I love Summer. More honestly I love cookouts, grilling, Summer foods, and ice cream weather, but it’s easier to just say “I love Summer”. This recipe reminds me of Summer foods. It’s good hot or cold, sweet with a little savory, and oh so easy to make. It kind of reminds me of baked beans that you spend all day cooking except the whole thing comes together in 20 minutes! Winner, winner, chicken bean dinner.
Caramelized Onion and Balsamic Vinegar Bean Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 can chickpeas
- 1 can pinto bean
- 1 can cannellini beans
- 1 onion, julienned
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt to taste
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for finishing(optional)
Combine all of the different beans in a large bowl.
Caramelize the onion by cooking it over medium heat in a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of oil for 10-15 minutes. When the onion has turned translucent and slightly crusty, remove from the heat and add to the beans.
While the onions are caramelizing, reduce the balsamic vinegar to about half its original volume in a small sauce pan over another burner set to low-medium or medium heat. You want the vinegar to reduce to a molasses consistency but not overboil and turn into a taffy. If it does reduce too much, remove from the heat and stir in some hot water to thin.
Add the reduced vinegar, honey, salt and extra virgin olive oil if using to the beans and onions. Mix well until the sauce coats all of the beans. Serve hot or cold.
If this is any indication, it’s going to be a tasty Summer.
ohh man what a fantastic combo!
I feel like I say this a lot around here but def need to give this a try! 🙂
Yum! I love the flavors in this. I could eat caramelized onions on everything!
Oh man, onions are one of my favorite foods. This sounds great for a summer barbeque!
mmm this looks amazing…definitely got it bookmarked!
I could eat caramelized onions by themselves, and pinto beans are my favorite… I am all over this!
Oooh! Oooh! Who knew I could get so excited about something that isn’t dessert or a nut butter? This looks lovely!
Sighhhh. Summer food.
i love bean salads! this sounds like a great mix.
I want to go home and make that right now!!!!
I love bean salad but almost always make it the same way. This recipe looks delicious!
thank you for bringing this into my life. it looks amazing! i cannot wait to make it.
BOOK. MARKED.
Caramelized onions have the best flavor. I’m loving these recipes, Evan!
Saving this to make as a good vegetarian protein option for hotdog and hamburger cookouts!
I will eat anything with caramelized onions- fact 🙂
YUMM!!! I’m so going to try these in hopes that they’re a quick and easy sub for baked beans 🙂 THANKS!
Anything with Balsamic Vinegar is perfect. I love to smell it reduce. Evan you need to come cook for me.
What a fabulous sounding salad.
🙂 Mandy
Nice pictures!
Making your food look even yummier!
How do you julienne an onion? Is it the way you cut it?
You just do 2 cuts: Once to cut the onion in half and then, laying it flat-side down on a cutting board, cutting perpendicular to an imaginary line between the stems.
Oh, all right. Thanks! 😀
This recipe sounds delicious! I love that it is vegetarian as well, since so many bean recipes like this have bacon. The combination of the balsamic and caramelized onions must give this an incredible flavor! Love it :)!
OH this looks soooo good. For some reason I’ve been cravings beans like crazy lately. I have no idea why.
YUM! These look delish!
I just made this! I used only chickpeas (all I had) & added some sliced mushrooms, and used a fabulous espresso balsamic vinegar I got from the Filling Station in Chelsea Market, NYC. It is currently chilling in the fridge until dinner…I am thinking of adding in a bit of cooked pasta and tossing with spinach for a complete meal.
Wow. This sounds AMAZING. It’s going on my to-make list. I might make it tomorrow! Yummy.