Best Catalan Bean Salad Recipe

Spain has a rich culinary tradition, where you can discover fantastic Spanish recipes ranging from cold soups to stews, rice dishes, and salads.

Warm days offer the perfect excuse for exploring and savoring the most delicious and refreshing regional salads, and the Catalan bean salad is waiting for you.

After reading this article, you will know how to make Spanish salad from scratch, with additional information regarding how to store, serve, and customize this dish.

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Pssst…!!?? You can’t get enough of Spanish salad recipes? Have a look at my other posts:

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• Murcia salad

Background of the Dish

The Catalan bean salad, also known as Empedrat salad, was developed centuries ago, and its name refers to the appearance of the dish, which resembles a traditional cobblestone street or pavement found in local towns and villages.

This salad showcases a mix of European culinary traditions, highlighting Mediterranean ingredients such as olive oil, white beans, black olives, and garlic, among others.

More Andalusian salad recipes showcase beans, such as the chilled bean salad and the warm bean salad, but the Empedrat salad stands out because it includes seafood in the mix.

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Things You’ll Need for Catalan Bean Salad

The main ingredients needed to prepare the Catalan bean salad are canned white beans, cod filets, red bell pepper, onion, garlic clove, black pitted olives, olive oil, and vinegar.

Ingredients

• 1 can (400gr) cooked white beans
• 2 fresh cod filets
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 1/2 cucumber
• 10 pitted black olives
• 4 tablespoons olive oil (for the dressing)
• 2 tablespoons vinegar (for the dressing)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

How to Make Catalan Bean Salad – Step by Step Guide

1. For the first step in this Spanish salad recipe, put a drizzle of oil in a skillet and take it to the stove over medium heat. 

2. Now, cook the clean cod filets for about 5 minutes per side or until it is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork. Flake it and let it cool.

3. Then, cut the bell pepper in half, discard the seeds, and chop it into small pieces. Thinly slice the onion, chop the tomatoes into small squares, and mince the garlic clove. Also, cut the cucumber into small pieces.

4. To make the dressing for the Spanish bean salad you have to grab a small bowl and mix the olive oil with vinegar, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.

5. After that, grab a salad bowl and pour the dressing on top of the cold white bean salad. Gently toss to cover everything and take it to the fridge to cool for 30 minutes.

6. To finish making the Catalan bean salad, cut the pitted black olives in half and use them to top it. Now serve it cold, optionally topped with chopped parsley, and enjoy.

Substitution of Ingredients

The Catalan bean salad requires a few main ingredients that can be found in any place of the world, all year round, yet there are some substitutions that you could follow.

First, you can copy other versions of this beloved Catalan bean salad and use canned tuna or desalted cod instead of the fresh cod filets that are listed here.

If you aren’t the biggest fan of seafood, then consider adding other types of protein to this Spanish bean salad, such as grilled chicken, or hard-boiled eggs.

Similar to the mixed bean salad, you can prepare this one with your favorite blend of beans, including chickpeas, or turn it into a hot bean salad.

For those of you who are craving for more summer Spanish salads recipes with a wide variety of ingredients, we have more for you, such as the Spanish salad bowl, the Axarquia salad, and the cold bean salad.

Tips on Serving Catalan Bean Salad

Like most traditional Spanish salads, the Catalan bean salad can be served as an appetizer, a side dish, or a main dish, making it perfect for various occasions.

To add more texture, feel free to top this delicious salad with toasted and chopped nuts, and bread croutons, or serve it with a slice of your favorite bread.

Besides that, you can top this Spanish-style salad with grated manchego or parmesan cheese for an extra layer of flavor.

The Catalan bean salad is meant to be served cold, so if you are looking for more winter-friendly Spanish salad recipes then you can check out our hearty warm white bean salad and the flavorful grilled veggie salad.

How to Store Catalan Bean Salad

The Catalan bean salad takes less than an hour to be ready, and it is meant to be served freshly made.

If you have to store it, then place it in a covered container before adding the dressing, and store it for up to 24 hours in the fridge.

If you want to save more time, then you can prepare the cod filets and store them in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for 15 days, and thaw it when you are ready to prepare the salad.

However, some Spanish salads allow you to prepare the ingredients and store them before assembling them, such as the Spanish rice salad and the tako salad recipe.

Recipe Card: Catalan Bean Salad

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