Simple Warm White Bean Salad Recipe

Are you on the hunt for new Spanish salad ideas to try this season? Then you are in the right place: among our Spanish recipes, we have the most amazing variety of salads.

The warm white bean salad stands out, being the perfect way to bring a summer classic to the table on a cold Andalusian day.

Keep reading this article to learn everything about one of the best salad recipes from Spain, with helpful tips for storing, serving, and customizing the ingredients.

You, dear reader, support this blog. If you purchase through a link, we earn a small commission. As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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

• Murcia salad

• Spanish macaroni salad

• Spanish tomato salad

Background of the Dish

The original Spanish white bean salad was created centuries ago, and it was served cold mixed with other summer-related ingredients such as fresh tomatoes.

Over time, easy Spanish salad recipes became so popular that people wanted to enjoy them all year round, but of course, it isn’t so pleasant to have a fresh salad when it is freezing outside.

Inspired by the Spanish bean soup, the people of Southern Spain created the warm white bean salad, a way of transforming the traditional cold dish into a comforting and hearty option for the colder months.

Pin for later!

Things You’ll Need for Warm White Bean Salad

The Spanish salad ingredients needed to prepare this fantastic dish are canned white beans, onion, bell peppers, garlic clove, olive oil, and vinegar.

For this warm cannellini bean salad, there isn’t any equipment needed, just have a large bowl and a skillet on hand.

Ingredients

• 2 cans (425gr each) of cooked white beans (cannellini, Great Northern, Navy)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 red onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil 
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro (optional, for serving)

How to Make Warm White Bean Salad – Step by Step Guide

1. For the first step in this warm white bean salad recipe, cut the bell peppers in half, discard the seeds, and dice them. Peel and finely chop the onion, and also mince the garlic clove.

2. Now, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and garlic and saute for 4 minutes or until translucent. Also, add the bell peppers and cook for about 7 minutes until it gets soft.

3. In the meantime, you can drain and rinse the canned white beans under plenty of cold water to get ahead in this white bean salad recipe.

4. Then, add the drained and rinsed white beans to the skillet with the vegetables. Stir to combine and cook for 10 minutes, to heat the beans through. Season the Spanish salad with paprika, salt and pepper.

5. After that, grab a small bowl and add the remaining olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice, and mix together. This will be the Spanish salad dressing for the warm white bean salad, so feel free to adjust to your preferences.

6. Now, pour the dressing over the warm cannellini bean salad. Toss it gently so that everything gets coated evenly. 

7. To finish this recipe for white bean salad, transfer the salad to a serving bowl, and if desired top it with chopped cilantro. Serve warm and enjoy.

Substitution of Ingredients

The warm white bean salad only calls for ingredients that are super easy to find and that are available all year round, yet there are some substitutions that you can follow to customize it.

To spice things up in the cannellini bean salad recipe, feel free to include cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, chili flakes, or crushed jalapeño cooked alongside the bell peppers.

Similar to the Spanish bean tomato soup, you can use dry beans for this recipe, but keep in mind that you will have to add some extra time for soaking and cooking the beans.

The easy white bean salad can be made with your favorite kind of white beans, or you can draw inspiration from the mixed bean salad and add other types such as red kidney or black beans.

Lastly, you can make the warm white bean salad more filling by adding protein, as you would do with the ensalada de pollo or the Spanish octopus salad.

Tips on Serving Warm White Bean Salad

White bean salads are usually served as a side dish, with grilled meat, or seafood, or as the entree for a hearty soup.

If you don’t want to serve it as a Spanish side salad, then you are in luck because the warm white bean salad can also be served as a main dish, especially if topped with grilled shrimp, marinated tofu, or chorizo like the Spanish bean soup with chorizo.

The classic dressing for traditional Spanish salads is the mix of olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. Still, you can experiment with other ingredients like Dijon mustard, honey, or fresh herbs to add different flavors and personalize the salad to your taste.

As you can guess by its name, the warm white bean salad is supposed to be served warm, but as with other Spanish salad recipes like the chilled bean salad, you can chill it in the fridge for a couple of minutes before serving.

How to Store Warm White Bean Salad

You will be able to store the salad with cannellini beans in the fridge, but you can’t freeze it as the beans may become mushy and the texture of the vegetables can degrade, leading to a less enjoyable salad. 

To store it, place the traditional Spanish salad in a covered container before adding the dressing, and then take it to the fridge where it will last up to 3 days.

When ready to serve, continue with the Spanish salad recipe by adding the dressing and adjusting the seasoning, you can also reheat your salad in a skillet over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

The warm white bean salad, like other Spanish salads, is meant to be served as fresh as you can, so you have other Andalusian recipes that you can prepare if you want to store them in the freezer, such as the hearty oxtail and butter beans and the classic Spanish white bean soup.

Recipe Card: Warm White Bean Salad

---

---