Description
Piyaz is a traditional Turkish white bean salad that combines tender white beans with fresh vegetables and a tangy, aromatic dressing. This nutritious and flavorful salad is perfect as a light meal or side dish, featuring ingredients like red onion, tomato, fresh herbs, and a zesty dressing made with olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice. Garnished with hard boiled eggs and black olives for added richness, piyaz embodies authentic Mediterranean flavors and is quick to prepare without any cooking required.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked white beans or 2 cans (15 ounces each) white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 medium tomato, diced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (optional)
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sumac (optional)
Garnish
- 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced (optional)
- 8 to 10 pitted black olives (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Beans and Vegetables: Place the cooked white beans in a large bowl. If the red onion is very sharp, soak the thinly sliced onion in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow its flavor, then drain thoroughly. Add the drained onion, diced tomato, chopped parsley, and chopped dill (if using) to the beans.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, finely grated garlic, salt, black pepper, and sumac (if using) until the dressing is well combined and emulsified.
- Toss the Salad: Pour the dressing over the bean and vegetable mixture. Gently toss everything together to evenly coat all ingredients with the dressing without mashing the beans.
- Let Flavors Meld: Allow the salad to rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, so the flavors can blend and develop fully.
- Garnish and Serve: Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Garnish with sliced hard boiled eggs and black olives if desired. Serve the piyaz at room temperature for the best flavor experience.
Notes
- For a traditional Antalya-style piyaz, add 1 tablespoon of tahini to the dressing for a creamier texture and deeper flavor.
- This salad tastes even better if chilled for an hour before serving, allowing the flavors more time to meld.
- Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Be gentle when tossing the salad to avoid breaking the beans and keep the texture intact.
