Cannellini-and-Green Bean Salad

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This simple and fresh-tasting salad, enlivened by salty olives and fresh cilantro, is a nice way to showcase fresh porotos (beans), a staple in the Huneeus household. The salad can be made with dried cannellini beans or, in a pinch, canned white beans. More Bean Recipes

By Valeria Huneeus

Updated on January 17, 2017

Cannellini-and-Green Bean Salad — Photo: © Frederic Lagrange

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 25 mins

Yield:

8

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dried cannellini beans (3 ounces), soaked overnight in cold water and drained
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
1/2 small onion
3/4 pound green beans
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives (2 1/2 ounces), chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

In a medium saucepan, cover the cannellini beans with 2 inches of water. Add the bay leaf, thyme and onion and bring to a simmer. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally and adding more water to cover as necessary, until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. Drain and let cool completely. Discard the bay leaf, thyme and onion.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the green beans until they are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain well and spread out on a baking sheet to cool. Pat the beans dry with paper towels. Cut the beans on the diagonal into 1-inch lengths.
In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro and olives and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the cannellini beans and green beans and season with salt and pepper. Serve the salad with the lime wedges.