Sarra Ina Garten’s white bean salad is dried cannellini beans soaked overnight, simmered until tender, and tossed while still warm with a hot infused olive oil loaded with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and diced prosciutto, then finished with lemon zest and juice and served on a bed of baby arugula. It serves 6 and takes about an hour and 10 minutes of active work after the overnight soak.
This recipe comes from Ina’s Barefoot Contessa Foolproof cookbook (2012). In the headnote, she writes that she “used to make a salad like this at Barefoot Contessa” but when she went back to the original, she found it “a little boring.” Her upgrade adds sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, prosciutto, and lemon juice for what she calls a more flavorful version. She presents it in a shallow serving bowl with the beans in the center and “a wreath of peppery arugula around it.”
The technique that makes this salad taste rich instead of bland is pouring the hot, infused olive oil directly over the warm drained beans. Warm beans have open pores that absorb the rosemary-garlic-prosciutto flavored oil deep into their creamy interior. Let the beans cool first and the oil sits on the surface, leaving you with greasy-coated beans that taste seasoned on the outside and plain on the inside. Ina says to cool for “10 minutes only” before adding the lemon, which means the beans are still very warm when the dressing goes on.
Ina Garten White Bean Salad Recipe
Course: SaladsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Ina Garten White Bean Salad Recipe6
servings15
minutes55
minutes385
kcalIna’s upgraded Barefoot Contessa store recipe from her Foolproof cookbook. Dried cannellini beans simmered tender and dressed warm in a hot rosemary-garlic-prosciutto oil that soaks into every bean. The original was “a little boring,” so she fixed it.
Ingredients
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3/4 pound (340g) dried cannellini beans
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2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup (150ml total) good olive oil
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1 red onion, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick half-rounds
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2 ounces (60g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and small-diced
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4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
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2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
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1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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2 ounces (60g) thinly sliced prosciutto, small-diced
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1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
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1/4 cup (60ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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2 ounces (60g) baby arugula
Directions
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Soak the beans: The night before, place the beans in a large bowl and cover with water by 2 inches. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again.
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Cook the beans: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the red onion and sauté over medium-low heat for 7 to 9 minutes until wilted. Add the drained beans and enough water to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 45 minutes until tender. Drain the beans and onions and transfer to a mixing bowl.
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Make the hot infused oil: Heat the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and prosciutto. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant.
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Dress the warm beans: Pour the hot oil mixture directly over the warm drained beans and toss well. Allow to cool for 10 minutes only. While still warm, stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Serve: Transfer to a large, shallow serving bowl. Surround with baby arugula, taste for seasoning, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Ina uses dried beans, not canned, for this recipe. Dried beans simmered from scratch have a creamier texture and hold their shape better when tossed with the hot oil.
Do not let the beans cool completely before adding the oil. Ina says “10 minutes only,” which means the beans should still be very warm when the dressing goes on. That warmth is what drives the flavored oil into the beans.
The prosciutto in the hot oil crisps slightly and adds a salty, meaty note throughout the salad. Cut it into small dice so it distributes evenly across every serving.
FAQs
Why does Ina pour hot oil over the warm beans?
This is the same “dress while warm” technique Ina uses across her potato salads and beet salad, and it works for the same reason. Warm beans have a porous, open structure that absorbs liquid. When the rosemary-garlic-prosciutto infused oil hits the warm beans, the flavored oil soaks into the creamy interior of each bean.
Cold beans are dense and closed. They repel oil instead of absorbing it, so the dressing stays on the surface and slides to the bottom of the bowl. The 10-minute window Ina gives is tight on purpose: she wants the beans warm enough to absorb but cool enough to handle when you add the lemon.
Can you use canned beans instead of dried?
You can, but the texture changes noticeably. Canned beans are softer and more likely to fall apart when tossed with the hot oil and prosciutto. Dried beans simmered from scratch hold their shape and have a creamier, denser interior.
If you use canned, drain and rinse two 15-ounce cans of cannellini beans. Warm them in a saucepan for 3 to 4 minutes before adding the hot oil so they are warm enough to absorb the dressing. Skip the 45-minute simmer and go straight to the infused oil step. The salad will taste good but will not have the same depth as the dried-bean version.
Can you make white bean salad ahead of time?
The salad can be made several hours ahead and left at room temperature, which is ideal for a dinner party. Ina says to serve it “warm or at room temperature,” and the flavors actually improve as the beans sit in the infused oil.
It keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving because cold mutes the rosemary and garlic. Add the arugula right before plating so it stays fresh and peppery. If the salad looks dry after chilling, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.
How is this different from Ina’s white bean dip?
The white bean dip is a smooth, blended puree where the beans lose their shape entirely and become a scoopable spread. This salad keeps the beans whole so you get the contrast between the creamy interior and the slightly firm skin in every bite.
The flavor profiles overlap since both use rosemary, garlic, and lemon, but this salad adds sun-dried tomatoes, prosciutto, and red pepper flakes for a more complex, savory character. If you want something to scoop with bread or veget White Bean Dip ables, Ina’s is the right choice. If you want a plated side dish or first course, this salad is the better format.
What should you serve white bean salad with?
Ina designed this as a side dish or first course, and it pairs naturally with simple grilled or roasted proteins. Grilled lamb, seared salmon, and roast chicken all work because the rosemary and garlic in the beans echo classic Mediterranean protein seasonings.
For an Italian-themed dinner, pair this with Ina’s Artichoke Salad for a two-salad antipasto spread. The roasted artichokes with capers and basil vinaigrette complement the warm beans with prosciutto and rosemary without overlapping in flavor, and both can sit at room temperature through a long dinner.
