Fasul Salata
Бобена салата·(bo-be-na sa-la-ta)
The Meze Table & Summer Salads
In Bulgaria, a salad isn't a side dish—it's a meze. It’s the start of the night, meant to sit in the center of the table next to a dangerously chilled glass of Rakia. While Shopska gets all the glory, this bean salad is the true, deeply comforting workhorse of the home kitchen. To make it work on a Tuesday in America, we're using good canned beans, but we're absolutely honoring the grandmother's secrets: massaging the onions with salt to kill their harsh bite, and faking the hard-to-find, unrefined sunflower oil (Sharlan) with a few drops of toasted sesame oil. Tossed with a mandatory pinch of spearmint, it tastes exactly like a summer evening in Sofia.
Before you start
Dry the beans completely.
Drain the beans in a colander and rinse extensively under cold water to strip away the starchy canning liquid. Pat them completely dry with paper towels; if they are wet, the dressing won't cling and the beans will turn to mush.
Ingredients
- canned large white beans30 oz
- red onion1/2 med
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- jarred roasted red peppers1 cup
- red wine vinegar2 tbsp
- mild olive oil1/4 cup
- toasted sesame oil1/2 tsp
- flat-leaf parsley1/3 cup
- dried spearmint1/2 tsp
- black olives1/4 cup
Method
- 01
Massage the onions.
Place the sliced red onions in a small bowl, sprinkle with the kosher salt, and use your fingers to aggressively massage and squeeze them for about a minute until they soften and release their liquid. This draws out the harsh sulfurous bite and makes them sweet and pliant.
- 02
Build the salad.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the dried beans, the softened onions and their juices, the roasted red peppers, parsley, spearmint, and olives.
- 03
Dress and toss.
In a small jar, shake together the olive oil, sesame oil, and red wine vinegar. Pour this over the salad and gently fold with a wooden spoon—be very careful not to mash the beans.
- 04
Let it rest.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the starches absorb the oil and vinegar. Pull it out 15 minutes before serving to take off the chill, and serve with crusty bread.
Notes
The 5-Minute Lutenitsa Hack.
If you want a salad that takes exactly five minutes but tastes like it took hours, keep a jar of Lutenitsa (a roasted pepper and tomato spread found in the international aisle, sometimes labeled Ajvar) in your pantry. Skip the oil and vinegar entirely. Toss a can of rinsed, dried beans with your salt-mashed onions, 1/4 cup of chopped dill pickles, and 3 to 4 heaping tablespoons of Lutenitsa. It’s a beloved Bulgarian winter comfort food.