Oozing Mediterranean charm, Turkish white bean salad is juicy beans, crisp peppers, tangy red onion and plenty of parsley in a creamy (no cream) lemon and garlic tahini dressing. This entirely vegan salad makes a hearty side for grilled fish, meat or a mezze spread.
White bean salads are my current obsession: cool, quick to assemble and budget-friendly. I alternate this Turkish-style piyaz with other favourite bean salads each week.
I tasted this salad on a recent trip to Türkiye and loved it. I had it alongside a whole grilled sea bream fresh from the Aegean. A friend who lived in Istanbul told me the simple home-style version, called fasulye piyazi, is commonly served with köfte (meatballs) or in local ev yemekleri restaurants that offer homemade dishes from a buffet of mezze.
Hearing that nostalgic context made me want to share the recipe here. It’s exactly the kind of quick midweek dish I like to cook: wholesome, bright and satisfying.
Turkish salad
Mediterranean cuisines excel at clean, flavourful food built around beans, fresh vegetables, good oils and simple proteins like fish, grilled meat or eggs. This Mediterranean white bean salad is a perfect example.
The base is mild, creamy cannellini beans, joined by diced tomato and red pepper, thinly sliced red onion and a generous scattering of parsley. The result is a hearty, nutritious side that feels light but filling.
There are regional variations across Türkiye. Traditional versions may include dark, slightly sun-dried olives or a halved hardboiled egg on top. I’ve adapted the classic to suit everyday family tastes, adding red pepper for colour and crunch.
You can customise the salad, but the essentials remain the same: white beans, tomato, red onion, parsley and a bright dressing to tie everything together.
Tahini salad dressing
The dressing for this salad varies by region. In western Türkiye it’s often dressed simply with olive oil and lemon. Closer to the Middle East, a creamy, garlicky tahini-based dressing is common. I favour the tahini version for its rich, nutty depth and garlic lift.
To make the dressing, use plain tahini (pure ground sesame paste) rather than a ready-made tahini sauce. Tahini naturally separates in the jar—stir it back together before using. Combine tahini with lemon juice, a touch of vinegar, grated garlic, cumin and salt, then thin with a little water to reach a silky consistency.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Add a diced red pepper if you want extra colour and crunch.
- Olives and boiled eggs are traditional additions; leave them out to suit your family’s taste if preferred.
- If you prefer something even simpler, dress the salad with olive oil and lemon juice instead of tahini dressing.
What goes with it
This salad pairs beautifully with simple homemade meatballs for a classic family meal. It also fits well into a mezze spread. Suggested accompaniments include paprika- and parsley-spiked meatballs, spiced meatballs in a pomegranate-style sauce, or a selection of mezze such as hummus, flatbreads, tzatziki (cacik), fattoush and falafel with tabbouleh.
Storage and leftovers
This salad stores very well. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days; the flavours will meld and intensify over time. It’s ideal for packed lunches, picnics or as an easy make-ahead side for entertaining.
More hearty salads to try
- Puttanesca white bean salad
- Avocado and corn salad
- Cowboy caviar
- Italian chopped salad
White Bean Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing (Piyaz)
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 4 tbsp tahini (pure sesame paste)
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- water, to thin the dressing
For the salad
- 2x400g / 14oz cans cannellini beans, about 480g drained
- 1 tomato, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
- 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
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Make the tahini dressing by whisking tahini with grated or pressed garlic, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, cumin and salt. The mixture will thicken immediately; loosen it by adding water one tablespoon at a time until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency (about 4 tablespoons).
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Prepare the vegetables: dice the tomato and red pepper, slice the onion thinly and chop the parsley. In a large bowl combine the drained beans and the vegetables, then stir in the tahini dressing. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Chill the salad in the fridge for at least one hour to let the flavours meld before serving.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 17 g
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Protein: 6 g
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Fat: 6 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.