Using cucumbers in a salad seems obvious, but they can be very wet, and after a short while, your salad might look more like a cold soup. Here, the seeds and middle part are scooped out, then the cucumbers are salted and left to drain excess liquid. You'll be surprised by the amount of liquid...

For so many, a salad is mixed greens and boring raw vegetables. More and more, I love salads without any lettuce. I want crunch and texture—bean salads with celery, onions, radishes, or carrots are wonderful. There's the satisfying crunch of the vegetables and the indulgent-feeling creaminess of the beans. It's...

Inspired by a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe, here is a dish you could take to a gathering and serve at room temperature. So many hosts want some help but dread hearing, "What can I bring?" Make it easy on them and bring this. Or serve it as a side at your own celebration. 1...

This is our favorite kind of salad: crunchy, creamy, and substantial. We've been enjoying Andy Baraghani's book, The Cook You Want to Be (Lorena Jones Books, 2022). There are countless new ideas and jumping-off points if you're an adventurous cook. His Crunchy Celery Salad has shades of the old Waldorf...

You are welcome to play around with quantities and even ingredients. You could try a colored cabbage, replace it with lettuce, use poached chicken instead of shrimp, or make it vegan and leave them out altogether. The one thing we insist is that you don't use canned hominy. Hopefully, you...

1 garlic clove, minced 1 tablespoon minced preserved lemon 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon Rancho Gordo Castillo Spanish Pimenton (optional) 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 4 cups baby spinach 1 1/2 cups cooked, drained Rancho Gordo Black Garbanzos or Classic Garbanzos 1/4 of a white...

Our friend Emily Nunn is a People of The Bean. Her clever Department of Salad newsletter is an endless font of salad wisdom. She's written an ebook for Rancho Gordo, and she's a constant inspiration for better and better salads. She is an advocate for this delicious version of Ranch...

Steve made this super simple, flexible salad for an Instagram Live episode and we got some requests for the full recipe. Ta-da! Note that Steve used pre-cooked Spanish chorizo, which is different from the fresh Mexican-style chorizo that needs to be cooked first.  2 cups cooked, drained Rancho Gordo Garbanzo Beans 1 cup chopped...

When we think of Black Eyed Peas, we generally think of stews and pork products, so it was fun to experiment with them in a fresh vegetable and herb salad. Black Eyed Peas, especially our new-crop peas, can overcook quickly, so keep an eye on the pot if you are cooking them...

Runner beans make a welcome component in a salad because they are thick-skinned and firm, but with a creamy interior. You can prepare all the components of this salad in advance, but wait until just before serving to combine everything, so all the ingredients stay crisp and fresh. ½ bunch fresh cilantro...

Nopales are prickly-pear cactus paddles that you can find in most Mexican markets and some supermarkets. You can often buy them precleaned, but if you need to do it yourself, here are some tips.  1 to 2 cups cleaned, cubed nopales (cactus paddles) ¼ of a white onion, chopped 3...

4 cups wild arugula 2 cups drained cooked Rancho Gordo white beans, such as Ayocote Blanco, Cassoulet or Royal Corona beans 1 teaspoon Rancho Gordo Oregano Indio Olive oil Rancho Gordo Pineapple Vinegar (or other mild vinegar) Salt and freshly ground black pepper ½ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted Serve 2 to...