Authentic Piyaz (Turkish White Bean Salad)

If you ask me, Turkish white bean salads are one of those dishes that deserve more attention.

This simple side dish is bright with lemon and tangy sumac, a purple spice that tastes like citrus and berries. Creamy butter beans get tossed with sweet tomatoes, sharp red onion, and fresh parsley.

The dressing is straightforward—just olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice—with a kick from Aleppo chili flakes. It takes about 15 minutes to pull together, mostly just chopping and mixing.

It’s a great addition to a summer cookout or weeknight dinner, and it gets better as it sits in the fridge.

What Kind of Beans Should I Use?

For authentic piyaz, butter beans (also called lima beans) are the traditional choice and give you that creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes this salad so good. You can absolutely use canned butter beans to save time – just make sure to drain and rinse them well to get rid of any excess sodium or that tinny taste. If you want to use dried beans instead, you’ll need to soak them overnight and cook them until they’re tender but not mushy, which usually takes about an hour. White beans like cannellini or great northern beans also work in a pinch if you can’t find butter beans, though the texture will be slightly different.

Options for Substitutions

This Turkish salad is pretty forgiving, so here are some swaps you can make:

• Butter beans: If you can’t find butter beans, cannellini beans or great northern beans work really well. Navy beans are a bit smaller but will do in a pinch. Just make sure to drain and rinse them well.
• Sumac: Sumac gives this salad its signature tangy flavor, but if you don’t have it, you can add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice to get that bright, citrusy taste.
• Aleppo chili flakes: Regular red pepper flakes can work here, but use about half the amount since they’re spicier. You could also try paprika mixed with a pinch of cayenne for a similar mild heat.
• Red wine vinegar: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar both work fine as substitutes without changing the flavor too much.
• Parsley: Fresh cilantro or mint can replace parsley if that’s what you have on hand, though they’ll give the salad a slightly different flavor profile.
• Red onion: You can use white or yellow onion instead, but red onion is milder and adds a nice color to the salad, so it’s worth sticking with if possible.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake you can make with piyaz is skipping the step where you rub the sumac and salt into the onions – this process mellows out the harsh bite of raw onion and makes it much more pleasant to eat, so take the full 30-60 seconds to really work it in with your hands.

Another common error is using canned beans straight from the can without rinsing them first, which leaves your salad tasting metallic and overly salty – give those butter beans a good rinse under cold water and drain them well before adding.

Don’t rush the resting time at the end either, as those 20-30 minutes allow all the flavors to blend together and the onions to soften even more, making a huge difference in the final taste.

For the best texture, cut your tomatoes into similar-sized pieces as the beans so every bite has a good mix of ingredients, and if your salad tastes flat, it probably just needs more lemon juice or salt to brighten everything up.

What to Serve With Piyaz?

This Turkish white bean salad is perfect alongside grilled meats like chicken kebabs, lamb chops, or kofta – the fresh, tangy flavors really complement anything cooked over high heat. I love serving it as part of a mezze spread with hummus, baba ganoush, and warm pita bread for a casual dinner where everyone can pick and choose what they want. It also works great as a side dish for grilled fish or as a light lunch on its own with some crusty bread and feta cheese crumbled on top. Since the salad has such bright, acidic flavors from the lemon and vinegar, it pairs nicely with richer dishes that need a little something to balance them out.

Storage Instructions

Store: This salad actually gets better after sitting for a few hours as the flavors meld together. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The onions will mellow out nicely over time, making it even more delicious the next day.

Serve: I like to take piyaz out of the fridge about 15-20 minutes before serving so it comes to room temperature. Give it a good stir and taste it – you might want to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a pinch more salt to brighten it up after it’s been chilling.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 550-650
• Protein: 15-18 g
• Fat: 23-27 g
• Carbohydrates: 70-80 g

Ingredients

For the marinated onions:

• 1 large red onion (halved and thinly sliced into half-moons)
• 2.5 tsp sumac
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the salad assembly:

• 3 tomatoes (seeded and diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 15 oz can butter beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup parsley (finely chopped with stems removed)
• 3.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1.5 tsp aleppo chili flakes

Step 1: Prepare the Mise en Place

• 1 large red onion
• 3 tomatoes
• 15 oz can butter beans
• 1/4 cup parsley

Halve the red onion lengthwise and thinly slice it into half-moons.

