Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 150 g dried tepary beans
- 150 g sweet corn kernels, fresh or thawed from frozen
- 150 g red bell pepper, diced
- 100 g poblano pepper, diced
- 50 g red onion, finely diced
- 15 g fresh cilantro, chopped
Cumin Vinaigrette
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 7 g agave nectar
- 3 g ground cumin
- 1 garlic, minced
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 301 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 40 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 307 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 879 mg
- Calcium
- 88 mg
- Iron
- 5.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 98 mg
- Phosphorus
- 227 mg
- Zinc
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 171 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 80 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 37 mcg
- Water
- 82 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Rinse the dried tepary beans thoroughly and remove any debris. Place in a large mixing bowl, cover with at least 5 centimeters of water, and let soak at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight.
Drain the soaked beans and transfer to a medium saucepan. Cover with fresh water by 5 centimeters. Bring to a boil at 100C/212F, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until tender but intact. Drain and let cool completely.
While the beans cool, use a chef's knife and cutting board to prepare the sweet corn kernels, dice the red bell pepper, dice the poblano pepper, and finely dice the red onion.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, agave nectar, ground cumin, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper. Use a small whisk to blend vigorously until the dressing is fully emulsified.
Transfer the cooled tepary beans, corn, red bell pepper, poblano pepper, red onion, and fresh cilantro to the large mixing bowl. Pour the cumin vinaigrette over the top and toss gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients.
Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This resting period allows the dense beans to absorb the acidic dressing and marry the flavors.
Chef's Notes
- Tepary beans hold their shape exceptionally well and have thicker skins than common beans, making them an ideal choice for make-ahead salads where other legumes might turn mushy.
- For an intensely aromatic dressing, toast the ground cumin in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds until fragrant before whisking it into the vinaigrette.
- If you forget to soak the beans overnight, use the quick-soak method: boil them for 2 minutes, turn off the heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour before proceeding with the main cooking instructions.
- Red onions can sometimes be too pungent raw. To mellow their bite, soak the diced red onion in ice water for 10 minutes, then drain thoroughly before adding to the salad.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors continue to develop over the first two days.
Troubleshooting
Beans remain tough after simmering
Cause: Old beans or highly acidic/hard water preventing pectin breakdown
Fix: Add a pinch of baking soda to the cooking water to create an alkaline environment, then simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
Prevention: Ensure beans are purchased from a source with high turnover. Do not add acidic ingredients or salt to the cooking water until the beans are completely tender.
Salad tastes bland after resting
Cause: Beans absorbed significant seasoning during the resting period, dropping the overall salt and acid levels
Fix: Add an extra pinch of kosher salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice right before serving.
Prevention: Slightly over-season the vinaigrette before mixing
Cultural Context
Tepary beans (Phaseolus acutifolius) are deeply rooted in the agricultural history of the Sonoran Desert. Indigenous peoples of the American Southwest and northwestern Mexico have cultivated these incredibly drought-resistant legumes for millennia. They possess a dense, meaty texture and a sweet, slightly nutty flavor that pairs naturally with corn and native chilies.
