I’m a big fan of bold flavors.
Raw onion.
Fresh dill.
Kalamata olives.
Feta.
Garlic (although that’s not in this recipe).
Which means I have to carry around a travel-sized toothbrush and matching miniature tube of toothpaste. (Wait, what? You mean your purse isn’t likewise equipped?)
The alternative would be to steer clear of aforesaid flavors, and that I just cannot do. (Although, admittedly, I think this is a little weird because I avoid spicy-hot flavor like it’s the plague, even though it’s also bold; anyway, back to topic.)
Or I could just avoid talking to people after eating bold flavors. But that isn’t always an option. And besides, I like to freshen up (so to speak) for myself after eating these foods.
Maybe the best idea yet it to just eat bold-flavored dishes like this salad in the comfort of my own home where I can use my regular toothbrush, lol.
In all seriousness, this salad is fantastic; the bold flavors meld together perfectly for a very satisfying dish. I think it would be perfect for a summer potluck or a side dish for any number of things, like grilled chicken, steak, or even shrimp.
My favorite way to eat this salad though? Make a batch and eat it stuffed inside a whole wheat pita for lunch all week long.
Notice when you use bold-flavored ingredients, you don’t need to use a ton of them; a mere 1/2 cup of feta and 1/4 cup of kalamata olives go into this salad. With these flavors, a little goes a long way and you can eat a bit less and still feel satisfied; basically, it’s minimal effort cooking. In fact, kalamata olives are one of Cooking Light’s Top 20 Ingredients for Quick Cooking.
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (16 oz/450 g) can butter beans (preferably no-salt-added), rinsed and drained
- ½ English cucumber (or 2 Persian cucumbers), halved and thinly sliced
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 roasted red bell pepper, thinly sliced (homemade or store-bought)
- ½ cup (30 g) chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- ¼ cup (15 g) chopped fresh dill
- 10 whole pitted kalamata olives (about ¼ cup/50 g)
- ½ cup (75 g) crumbled feta cheese
- Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
- Combine all ingredients for the salad in a large bowl; stir in the dressing.
- Serve or keep covered in the fridge until serving.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Rosa says
May 13, 2013 at 6:13 amA beautiful and delicious salad!
Cheers,
Rosa
Lori Lynn says
May 13, 2013 at 7:07 amThose are my favorite beans. Well, large limas, which I think are essentially the same. I simmer them with garlic for 1 1/2 hours. I’ll definitely try your salad.
LL
Erica says
May 13, 2013 at 7:11 amhehe. My Mom carries around a mini toothbrush too. I just eat my onion and feta and stink ;) Sounds so tasty!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
May 13, 2013 at 10:18 amI could happily eat this salad everyday for lunch!
Eileen says
May 13, 2013 at 12:43 pmThis salad sounds just amazing! Definitely one of those things that are more than the sum of their parts. I love the idea of stuffing it into pita for a swift & delicious lunch.
Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says
May 13, 2013 at 4:50 pmI am with you Faith – I love big, bold flavors. This salad sounds delicious!
ashley - baker by nature says
May 13, 2013 at 8:28 pmThat first picture, omg… I just want to dive into it!!!
Keith Gooderham says
May 13, 2013 at 10:54 pmI’ve always enjoyed butter beans but this salad takes them to a higher plane! Great images too!
Eha says
May 13, 2013 at 11:42 pmWonderful salad for the biggest pita-stuffer in the world! My favourite for a fast and tasty bite :) ! Same but different so your version will fill my pitas, mountain breads, soft tortillas etc for the next week also . . . !
Janet says
May 14, 2013 at 5:13 amThis is a beautiful salad. I like those flavors too. My in-laws are coming for a visit and I just might make this instead of traditional salad. Something different, you know what I mean?!
kellie@foodtoglow says
May 14, 2013 at 5:31 amLove the flavours here. But I would add some nippy peperoncino too – nice and spicy! Looks so delicious, fillling and wholesome x
Sanjeeta kk says
May 14, 2013 at 10:36 amWhat a beautiful treat…love the salad and the Pita bread!
Juliana says
May 14, 2013 at 11:48 pmLike the creamy bean with the crunchy cucumber…sounds and looks very tasty and yet refreshing.
Great recipe Faith…hope you are having a wonderful week :)
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
May 15, 2013 at 6:58 amThat’s the best carry around salad I’ve seen in a long time. It’s beautiful to look at and would be wonderful to eat.
grace says
May 16, 2013 at 4:46 ami like to say that i’m a fan of bold flavors too, but i can’t tolerate raw onion or olives. other than that, this is delightful! :)
Kathy Radigan says
May 20, 2013 at 10:59 amThis sounds wonderful!! I think I may make this for my dad for Father’s day since it has all of his favorite flavors. Thanks!!
Penelope says
May 31, 2015 at 5:14 pmHi there, can I replace the butter beans by cooked fava beans? Thanks!
Faith says
June 1, 2015 at 6:59 amPenelope, Yes! Any kind of cooked beans should work fine here. Hope you enjoy the recipe if you give it a try!