Whenever we had this on the menu, she would call it the “Kofte Piyaz” dinner. It was her version of a weeknight meal because it comes together quickly with minimal effort. If you are a fan of one of the most popular Turkish recipes, kisir (also known as tabbouleh), you will love this recipe.
Why I Love This Recipe:
If you’ve ever traveled around the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean regions or visited a Turkish restaurant, chances are you’re familiar with this cold white bean salad recipe. Various cuisines, including Greek, Turkish, Persian, and Armenian, offer their own versions of this salad.
Here are a few reasons why I think this recipe is so popular and has stood the test of time:
Made with simple everyday ingredients in 10 minutes: You probably already have everything you need in your pantry.
Easy to customize: Any type of white beans (Navy Bean, Cannellini, Butter Beans, etc.) will work here. Plus, there are several popular variations, which I cover below.
Special diet friendly: The traditional version is vegan and gluten-free. Some people also serve it with a few boiled eggs on top. Either way, it is a vegetarian, gluten-free, and low-carb recipe, making it ideal for most special diets.
Piyaz – Turkish White Bean Salad
Ingredients
For The Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Piyaz Salad
- 1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly in half-moon shape (1/2 cup)
- 2 cans white bean, Cannelini or Navy Beans would work – drained and rinsed
- 2 medium sized tomatoes, sliced ½ inch in half-moon shape
- ½ cup Italian Parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon sumac
Optional
- 3 tablespoons Black pitted olives
- 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
Instructions
- To make the dressing: Place olive oil, apple cider vinegar, garlic clove, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper in a bowl and whisk until fully incorporated. Set aside.
- Place sliced red onion in a bowl of water and let soak for 5 minutes, drain.
- Assemble the salad: Place white beans, drained red onions, sliced tomatoes, and chopped parsley in a large bowl. Drizzle it with the dressing and sumac. Give it a gentle toss.
- Cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving. This is an optional step but allows flavors to mingle and deliver a next level delicious salad.
- If preferred, garnish with black pitted olives and hard-boiled eggs. Serve.
Notes
- Soaking red onions is an optional step. If you don’t have time, simply use sliced onions. I find that soaking them for a few minutes helps with digestion and tames their strong flavor.
- Antalya Piyaz made with tahini: If you have ever been to the Antalya province of Turkey, you may have had their version of this piyaz recipe made with tahini. If you want to give that version a try, add in a quarter cup of tahini (sesame paste) into the dressing and follow the rest of the recipe exactly written.
- Make Ahead: Most people include this navy bean salad recipe as a part of their meal prep because it gets better as it sits. You can make the whole recipe a day in advance and serve it on the next day.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container upto 3 days in the fridge. You might have to taste the seasoning and add it if necessary.
- The calorie values listed here do not include the optional toppings.