Greek Inspired Royal Corona Bean and Green Bean Salad

What Makes This Bean Salad So Special?

This salad had been living in my head for weeks before I finally made it. I knew exactly what I wanted to happen: I wanted to slice the green beans into very thin slivers so they would adhere to the large, creamy surface of the Royal Corona beans. And when I finally made it, it worked exactly as I had imagined. That’s the magic of this bean salad. The thinly sliced green beans basically adhere to the beans, so you get crispness and creaminess in the same bite instead of two textures simply sitting next to each other.

About the Royal Corona Bean

If you’ve never had a Royal Corona bean you are in for a treat! More common in Eastern Europe, they are extra large white runner beans that have a super creamy texture and almost sweet (for a bean) flavor that makes them exceptional in this salad. If you are in the US you can sometimes find them at specialty markets or directly through the Rancho Gordo website.

If you cannot find Royal Coronas, the best direct substitute is Greek gigante beans, which share the same botanical family, enormous size, and buttery consistency. Alternatively, you can use large white lima beans, but limas scare me a little because once I overcooked them and learned that overcooking turns them bitter. You could also use Great Northern or cannellini beans, but they will have less dramatic, plump presentation.

A Note About the Greek Salad Dressing

If you have my cookbook, you may notice that this dressing is slightly different from the version printed there. Over time, I’ve started adding just a teeny bit of Dijon and increasing the garlic, which helps improve the dressing’s stability when stored. The difference in flavor is practically imperceptible, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the original version. But going forward, this is the version I’ll be using and recommending.

FAQ

Can I use canned beans?

Absolutely. It’s an easy shortcut and works perfectly in this salad.

What should I serve with this Greek Inspired Royal Corona and Green Bean Salad?

I love it with my Mediterranean Beef Skewers or my Yogurt Marinated Mediterranean Chicken Skewers, but it’s great alongside any grilled meat or fish. It’s fantastic with canned sardines, too.

Can I make this salad ahead?

Yes! Even fully dressed, this salad holds up beautifully for days. Enjoy within 4 days for food safety reasons, though!

Greek Inspired Royal Corona Bean and Green Bean Salad

Recipe by thesal28_wp

Course: SALADS

Servings

4

servings

Ingredients

• Greek Salad Dressing, recipe below 

• 3 cups cooked Royal Corona or Gigante Beans (Need instructions on how to cook beans from dried? Click HERE)

• 12 oz. green beans

• 1/3 cup finely diced red onion

• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced

• 4 oz. Feta cheese (I prefer Sheep’s Milk, but use what you like), crumbled

• 1 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

• 1/2 cup fresh dill, coarsely chopped

• Kosher salt (to taste)

• freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)

• Greek Salad Dressing

• 2 tbsp lemon juice 

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1/2 tbsp honey

• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1/2 tbsp capers

• 2 garlic cloves

• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil

• 2/3 cup neutral oil like grapeseed or avocado

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano 

• 1/4 tsp black pepper 

• 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

Directions

• Prepare Dressing: Using blender (or immersion blender), blend together the garlic, capers, honey, mustard, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar until the garlic is chunky and the capers finely chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in the neutral oil then the olive oil.  Stir in Kosher salt, black pepper, and oregano.
• Blanch and shock the green beans: Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl halfway with ice and then enough water to fill the bowl 3/4 of the way. In a medium pot, bring 3 qts of water and 2 tbsp Kosher salt to a boil. Once the water boils, add the green beans and cook until bright green (about 45-60 seconds). Using a spider strainer, remove the green beans and plunge into the ice bath. Drain the green beans then place onto a plate lined with a few sheets of paper towel. Blot dry gently. Cut the green beans thinly, ideally into 1/8 inch slices and place in a large bowl.
  
• Add the cooked Royal Corona or gigante beans to the bowl with the green beans. Add the red onion, bell pepper, feta, parsley and dill to the bowl and toss. Dress as desired, season to taste and serve.

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