In our humble opinion, everything on Magpie Cafe’s menu is amazing – but during our most recent visit, this spectacular bean salad stole the show. We asked owner Janel Inouye to share the recipe and are pleasantly surprised at how easy the dish is to recreate.

What makes this bean salad so spectacular?

When Janel shared the recipe, our jaws dropped. Was this really the whole recipe? Could something so simple actually be that delicious? Janel laughed and answered, “It’s really the quality of the beans and the olive oil that makes them oh-so-delish.”

What type of beans are in this recipe?

Our next question? “What type of beans do you use in this recipe?” Janel uses fresh cranberry beans from her friends at Fifth Crow Farm. If you aren’t able to find fresh cranberry beans, look for high quality dry cranberry beans. Fifth Crow Farm and Rancho Gordo are two of our favorite sources for heirloom cranberry beans.

Because this recipe is so simple, sourcing premium ingredients is key. Fifth Crow Farm packages and sells their dry beans within the first year of harvest. So, why does this matter? Aren’t all dried beans just…dry beans? Beans will last for years on a grocery store shelf (or in the back of your pantry) – but over time the quality and flavors degrade. Once you’ve tasted the difference between Fifth Crow Farm’s heirloom beans and your run-of-the-mill grocery store variety, you’ll never look back.

Don’t forget the olive oil…

After cooking the beans, toss them in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. For the best flavor, choose a California extra virgin olive oil bearing the COOC seal.

Not all olive oil is created equally! Every bottle of Certified California EVOO must pass rigorous chemical testing AND a sensory analysis. Learn more about how olive oil is made in California

Magpie Cafe’s Cranberry Bean Salad

Magpie Café

Everything on the menu at Magpie Café is amazing – but during a recent visit, this surprisingly simple bean salad stole the show!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, dinner

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 177 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the beans:

• 1 pound fresh cranberry beans, shelled or 1 pound premium dry cranberry beans, soaked overnight
• 2 TBSP Olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:

• 1/2 bunch basil
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Salt to taste

For the Optional Sweet Corn-Stuffed Squash Blossoms

• 12 squash blossoms
• 5 ears sweet corn peeled, kernels cut and removed from cob 1/4 jalapeno, seeded, with all white ribs removed, chopped
• 1/4 jalapeno seeded, with all white ribs removed, chopped
• 1/2 bunch green onion chopped
• 1 cup ricotta
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup flour plus flour for dredging
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 cup beer
• oil for Frying

Instructions

 

For the beans:

• Boil in fresh cranberry beans in salted water for 20 – 25 minutes. If using dry beans, increase cooking time to about 1 hour or until beans are tender.
• Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.

For the sauce:

• Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
• Strain with a fine strainer and salt to taste.

For the optional sweet corn-stuffed squash blossoms:

• Pan roast corn kernels from five cobs.
• Puree half of the corn kernels together with the jalapeno.
• Mix whole corn, pureed corn, green onion, and ricotta.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil for frying to 350° F (175° C).
• Stuff squash blossoms with cooled filling.
• Dredge stuffed blossoms, dip in batter and fry until golden.
• Serve immediately.

Notes

Magpie’s bean salad serves 12 as an appetizer or side but we’d happily enjoy a bowl as a lighter dinner or lunch!

If you’re making this dish during the summer, be sure to try the optional Corn-Stuffed Squash Blossom!

Nutrition

Calories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 7gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 134mgPotassium: 199mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 181IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 1mg

Keyword bean salad, squash blossoms

Tried this recipe?Mention @cagrownofficial or tag #CAGROWN!

About Magpie Café

Sacramento is the self-proclaimed farm-to-table capital of the world. In a town where locally grown produce and goods are the norm in restaurant offerings, Magpie Café still sets itself apart, transforming farm-fresh ingredients into something unforgettable.

Janel Inouye, co-owner of Magpie, describes Magpie as an honest restaurant for people who like to eat. She proudly states, “I don’t think there is any place that elevates the food in a casual atmosphere quite like Magpie. At the end of the meal, it’s usually a pretty good deal also!”

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Cranberry bean and bean salad images courtesy of Fifth Crow Farms and Magpie Café.