Seed the tomatoes and dice them into 1/2-inch cubes—this removes excess moisture so your salad won’t get watery.

Drain and rinse the butter beans thoroughly under cold water.

Remove the stems from the parsley and finely chop the leaves.

Have all ingredients prepped and ready before you begin assembling the salad.

Step 2: Soften and Flavor the Onions

• 1 large red onion
• 2.5 tsp sumac
• 1/2 tsp salt

Place the sliced red onions in a large bowl and sprinkle with sumac and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, gently rub and massage the mixture into the onions for 30-60 seconds.

This breaks down the onion’s cell walls slightly, making them softer and more pliable while allowing the sumac to coat each slice evenly and add its bright, tangy flavor.

The massage also begins mellowing the raw onion’s sharpness.

Step 3: Combine the Vegetables and Beans

• massaged onion mixture from Step 2
• 3 tomatoes
• 15 oz can butter beans
• 1/4 cup parsley

Add the diced tomatoes, drained butter beans, and chopped parsley to the bowl with the massaged onions.

Gently fold these ingredients together to distribute them evenly.

I like to fold rather than stir at this point because it helps the delicate tomato pieces maintain their shape and prevents them from breaking down too much before the dressing is added.

Step 4: Dress the Salad and Season

• vegetable and bean mixture from Step 3
• 3.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1.5 tsp aleppo chili flakes
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice until emulsified.

Pour this dressing over the vegetables and beans, then add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the Aleppo chili flakes, and black pepper to taste.

Gently toss everything together until well combined, making sure the dressing coats all the ingredients evenly.

I find adding the acidic elements (vinegar and lemon juice) with the oil helps the flavors distribute more evenly than adding them separately.

Step 5: Rest and Serve

Let the salad sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving.

This resting time allows the flavors to meld and deepen, the beans to absorb some of the dressing, and the onions to continue softening.

The salad actually tastes better the longer it sits, so don’t hesitate to make it a few hours ahead if you prefer.

Authentic Piyaz (Turkish White Bean Salad)

Delicious Authentic Piyaz (Turkish White Bean Salad) recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 600 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the marinated onions::

• 1 large red onion (halved and thinly sliced into half-moons)
• 2.5 tsp sumac
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the salad assembly::

• 3 tomatoes (seeded and diced into 1/2-inch cubes)
• 15 oz can butter beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup parsley (finely chopped with stems removed)
• 3.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1.5 tsp aleppo chili flakes

Instructions

 

• Halve the red onion lengthwise and thinly slice it into half-moons. Seed the tomatoes and dice them into 1/2-inch cubes—this removes excess moisture so your salad won't get watery. Drain and rinse the butter beans thoroughly under cold water. Remove the stems from the parsley and finely chop the leaves. Have all ingredients prepped and ready before you begin assembling the salad.
• Place the sliced red onions in a large bowl and sprinkle with sumac and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, gently rub and massage the mixture into the onions for 30-60 seconds. This breaks down the onion's cell walls slightly, making them softer and more pliable while allowing the sumac to coat each slice evenly and add its bright, tangy flavor. The massage also begins mellowing the raw onion's sharpness.
• Add the diced tomatoes, drained butter beans, and chopped parsley to the bowl with the massaged onions. Gently fold these ingredients together to distribute them evenly. I like to fold rather than stir at this point because it helps the delicate tomato pieces maintain their shape and prevents them from breaking down too much before the dressing is added.
• In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice until emulsified. Pour this dressing over the vegetables and beans, then add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the Aleppo chili flakes, and black pepper to taste. Gently toss everything together until well combined, making sure the dressing coats all the ingredients evenly. I find adding the acidic elements (vinegar and lemon juice) with the oil helps the flavors distribute more evenly than adding them separately.
• Let the salad sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving. This resting time allows the flavors to meld and deepen, the beans to absorb some of the dressing, and the onions to continue softening. The salad actually tastes better the longer it sits, so don't hesitate to make it a few hours ahead if you prefer.