Greek Salads

Fasolia Salata Recipe (Greek White Bean Salad)

Φασόλια σαλάτα fah-SOH-lyah sah-LAH-tah · Fasolia salata

By Yiayia Kalliopi · Updated 2026-07-31

Total: 1h 15m
Serves: 6
Level: Beginner

A bowl of Greek fasolia salata white bean salad with red onion and parsley

Photo: White bean mediterranean salad.jpg by gran, CC BY 3.0. Placeholder until original photography is shot.

In short

Fasolia salata is a Greek salad of tender white beans dressed in olive oil, vinegar, red onion and parsley, eaten warm or at room temperature. It is a filling, protein-rich dish, substantial enough to serve as a light main course rather than only a side.

Fasolia salata sits in the same practical, filling family as fasolada, the Greek bean soup, but takes the beans in a cold or room-temperature direction instead, dressed simply in olive oil, vinegar and a generous amount of red onion and parsley. It is substantial enough to eat as a light meal on its own, particularly during Lent when it, alongside dishes like louvi and gigantes, becomes a genuine main course rather than a side dish.

The technique rests on cooking the beans properly tender without letting them fall apart, and dressing them while still warm, exactly as with patatosalata, so the vinaigrette is properly absorbed rather than sitting on the surface.

This is genuinely good picnic and packed-lunch food, since it holds well at room temperature for hours without any dairy or mayonnaise to worry about.

Key preparation steps

Cook dried white beans until tender but still holding their shape.
Drain and dress while still warm.
Add red onion, parsley and a sharp vinegar dressing.
Let sit before serving so the flavours settle.

Cooking the beans

Dried cannellini or other white beans, soaked overnight, then simmered in fresh unsalted water with a bay leaf until tender but still holding their shape, usually forty-five minutes to an hour depending on the bean and how long they soaked. Salt only once they are tender, since salting the water early toughens the skins.

Good quality tinned white beans, well rinsed, are a completely legitimate shortcut if you are short on time, simply warmed through gently rather than cooked from scratch.

Dressing while warm

Drain the beans, keeping them warm, and dress immediately with a generous amount of olive oil, red wine vinegar, thinly sliced red onion and chopped parsley, exactly as you would a warm potato salad. Warm beans take on the dressing far more thoroughly than cold ones.

Letting it settle

Let the salad sit for at least twenty minutes before serving, which allows the onion to soften slightly and the flavours to properly meld together. It keeps well for a couple of days refrigerated and travels well for a picnic or packed lunch, holding its texture and flavour without needing to be kept cold.

Tips from my kitchen

Salt only once the beans are tender

Salting the cooking water early toughens the skins of any dried pulse.

Dress while still warm

The beans absorb the dressing far more thoroughly warm than cold, exactly as with patatosalata.

Let it rest before serving

Twenty minutes lets the onion soften slightly and the flavours settle together properly.

Fasolia Salata Recipe (Greek White Bean Salad)

Φασόλια σαλάτα · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31

Prep: 15m
Cook: 1h
Total: 1h 15m
Serves: 6

Ingredients

Scale

Ingredients

300 g (1 1/2 cups) dried white beans, such as cannellini, soaked overnight
1 bay leaf
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
100 ml (7 tbsp) olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
salt and black pepper

Method

Drain the soaked beans and put them in a pot with the bay leaf and enough fresh water to cover generously.
Bring to the boil, skim off any foam, then simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until tender but still holding their shape.
Season with salt only in the final 10 minutes of cooking. Drain, keeping the beans warm, and discard the bay leaf.
While still warm, toss the beans with the sliced red onion, olive oil and red wine vinegar.
Fold through the chopped parsley and season with black pepper.
Let sit for at least 20 minutes before serving, warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition, per 1 portion

Calories: 268
Protein: 10 g
Carbs: 26 g
Fat: 13 g
Sat fat: 2 g
Fibre: 8 g

These figures are calculated estimates based on the ingredients listed, not laboratory analysis. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.