Butter Bean Salad With bacon gets a beautiful splash of flavor dressed with a warm maple syrup vinaigrette. Bold and tangy, this salad is served warm by quickly heating canned butter beans and the vinaigrette in the the microwave. A super easy side salad recipe yet hearty enough for a light main course salad. This recipe will wow the palate.
What Is This Butter Bean Salad About?
It's a cozy bowl of buttery beans warmed through and tossed in a glossy maple vinaigrette. Add in bacon for that sweet, salty flavor combo that we all love. Don’t you love dragging a strip of bacon through maple syrup that’s dripped off your stack of pancakes? Imagine the same intoxicating sensation in this butter bean salad. The vinegar in the maple syrup dressing keeps it from tasting like breakfast and you won’t even miss the pancakes.
It’s Delicious and Here’s Why
Bold, smoky and complex, it’s light enough for a to serve as a starter for a main course, and with bacon, hearty enough for a light dinner.
- Texture: The warm maple syrup dressing melts into salad greens and turns the beans into royalty. And, after all maple syrup is a natural partner for bacon.
- Bacon: There are six pieces of bacon in this white bean salad recipe. That means a crunch of salty bacon flavor in each and every bite.
- Flavor: A combination of sweet and salty is always a treat for the taste buds.
- Veggies: The green onions add a nice touch to the flavor and the red bell pepper a crisp splash of color.
- The Texture: Creamy fluffy butter beans, crisp vegetables, and crunchy bacon over crisp greens = perfect.
Butter Beans vs Lima Beans
Butter beans and lima beans are the same bean. Butter beans are just fully grown lima beans. Bigger, creamier and less green tasting.
Using canned butter beans are a big convenience. They're already tender and warming them gently helps them to drink up the maple syrup dressing. If you want to use dried beans, soak them overnight, drain and cover again with water and simmer until soft but not falling apart. Salt towards the end and don’t overcook. Mushy beans will ruin the mood of this salad.
Why Maple Syrup Works Here
Pure Maple Syrup isn't just sweet. It's earthy and almost smoky. That depth plays well with beans, which are mild and creamy. Dijon mustard, when paired with maple syrup delivers a little dance of sweet and tangy. And of course, there’s that bacon and maple syrup combination that simply irresistible.
This salad recipe comes together in a snap, let’s get started.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Canned Butter Beans = Easy!
- Bacon: Thick sliced, fried and cut into pieces.
- Veggies: Green onions and red bell pepper.
- Greens: Since we’re using a warm dressing, choose sturdy greens like baby spinach or a power mix that contains a mix of spinach and hearty greens. Delicate lettuces will wilt too easily.
- Vinaigrette: Real maple syrup, Dijon mustard for bite, apple cider vinegar for brightness. Olive oil, salt, black pepper. That's it, simple and clean.
Variations and Substitutions
- Honey: If you're out of maple syrup, honey will work. Bringing a little different flavor, it’s still a good choice.
- Vinegar: Balsamic instead of cider vinegar? Deeper and richer flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Lemon juice instead of vinegar. Lighter and brighter, a more Summery option.
- Beans: Pillowy Butter beans are my absolute favorite choice for this salad, but canned Navy Beans and Great Northern Beans are a good substitute.
- Make It Heartier: This salad seems to me to be perfect as is, but if you want some additions, here are some suggestions. Pieces of roasted chicken. Or top with a poached egg. We made many salads topped with runny eggs in Culinary School … it’s a very French thing to do. The runny yolk drips into the salad ingredients making it even creamier.
Tip: I've tried all of these and Maple syrup and apple cider vinegar are still my favorite.
How To Make Butter Bean Salad
- Step 1: Cook The Bacon: Grab your favorite fry pan and cook the bacon until the fat has rendered and it’s nice and crispy. Using kitchen shears, cut the bacon into bits and set aside. Prepare The Beans: Place the canned beans into a colander, rinse and set aside while they drain.
- Step 2: Make The Savory Maple Syrup Vinaigrette Combine Maple Syrup, cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon Mustard, salt and pepper in a microwave safe bowl.
- Step 3: Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir with a whisk and microwave on high for another 30 seconds. Whisk again until smooth and set aside. Warm The White Beans: Heat for 1 minute or until beans are nice and warm.
- Step 4: Grab your favorite salad bowl Place sturdy greens (example, spinach or arugula) in the salad bowl. Sprinkle in the chopped red bell pepper and sliced green onions. Sprinkle on the bacon.
- Dress and serve: Add the warm beans and warm maple syrup vinaigrette to the salad. Toss a bit and serve.
Presentation tip: I like using a wide shallow salad bowl. The small ingredients don’t sink to the bottom for a better display.
Tips For Success
- Use pure maple syrup rather than pancake syrup from the breakfast aisle at the grocery store. Pure maple syrup brings a much cleaner, rich flavor. Plus you’ll be avoiding high fructose corn syrup.
