Dressed with sharp red wine vinegar and plenty of herbs, these marinated beans are a dream to make. It takes less than five minutes to toss the ingredients into a bowl. As the beans marinate, they soak up all the flavor: green onions, shallots, parsley, and just the right kick of chili. Plus, you'll find it tastes even better the next day.
What is it?
Dress beans with a sharp vinaigrette to make marinated beans. As the beans sit, they soak up the vinegar, olive oil, and salt in the vinaigrette. Herbs, alliums, and chili pepper give the marinade a flavor that only gets better as they sit. As a result, earthy beans are transformed into a vibrant, flavor-packed side dish.
What's in it?
The ingredients for marinated beans are simple but versatile. You can also easily swap one ingredient for the next, depending on what you have on hand. The key ingredients include beans (or another type of pulse). Also, vinegar, olive oil, alliums, chili pepper, and herbs.
- Beans are the foundation of the dish. In this version, we use kidney beans. They are rich in plant nutrients, such as polyphenols. These nutrients support your gut, heart, and cells (1). Kidney beans and other dark-colored beans show even more promise. Their plentiful phytonutrients support metabolism and vascular health (2).
- Shallots and green onions are alliums and in the same family as onion and garlic. They give marinated beans a savory note. Plants in this family are well known for their healing properties. Researchers have studied their role in keeping cells healthy and preventing cancer (3).
- Flat-leaf parsley has a rich, green flavor. It's also a good source of vitamin K, folate, and potassium (4).
- Dried chili gives the recipe a punch of heat, and it acts to balance the natural earthiness of beans. Crushed red pepper flakes are a good match. Gochugaru, Korean-style chili powder, is delicious, too. You can use chopped fresh chili if you like, as well.
- Red wine vinegar lends acidity to the dish. Other sources of acid, such as apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, work fine. But, the deeper, cherry-like notes of red wine vinegar pair especially well with kidney beans.
- Olive oil gives marinated beans a luxurious element. It partners with red wine vinegar to create a vinaigrette that envelops the beans. Olive oil is also a good source of healthy fat. It makes a lean dish more satisfying and filling.
Tips for marinating beans
Making this recipe is as simple as stirring. It's uncomplicated, fast, and easy. Chopping the parsley, green onions, and shallots is tedious. But, after that, everything comes together with a quick stir. There are a few tips you'll want to keep in mind.
- Rinse the beans very well. You can use beans from a jar (as recommended) or ones you've soaked and cooked. Rinse them well before adding the marinade. Be careful. Starches left over can make the vinaigrette milky. They can also dampen its flavor and shelf life.
- Chop everything very finely. Aside from the beans, chop everything very finely. This way, the flavor of the shallots, green onions, and herbs meld together. Then, you get all that flavor in every bite.
- Keep an eye on the salt. Beans tend to soak up salt, so you may need to add more than the recipe recommends (or adjust it to your taste).
- Stir gently so that you don't accidentally mash the beans.
- It's better the next day. While the beans are ready about 10 minutes but, their flavor improves with time.
- Let the beans come to room temperature before serving. If you've kept marinated beans in the fridge, let them warm to room temperature. This should take about 30 minutes before serving. This allows the olive oil to loosen and the flavors to really bloom.
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Variations
Try a different bean. While this recipe uses kidney beans, you might marinate white beans or lima beans the same way. Look for a firm-textured bean rather than a soft bean that tends to fall apart when mixed.
Try marinated chickpeas instead. Chickpeas have an earthy flavor and firm texture, and they work well in this recipe in place of kidney beans.
Add garlic. A clove or two of minced garlic can bring a lot of flavor to the dish, complementing the shallot and green onion. Take care not to add too much, because the taste of raw garlic can easily overwhelm the dish.
Swap gochugaru for crushed red pepper flakes. Gochugaru, or Korean-style chili powder, is a great stand-in for crushed red pepper. It has a smoky sweetness and mild character that works particularly well with beans.
Try lemon juice instead of vinegar. Red wine vinegar is very sour. It pairs well with beans. Lemon is fruitier and softer. If using lemon juice to marinate beans, make sure to add the zest for extra flavor.
Switch out the herbs. Flat-leaf parsley has a bright, green flavor. It pairs well with vinegar and olive oil. But, you can also swap in herbs you like. A combination of fresh marjoram, parsley, and basil works well. A tablespoon or two of dill is a delicious addition, too.
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Common Questions
You'll want to store any leftover marinated beans in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
No, this recipe doesn't lend itself well to freezing.
No, you can also use beans that you've soaked overnight and cooked from scratch. Remember to let them cool to room temperature and rinse them well before making the dish. About ½ to ¾ cup dried beans is sufficient for making this recipe.
References
- Ganesan, Kumar, and Baojun Xu. “Polyphenol-Rich Dry Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and Their Health Benefits.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 18,11 2331. 4 Nov. 2017
- Clark, Jaime L et al. “Black beans and red kidney beans induce positive postprandial vascular responses in healthy adults: A pilot randomized cross-over study.” Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD vol. 31,1 (2021): 216-226.
- Nicastro, Holly L et al. “Garlic and onions: their cancer prevention properties.” Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.) vol. 8,3 (2015): 181-9.
- Parsley. Nutritiondata.org (2022)
Brushjl says
Am only giving this three stars because I just don't understand recommending canned beans. I soaked and boiled my own and it was delicious, and easy! Just curious, why do you recommend canned beans?
Alexandra says
I used dried Black eyed peas which I soaked and cooked then followed the recipe adding Thyme, dill, cilantro and parsley and it was AMAZING.
Linda says
We loved this! It was fast and easy to assemble and ready 10 minutes later.
Qubilah says
Very very good. Obsessed after making it once and moved on to try this with chickpeas. I decided to add a few extra herbs to my marinated chickpea salad to give it my own spin.
4waystoyummy says
I'm making this! It sounds wonderful, fresh, and simple! Than you!