Ultimate Warm Bean Salad Recipe

Spanish recipes often offer creative twists on beloved classics, infusing them with unique ingredients or innovative cooking methods, which keeps your recipe book vibrant and exciting.

The warm bean salad is a creative spin on the traditional Spanish side salad, perfect for enjoying in the colder months when you need to find comfort in warmer food.

By reading this article, you will learn how to prepare the recipe from scratch, along with some expert tips for storing, serving, and customizing the ingredients to suit your preferences and culinary needs.

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

• Spanish baked bean soup

• Spanish 5 bean soup recipe

• Spanish black bean soup

Background of the Dish

Beans have been used in Spanish cuisine since pre-Roman times when they were a dietary staple due to their nutritional value and ability to grow well in the Mediterranean climate.

It is believed that the warm bean salad originated as a humble peasant dish, born out of necessity and the desire to make the most of simple, affordable ingredients.

Other Andalusian salad recipes fit in that category, such as the classic Spanish white bean salad or the traditional Spanish bean salad recipe. Yet, the warm bean salad stands out for its comforting warmth and hearty flavors. 

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Things You’ll Need for Warm Bean Salad

To prepare the Spanish bean salad you will need canned white beans, small potatoes, onion, bell pepper, garlic cloves, olive oil, capers, vinegar, cherry tomatoes, and paprika as the main ingredients.

Ingredients

• 750gr potatoes (small new potatoes or Yukon gold)
• 1 can (425g) cooked white beans (Cannellini, Great Northern, or Navy beans)
• 200gr cherry tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons capers (drained)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup (15gr) fresh chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup (15gr) fresh chopped basil

How to Make Warm Bean Salad – Step by Step Guide

1. For the first step in this warm bean salad recipe, you have to preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

2. Now, rinse the potatoes thoroughly, removing all the dirt (as you will keep the peel on for this recipe). Chop the potatoes into halves or quarters (if using small ones) or dice them (if using regular ones).

3. Then, coat the cut potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and tender (turn once halfway through cooking).

4. In the meantime, rinse and drain the canned white beans. Peel and chop the onion into thin slices. Cut the bell pepper in half, discard the seeds and stem, then dice it (or cut it julienne style). Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Lastly, peel and mince the garlic cloves.

5. Next, to make the Spanish salad dressing, grab a small bowl and whisk together the remaining olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. 

6. After that, in a large mixing bowl combine the roasted potatoes, white beans, sliced red onion, diced red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and capers.

7. Now, pour the dressing over the Andalusian salad, tossing gently to ensure everything is well coated.

8. To finish this recipe, transfer the salad to a serving bowl or platter. Top your Spanish salad with fresh parsley and basil, and serve it warm or at room temperature.

Substitution of Ingredients

The warm bean salad has two essential ingredients: potatoes and beans. You can experiment with different varieties of each as long as these two components are included in the recipe.

For example, instead of small new potatoes or Yukon gold, you can use regular potatoes, red potatoes, or another type of tuber such as sweet potatoes, carrots, yam, cassava, or parsnips.

We recommend that you stick to white beans, but similar to other Spanish dishes like the Spanish black bean and corn soup or the Spanish bean tomato soup, feel free to use other types of beans -such as black or red- to suit your taste preferences. 

Additionally, we encourage you to draw inspiration from other Spanish salad recipes when adjusting to this one, like copying the Catalan bean salad by adding more peppers and incorporating olives for extra flavor.

Tips on Serving Warm Bean Salad

The best part about this warm potato and white bean salad is its versatility: It can be served as a side dish, but it’s also hearty enough to be enjoyed as a main course, especially if you add some toppings.

For example, you can add some protein to this Spanish tapas salad by including hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken, fried shrimp, or marinated tofu. 

If you want to serve it as a Spanish side salad, you can let each guest serve as much as they want and pair it with another Andalusian dish as the main course, such as a traditional paella, classic gazpacho recipe, or tortilla de patatas.

If you are craving a Spanish summer salad, you can serve this one as a chilled bean salad, by letting it cool in the fridge and topping it with fresh chopped herbs.

Are you hosting a party? Then you can check some of our other Spanish salad recipes and make a salad bar table with them, including options like mixed bean salad or hot bean salad.

How to Store Warm Bean Salad

The warm bean salad is best enjoyed fresh, so we don’t recommend storing it for too long, but different from other Spanish salads you will be able to keep this one in the fridge for a while.

First, let it cool to room temperature before adding any dressing, and then place it in a covered container (you may cover it with a lid and plastic wrap).

Then, place the warm bean salad in the fridge, where it can be stored for up to 2 to 3 days, without losing its original flavor or texture (if something seems off, then avoid consuming it).

When ready to serve, give it a good toss to redistribute the dressing and ensure all the flavors are well-mixed, then you can reheat it gently or enjoy it cold.

Do you want to find dishes that can be stored for longer? Then you must check some of the best Andalusian recipes with beans that we have for you, such as the classic Spanish bean soup and the healthy Spanish vegan bean soup.

Recipe Card: Warm Bean Salad

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