Description
Marinated Gigante Beans is a flavorful and nutritious Mediterranean-inspired salad featuring large, tender gigante beans tossed in a zesty blend of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. Perfect as a hearty side dish or a light vegetarian main, this make-ahead recipe benefits from marinating overnight for the best flavor infusion.
Ingredients
Scale
Beans and Marinade
- 3 cups cooked gigante beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, preferably oil-packed
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the cooked and rinsed gigante beans. Stir in the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, chopped parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped garlic, lemon zest, sea salt, red pepper flakes, and several grinds of black pepper. Toss everything together gently to evenly coat the beans with the marinade.
- Adjust Olive Oil: If needed, add a little more olive oil to ensure all the beans are well coated with the dressing, helping the flavors meld together.
- Marinate: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. For optimal flavor, allow the beans to marinate overnight, which enhances the taste and softens the beans further.
- Serve: After marinating, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature as a side dish or a light vegetarian main course.
- Store: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 5 days, allowing the flavors to deepen further over time.
Notes
- Using oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes adds extra richness; if using dry ones, rehydrate first and consider adding a bit more olive oil.
- For a milder taste, reduce or omit red pepper flakes.
- This dish is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan-friendly.
- The beans should be cooked until tender before marinating; canned gigante beans can be used as a convenient alternative.
- Marinating overnight significantly improves the flavor depth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