- Thick Sliced Bacon: Once cut into bacon bits, thick sliced bacon will deliver a more flavorful and chewy bite of bacon.
- Don’t overheat the beans, they’ll crack and dry out.
What To Serve It With?
Since this is a heavier, almost main course salad, keep it light. Stay on theme and serve it as a starter for Dijon Mustard Maple Glazed Salmon. Or simply with a few slices of crusty bread and make it a meal. As far as wine, choose a crisp cold Sauvignon Blanc. It’s acidity will compliment the bacon and match the dressing.
FAQ’s
Butter beans are an excellent source of plant protein. They're loaded with dietary fiber, which supports digestion, helps regulate blood sugar, and keeps you full longer. Great for heart health, too.
This is such a quick and easy salad to throw together, but if you need to work ahead, I would suggest chopping the red bell pepper and onion ahead of time. Store each of them separately in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also throw together the vinaigrette ingredients ahead and time and warm right before plating the salad.
Explore More Recipes Using Beans
So if you’ve been wondering what to make with canned butter beans, I hope you give this rich and rustic recipe a try. It get rave reviews every time I serve it.
if you're loving the idea of this creamy butter bean salad don't stop here. I cook with dried bean and canned beans a lot. So here are a few more of my favorite bean recipes, from cozy soups to hearty main dishes and bean salads, that keep this humble ingredient doing all the heavy lifting.
Don’t miss my Salad Category. You’ll find lots of great salad recipes and vinaigrettes, including the most popular salad recipe on my site for my Taco Salad Made With Catalina Dressing. And yes, the backbone of this recipe is canned beans.
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Warm Butter Bean Salad with Bacon and Maple Syrup Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- ½ Cup green onions sliced
- 1 Small red bell pepper chopped
- 6 slices Thick cut bacon cooked and crumbled
- 14 ounces spinach or mixed spinach and super greens combo
- 1 can Butter beans drained and rinsed
- For The Maple Syrup Dressing
- ¼ cup Pure maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons Cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Chop the red bell pepper and slice the green onions, set aside.
- Fry the bacon in a fry pan until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Drain on paper towels. Using kitchen shears, cut the bacon into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
- Place the canned beans in a colander and rinse and let drain. Set aside.
- For the Maple Syrup Dressing
- Combine maple syrup, cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper in a small microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds. Whisk and then heat for another 30 seconds or until hot.
- Place drained and rinsed canned white beans in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave until hot, about one minute.
- Combine onions, bell pepper, bacon and greens in a salad bowl. Add beans and drizzle with the warm maple syrup vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use pure maple syrup rather than pancake syrup from the breakfast aisle at the grocery store. Pure maple syrup brings a much cleaner, rich flavor. Plus you’ll be avoiding high fructose corn syrup.
- Thick Sliced Bacon: Once cut into bacon bits, thick sliced bacon will deliver a more flavorful and chewy bite of bacon.
- Don’t overheat the beans, they’ll crack and dry out.
Nutrition
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
I really have to try this. I love spinach salad and the additions you’ve made to an old classic sound wonderful. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings…Mary
I tried this tonight! I made only one serving just for me and it is wonderful! I will be posting about it AND making more! Thanks!
This looks really good. I would have never thought to make a maple vinaigrette. Great idea.
I love that your families are connected through the dogs! Dogs are seriously the best unifiers out there…they just bring people together.
This is one excellent meal. That strawberry pie has me drooling. And don’t even mention the sliders. They go without saying.
This is a delicious meld of flavors with some of my favorite things! The maple vinaigrette really makes it special!
Yum Yum!!! Hearty and light and delicious! Wonderful salad.
This looks like the perfect salad for tomorrow’s Father’s Day BBQ. I love the maple vinaigrette.
With the cider vinegar, I’d like to make this with a little bit of pulled pork instead (or in addition to) the bacon. Yum!
oh wow another fab salad from Lea Ann’s kitchen love it
have a good weekend
Rebecca
I’m pretty sure I’m in love with this dish and I haven’t even tried it. Maple and bacon on a salad with some beans to add protein?? Genious!!
This looks delicious–I love beans the maple syrup dressing sounds great and of course BACON! 😉 Let me know if you want to send it to Souper Sundays.
(Hint, hint…) 😉
Yes, did I hear Maple syrup and bacon? I am in!
That was really an original! White beans, bacon, and syrup are a wonderful combo…
I am also intrigued by the vinagrette. Otherwise it reminds me of my favorite salad at the local trattoria. I am SO going to make this!
I’ve always loved the maple syrup and butter or maple syrup and bacon combo. The sweet and salty just can’t be beat! Love this salad!
Oh, I can tell that I am going to love this!
It looks delicious. With a family get together coming…a perfect time to try it.
maple syrup vinaigrette is very intriguing… GREG
That looks wicked good. Course, it does have bacon. 😉