Caramelized Onion and Balsamic Vinegar Bean Salad

I really love baked beans. Who doesn’t? What I don’t love is spending hours cooking them in a hot kitchen when it’s already 80 degrees outside. Why can’t people appreciate baked beans more in the winter when we’re all freezing? It’s a mystery.

Last week on the 4th I needed a vegetarian dish that could sit in a cooler all day. Immediately my mind jumped to baked beans, but as soon as I ruled out cooking those for 4 hours I remembered this old favorite.

I first posted this recipe over a year ago. The photos weren’t that good, the recipe wasn’t very clearly written, and my readership was drastically lower than what it is today, so I figured it’d be best to just give it a whole new post. And it definitely deserves one.

You can use three cans of any type of beans; I think the ones listed have the most neutral flavor so they take on the sauce well. To make this completely vegan, you can substitute maple syrup or agave for the honey.

Caramelized Onion and Balsamic Vinegar Bean Salad

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4-6 servings):

• 1 15oz can of chickpeas
• 1 15oz can of pinto bean
• 1 15oz can of 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)

Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine all of the different beans.
2. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium heat.
3. Add in the julienned onions and sauté for about 10-15 minutes until the onion has turned translucent and slightly crusty.
4. Remove from the heat and add it in with the beans.
5. Reduce the balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan to about half of its original volume by bringing it to a rolling boil for 5 or so minutes. If it over-reduces and starts to harden into a taffy, remove the pan from the heat and stir in some hot water to thin.
6. Add the reduced vinegar, honey, salt and extra virgin olive oil if using to the beans and onions.
7. Mix well until the sauce coats all of the beans. Serve hot or cold.

20 minutes for a tasty bowl of beans? I’ll take that.