steamer vent. The beans will need the cool down time to complete their cook. Once the beans have cooked and the release is released - drain the beans and let them cool completely. If using a Dutch Oven/Pot with Lid : Into a deep pot, place your soaked beans and cover with plenty of water that sits about 5 inches above beans. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer and cook gently for about 1 hour - 2 hours. You may need to add more water throughout it's cooking process, as it simmers away. At the end of your cooking time, if you're feeling like the beans are nearly cooked, you may want to turn off the heat & place the lid on. Allowing the beans to sit covered and steam for a bit - to reach the inside and cook through. When the beans are tender/can be pierced with a fork - drain and set them aside to cool completely. While the beans cool, chop your produce to get ready for the saladMake the lemon-herb dressing - you can find the recipe here (I use)Into an extra large mixing bowl, add dressing, all vegetables, herbs, cooled beans - and toss carefully The salad is ready!Place in airtight containers in the fridge between use.

Keeps for about a week in the fridge To get an even marinade - you can either use a flatter container that allows the food to sit flush on the dressing. Or, you can invert your jar every so often (flip it upside down) - to let the dressing reach the top of the container. Just make sure the lid is sealed/no spill and can handle an inversion.

Greek Bean Tomato Salad

Name: Greek Bean Tomato Salad
Yield: 5-10
Ingredients: 2 cups dried Gigante Greek Beans (will make 4-5 cups cooked); 2-3 large Heirloom Tomatoes, cut into chunky cuts; 1/2 Purple Onion, cut into slivers; 2 large Green Bell Peppers, cut into chunky cuts; Optional 1 Persian Cucumber, thick chopped; about 1/2 cup Parsley (Curly or Flat Leaf), chopped; Water, to cook beans; 2 large Lemons/Limes, juiced; 1.5 tbsp White Wine Vinegar; 1.5 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar; Extra Virgin Olive Oil (equal parts to lemon/lime juice, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar); 1 tbsp Pepper; 1 tbsp Dried Herbs (I use oregano mostly, but thyme and rosemary are wonderful too); 1/2-1 tbsp Salt; ¾ tbsp Garlic Powder

Sophia Esperanza
Jun 28
4 min read

A sensational way to eat your beans!

Protein-rich, hearty & bursting with fresh flavors of Summer.

About this dish

Beans are so special. They are truly such a gift.

Enjoy this absolutely delicious fresh summer recipe - that incorporates seasonal tomatoes, peppers, onions and parsley. A symphony of produce - that grow alongside each other during Spring/Summer.

It is the perfect dish to make and bring to getherings, to store in the fridge for on-the-go meals & as a hearty side dish for summer days.

This recipe calls for Gigante Greek Beans - although you can use any white bean that you have avaiable to you. This dish does well with pretty much any white bean and even cow peas/black eyed peas. Whatever works!

By thick chopping the vegetables (except onion) - it brings bite and crunch from the produce, that pairs so nicely alongside the creamines of the beans. It's such a wonderful pairing.

The dressing is simple. An Herby Lemon Olive Oil dressing that packs punch and spice. You can find that recipe here. It's perfect for this dish and as a dressing for salads.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do,

cheers to Summer.

Servings: 5-10

Ingredients

2 cups dried Gigante Greek Beans (will make 4-5 cups cooked)
2-3 large Heirloom Tomatoes, cut into chunky cuts
1/2 Purple Onion, cut into slivers
2 large Green Bell Peppers, cut into chunky cuts
Optional 1 Persian Cucumber, thick chopped
about 1/2 cup Parsley (Curly or Flat Leaf), chopped
Water, to cook beans

Herb Lemon Olive Oil Dressing:
2 large Lemons/Limes, juiced
1.5 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
1.5 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (equal parts to lemon/lime juice, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar) To do this - look level to the table as you pour in the olive oil and stop pouring when they look equal. The oil separates naturally from the acids - so it will be easy to tell (:
1 tbsp Pepper
1 tbsp Dried Herbs (I use oregano mostly, but thyme and rosemary are wonderful too)
1/2-1 tbsp Salt
¾ tbsp Garlic Powder
The goal here is to make about 3/4 - just shy of 1 cup of dressing

Recipe

Begin by soaking beans overnight
To properly soak the beans: pace your 2 cups of dried bean into a bowl that can hold about 3x it's size (the beans will soak up the water and grow 2-2.5 x in size)
Then pour over about 6 cups of filtered water (drinking water). The general measure for bean : water ratio is 1 cup bean : 3 cup water.
Allow to soak overnight on the countertop (12-18 hours). Changing the water once in between. To do this, just drain the water and fill it up again. The water should be sitting at least 2 inches above the beans
The. next day, the beans are ready for use!
Drain and rinse the beans
There are a few ways to cook the beans, I personally use an Instant Pot
If using an Instant Pot: add the soaked beans to the pot and cover with filtered water to the fill line. The cook settings are High Pressure for 20 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, without intrfereing with steamer vent. The beans will need the cool down time to complete their cook. Once the beans have cooked and the release is released - drain the beans and let them cool completely.
If using a Dutch Oven/Pot with Lid : Into a deep pot, place your soaked beans and cover with plenty of water that sits about 5 inches above beans. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer and cook gently for about 1 hour - 2 hours. You may need to add more water throughout it's cooking process, as it simmers away. At the end of your cooking time, if you're feeling like the beans are nearly cooked, you may want to turn off the heat & place the lid on. Allowing the beans to sit covered and steam for a bit - to reach the inside and cook through. When the beans are tender/can be pierced with a fork - drain and set them aside to cool completely.
While the beans cool, chop your produce to get ready for the salad
Make the lemon-herb dressing - you can find the recipe here (I use)
Into an extra large mixing bowl, add dressing, all vegetables, herbs, cooled beans - and toss carefully
The salad is ready!
Place in airtight containers in the fridge between use.

NOTES

Keeps for about a week in the fridge
To get an even marinade - you can either use a flatter container that allows the food to sit flush on the dressing. Or, you can invert your jar every so often (flip it upside down) - to let the dressing reach the top of the container. Just make sure the lid is sealed/no spill and can handle an inversion.