Piyaz – Fasulye piyaz combines simple ingredients for a perfect side to serve alongside any main entree. Prepare the salad in advance, and easily adjust it to your taste. You can also include piyaz in a meze with other small plates like skhug, butter bean hummus, köfte, sumac onions, and çoban salatasi. Plus, it’s vegan and gluten-free!
WHAT IS PIYAZ?
Piyaz, pronounced ‘pee-ahz,’ is a Turkish salad recipe made with white beans, onions, tomatoes, parsley, and a simple lemon vinaigrette. The salad is popular in Turkish restaurants and often paired with köfte and other grilled meats.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
- White Beans: The main ingredient for piyaz is white beans, either dried or canned. I prefer dried cannellini beans but if you only have canned beans, use those. And since they’re cooked, all you need to do is drain and rinse the beans before building the salad. Navy, Northern, or butter beans work as a replacement. Other variations also include chickpeas or black-eyed peas.
- Olive Oil: Since it’s central to the dish, use quality olive oil.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice brightens the salad, but use red wine vinegar if you prefer something sweeter.
- Garlic: I suggest using four cloves, but don’t let my recipe tell you how much garlic to use – measure with your heart.
- Onion: I prefer red onion because the strong flavor compliments the salad. You can also replace red onions with shallots or white onions.
- Parsley: Garnish with parsley, or replace it with mint or cilantro, depending on your preference.
- Sumac: Massage sumac into the onions like you would prepare sumac onions. Ground-up sumac berries are tart and sweet and provide bright color and flavor. Sumac is a popular Middle Eastern spice found online and in health stores. However, I recommend visiting local Middle Eastern stores to explore; if you don’t have any, use sweet paprika use extra lemon juice.
VARIATIONS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Add tahini and make Antalya piyazi.
- You can include instant pot hard boiled eggs, green peppers, red pepper flakes, and black olives in the mixture.
HOW TO MAKE PIYAZ
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
If using dry beans, rinse and soak them in water overnight.
Drain the white beans and place them into a stockpot. Fill the pot with water until it covers the beans. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then cook for 5 minutes.
Skim the water and discard any foam from the top. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes until the beans soften.
Drain the beans and add them to a serving bowl. Toss them with three tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and set them aside for 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine.
Drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil and garnish with red onion, tomato, parsley, and a sprinkle of sumac to serve.
EXPERT TIPS
- For best results, use quality olive oil and prioritize fresh, dried white beans over canned ones.
- If you’re concerned about the sharpness of onions, I recommend massaging sumac into them before adding them to the salad.
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SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Adana Kebab, Koobideh Kabob, Doner Kebabs, Köfte, Joojeh Kabob
- Moussaka
- Shakshuka
- Chicken Shawarma, Lamb or Beef Gyro, Tantuni
- Moong Dal (Instant Pot and Stovetop)
- Pita, Lavash, Crusty No Knead Bread, Air Fryer Pita Chips
- BBQ Baked Chicken Legs, Hamburger, Air Fryer Turkey Burgers, Hot Dogs, Turkey Smash Burgers
- Marinated Olives
- Stuffed Eggplants
WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS
- Refrigerate – Add the leftovers to an airtight container; the salad will keep for 3-5 days. I don’t recommend freezing the salad.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Where is piyaz salad from?
Piyaz is a white bean salad from Turkey, but it’s a central dish in other countries, each with its own variation.
Can I make this salad ahead of time?
For best results, prepare the salad up to 5 days before serving it, and the longer it sits, the more the ingredients have a chance to combine- it’s delicious!
MORE BEAN RECIPES:
- Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas
- Authentic Chana Masala Recipe
- Baked Beans with Hamburger
- Best Bean for Chili
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Piyaz (Turkish White Bean Salad)
- 9 ounces white beans, dried
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ medium tomato, vine-ripe
- ¼ cup parsley, flat-leaf, chopped
- sprinkle sumac
- If using dry beans, rinse and soak them in water overnight.
- Drain the white beans and place them into a stockpot. Fill the pot with water until it covers the beans. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then cook for 5 minutes.
- Skim the water and discard any foam from the top. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes until the beans soften.
- Drain the beans and add them to a serving bowl. Toss them with three tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and set them aside for 20 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine.
- Drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil and garnish with red onion, tomato, parsley, and a sprinkle of sumac to serve.
- For best results, use quality olive oil and prioritize fresh, dried white beans over canned ones.
- If you’re concerned about the sharpness of onions, I recommend massaging sumac into them before adding them to the salad.
- The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.