Romanian white bean salad with reduced tomato dressing

Name: Romanian white bean salad with reduced tomato dressing
Ingredients: 2 x 400 g cans white beans (drained); 300 g green cabbage (thinly sliced); 1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced); 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced); 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped); 1 tbsp fresh dill (chopped); 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp water; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1/2 tsp fine salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper

Savory - Romanian white bean salad with reduced tomato dressing by Stella L. - Recipia

Romanian white bean salad with reduced tomato dressing pairs tender beans with crunchy cabbage and sweet pepper. A tomato, vinegar and paprika sauce cooks down until thick, then coats the beans before the crisp vegetables go in. Parsley and dill keep the salad fresh-tasting without making it feel like a side dish. Prep: 20 minutes. Cook: 7 minutes. Rest: 10 minutes. Total time: 37 minutes. Serves 4. About 320 kcal and 13 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

For the salad

2 x 400 g cans white beans (drained)
300 g green cabbage (thinly sliced)
1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)
2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
1 tbsp fresh dill (chopped)

For the dressing

3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp fine salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Preparation

1. Drain and rinse the white beans. Thinly slice the cabbage, red pepper and onion, and chop the parsley and dill. 2. Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the tomato paste and sweet paprika and cook for 1 minute, until the paste darkens slightly and smells fragrant. 3. Add the water, red wine vinegar, honey, salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for 6 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is thick and glossy. 4. Toss the warm sauce with the beans in a large bowl. Leave them to cool for 10 minutes, until just warm. 5. Fold in the cabbage, red pepper, onion, parsley and dill. Serve at once.

Notes

For a vegan version, swap the honey for 1 tbsp maple syrup; the dressing still reduces neatly. Cannellini and navy beans both work, and no dairy or nuts are used here. Choose a cabbage with a tight, heavy head, then slice it thinly so it stays crisp beside the beans. If the bell pepper is oversized, use about three-quarters rather than crowding the bowl. Don't add the cabbage while the beans are steaming; let them cool until just warm. The sauce firms up as it stands, so stir in a spoonful of water if it thickens before you toss it through. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days, though the cabbage softens by the next day. I like it with toasted rye bread, or serve it beside grilled ćevapi.